The right way to remove eye makeup
The eye contour area is very sensitive because the skin is thinner there. So it’s essential to take off your eye makeup correctly so that you don’t damage it. Bad technique could make you lose your eyelashes prematurely. Here are a few tips to help you do it the right way.
What you shouldn’t do
1. Don’t rub your eyelashes from left to right; you might pluck out perfectly healthy lashes.
2. Don’t rub too vigorously; you could irritate your skin and the inside of your eyes.
3. Don’t take your makeup off with petroleum jelly, baby oil or tonic lotion. These products are not designed for the sensitive eye zone. You could get blurred vision, irritated skin, puffiness, bags, whiteheads etc. The aforementioned first two products contain fat that doesn’t evaporate and could cause congestion in the eyes. As for tonic lotion, some of its ingredients are too aggressive for the eyes, such as alcohol for example.
4. Don’t ever remove your eye makeup with regular soap or shower gel. You could seriously irritate your eyes.
What you should do
1. Take a cotton pad designed for removing makeup and dip it lightly in the eye makeup remover. Don’t use too much because it could get in your eyes and cause a burning sensation. However, if you don’t use enough, it could be ineffective and irritating if the pad is too dry. So the right amount is important; if you think you’ve put too much product on the pad, squeeze it to get rid of excess. If you’re using a cream eye makeup remover you can apply it directly to your eyes. Leave it a few seconds and then remove it with cotton pads soaked in water and squeezed. Or you can put some eye makeup remover on one of the pads and apply the other one over it so that you have a kind of sandwich (yum!), rub them together a little to spread out the product then remove makeup the same way you would do with a liquid remover as in step 2.
2. Begin with your eye shadow; mascara and eyeliner will come later. Sweep the cotton pad from the inner to the outer corner and go down under the eye from the exterior to the interior. This clockwise movement will help with the drainage of the eye and help avoid puffs and bags. You can repeat the operation several times in the same way.
3. For mascara and pencil on the upper lid, you can use either another cotton pad or a cotton swab soaked in remover. It’s important to keep the same movement to protect your lashes.
Close your eye, apply the pad or swab at the base of the lashes and go downwards, following the way the lashes grow, You may have to do this several times but it’s important to always use a downward movement. You can also twist the swab around in an anti-clockwise movement, still going downwards, to remove the makeup more effectively. If your mascara or pencil is very resistant, let the pad rest on your eye and press lightly. After a minute, the makeup will have softened and will be easier to remove. Some eyeliners and mascaras contain polymers which need heat to be removed (it’s usually indicated on the packaging). In this case, use warm water to soak the pad and leave it on the eyes about a minute before using a remover.
4. At this stage, there probably won’t be any remaining mascara under your eye but there may still be a pencil line. If so, sweep a cotton swab soaked in remover delicately under the lashes, from the inner to the outer corner. Repeat the operation until there’s none left. If there is still some mascara left on the lower lashes, do the same as you did with the upper lashes, but with a cotton swab soaked in remover.
If you have used kohl on the inner lid or if some makeup has got into your eye, take a new cotton swab and this time don’t use remover but dip the swab in water or eye drops. Pull the lower lid down to expose the kohl or residue without rubbing. Usually the kohl will come off with one movement of the wet swab over the “waterline”. As for residue, in general just one touch of the swab will get rid of it. It’s important to look inside your eye (with a mirror of course!) to see if there’s any residue and use the wet swab to remove it. (Don’t use a dry swab, it could irritate your eye and cotton fibres could get lodged there). You don’t want to spend the night with makeup in your eyes!
Further advice
1. Choose your eye makeup remover well. If you use waterproof eye makeup, buy a remover specifically designed for this type of makeup instead of rubbing furiously with a regular remover. If you have sensitive eyes, go for an ultra-gentle remover which will not cause a burning sensation (yes, they do exist!).
2. Don’t forget to apply an eye contour cream after removing your makeup. It’s essential to moisturise this thin-skinned area which can quickly become dehydrated and hasten the appearance of wrinkles.
Have a good night! 😉