Do you wear makeup every day? Even if you only wear it now and again (thanks, 2020!), every makeup user should understand the importance of good makeup removal practices.
Removing your makeup at the end of the day is important to keep your skin healthy. And different skin types have different needs when it comes to makeup removers. (Let’s get to that later!)
But first, let’s talk about why using a makeup remover is beneficial, no matter your skin type. You might also be surprised to learn you don’t have to spend a fortune to find the right makeup remover for you. That’s right – you can find some of the best makeup removers at your local drugstore.
Makeup removers are essential in the quest for good skincare. They contain ingredients that help to dissolve the various types of makeup you wear, including mascaras and eye-shadows. And also, help to rid you of the dirt and impurities that can gather on your face. Removers and cleansers remove all traces of your makeup, preventing harmful substances from staying on your skin for too long.
So let’s go, and find out which drugstore makeup removers you should be looking for!
Why Is It Important to Remove Your Makeup Each Night?
If you want to maintain clear, beautiful skin, you should avoid falling asleep with your makeup on. Removing your makeup every night is important for preventing breakouts and clogged pores. And let’s not deny it – doesn’t it feel better going to bed with a clean, fresh face?
Makeup removers are a necessary part of any beauty routine. (and if not, they should be!)
They clean off everything from foundation to lipstick without the use of water or soap, leaving your skin feeling fresh and new again.
If you’re anything like me, I’m sure you’ve had the odd night, going to bed late, and the LAST thing you want to do is spend that time cleaning your face. But please – do your best not to make a habit out of this!!! You’ll thank me later!
Do You Use Waterproof Makeup?
Waterproof makeup is great for its long-lasting ability but often requires different makeup removers to get rid of it.
Makeup removers are products that remove makeup from the face, usually in the form of a water, a lotion, or balm.
There are many different makeup removers for all skin types and special needs: some remove waterproof eyeliner while others dissolve lipsticks. Makeup remover products come in two forms, liquids and creams. The latter type is beneficial for people with sensitive skin types.
Waterproof makeup requires stronger formulas to work efficiently. So, when looking for makeup removers, make sure you specifically look out for products that are specifically targeted towards waterproof makeup – if that’s your jam.
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Different Skin Types – What is Your Skin Type?
Dry Skin
Dry skin doesn’t have enough moisture within it. It can appear rough and feel tight, especially after washing, or if the weather changes suddenly. Dry skin often requires extra care when using cosmetics because products can tend to dry out the skin even more. You know you have dry skin if your skin feels rough, tough, or flaky.
Sensitive Skin
Sensitive skin tends to react to chemicals, products, and fluctuations in weather. Sometimes it can be difficult for people with sensitive skin types to find makeup removers because most are made from harsher ingredients like stearic acid or sodium lauryl sulfate. Or your skin flares up at the drop of a hat.
Oily Skin
Oily skin can occur as a result of the body producing too much sebum. This excess oil leads to pimples and acne. And as we know, this can cause people who have oily skin to feel insecure and self-conscious about their appearance. You’ll know if you have oily skin because it tends to look shiny. Products tend to slide off or move around on your skin if you have oily skin.
Combination Skin
A person can experience both dryness and oiliness at the same time on their face. This skin type is called combination, or “combination skin.” The main focus of this kind of care should be on controlling these two conditions to give your skin a healthier appearance. Or even using two different products – one for dryness and the other for oiliness.
Mature Skin
Mature skin tends to lose elasticity and become dry, thin, or wrinkled. The skin may also develop dark spots from sun exposure. You’ll know you have mature skin if you’re seeing creases developing around your eyes, mouth, or on your forehead. Your skin may also feel a little less elastic and drier in texture.
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Best Drugstore Removers for Dry Skin
Algenist Genius Ultimate Anti-Aging Melting Cleanser is suitable for people with dry skin.
The Algenist Genius Ultimate Anti-Aging Melting Cleanser is formulated with nourishing micro-algae that helps restore the skin’s natural moisture balance to keep it supple – even in the driest climates. This gentle yet effective formula will remove all traces of makeup without stripping or drying your skin out so you can wake up looking radiant every morning!
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Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water With Rose Water and Glycerin is perfect for dry skin types because it’s gentle but effective.
The Garnier Skin Active Micellar Cleansing Water with rose water and glycerin is an excellent drugstore makeup remover that balances the pH level of your skin to prevent dryness while removing makeup residue from pores for clarified skin.
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Another great makeup remover if you have dry skin is Pond’s Makeup Remover Cleansing Balm. It features softening ingredients that will gently remove all of your makeup without over-drying or irritating sensitive areas.
Using Ponds to remove your makeup will leave your skin feeling soft and nourished.
The cleansing balm contains natural minerals from antioxidant-rich plants to cleanse the skin of heavy makeup without leaving it feeling tight and dry. Instead, it’ll feel smooth and soft. The perfect drugstore makeup remover for dry skin.
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And finally, Bioderma Hydrabio H20 Micellar Cleansing Water for Sensitive and Dehydrated Skin is another top pick for dry skin. It contains very little alcohol to avoid irritating sensitive areas like under the eyes and around lips.
Bioderma Hydrabio H20 Cleansing Water gently removes makeup and impurities without stripping your skin of moisture or leaving any residue behind on your face.
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Best Drugstore Removers for Sensitive Skin
Cetaphil Gentle Makeup Remover is one of the best drugstore makeup removers for sensitive skin types. It doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals or oils.
Cetaphil Gentle Makeup remover cleanses and removes (even waterproof) makeup without stripping your skin of necessary nutrients. This leaves you with a clean complexion that’s soft to the touch – not dry, tight, irritated-feeling like many other brands can leave behind.
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Another good makeup remover for sensitive skin is Avène XeraCalm A.D Lipid-Replenishing Cleansing Oil. It is designed to be gentle, soothing, and moisturizing without harsh chemicals on your delicate facial area.
The one thing you should know about Avène XeraCalm A.D Lipid-Replenishing Cleansing oil is its versatility. It also lacks major irritants like fragrance, parabens, sulfates, or phthalates, which are often found in many other products on the market today.
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Avène Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover is also worth trying if your skin gets easily irritated. It’s free of fragrance, alcohol, and color. And it will remove even waterproof mascara without harming the delicate eye area.
Avène Gentle Eye Makeup remover has been designed for sensitive or allergy-prone eyes. It is safe to be used with contact lenses and features an extra-gentle formula that does not contain alcohol, parabens, perfume, or mineral oil. This means you won’t have to worry about any redness from irritation developing in this crucial part of our face where we first show signs of aging like dark circles under our eyes!
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Klorane Micellar Water is another favorite for sensitive skin due to its soothing and calming water formula. Made from 97% natural ingredients, it won’t irritate your skin as alcohol-based solutions can. This water removes even the toughest makeup without stripping away moisture or leaving an oily residue behind!
The Klorane makeup remover water leaves your face feeling fresh and clean. It’s also extremely gentle on the eyes. All of these things make Klorane Micellar Water a preferred option for those of us with sensitive skin. For an effective and affordable drugstore makeup remover, look no further than Klorane!
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Best Drugstore Removers for Oily Skin
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Micellar Cleansing Water and Makeup Remover is an excellent choice for oily skin because it gently removes impurities, clears the pores, and provides a radiant complexion.
The La Roche-Posay Micellar Water is a product designed to reduce oiliness on your face without stripping away too much of what’s necessary to maintain a healthy tone. It can be used not only as a makeup remover but also cleanser in areas where you don’t wear makeup at all! You’ll enjoy its gentle formula, which contains zinc – the most effective acne treatment ingredient available over the counter today.
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Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover is another good pick if you have oily skin. Mainly due to its gentle formula that doesn’t leave behind any greasy residue. The makeup remover is gentle and efficient.
The Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover will get rid of all traces of last night’s smokey eye with ease!
The formula washes away quickly and gently for a smooth cleanse that won’t rub off onto anything else while washing up – including towels!
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Mario Badescu Glycolic Foaming Cleanser is ideal for oily, acne-prone skin with breakouts. Not only does this product help fight against the culprits that cause pimples, but it also works as an exfoliator! This cleanser gives people with breakouts an easy way to get their skin clear and healthy-looking again, at any age.
The acne facial cleanser has been clinically proven to help treat pimples and other blemishes that can pop up on the face or body during puberty without adding extra stressors like harsh chemicals or scrubs for sensitive skin types.
It will also calm the skin with ingredients like St. John’s Wort and chamomile. All the while removing dirt, makeup, and oil. And bringing to life dull, congested skin.
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Best Drugstore Removers for Combination Skin
Bioderma Sensibio H2O is a great choice for combination skin. It has a lightweight texture and contains soothing cucumber extract. Sensibio H20 is perfect as an everyday cleanser or makeup remover. It will leave you with soothed, clean skin that will stay hydrated all day long.
One of the best drugstore makeup removers, if ever there was one. With almost 30,000 (nope, that’s not a mistype!) reviews on Amazon at the time of publishing this post, you know there are a lot of happily cleansed faces out there!
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Banilla Co. Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm is excellent for removing impurities without drying out the skin. It also reduces irritation and redness that may be caused by other products.
Banilla Co.’s Cleansing Balm works by cleansing your skin while removing any excess oil or makeup. It contains natural ingredients such as mineral salt, Vitamins C and E for gentle yet effective facial cleansing.
The easy to work with solid balm becomes oil on the skin as it works to remove dirt and makeup. Apply with a cotton pad or clean fingers. Massage the balm into your skin. Once you add water to remove, the oil emulsifies and leaves you with a soft, cleansed complexion.
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Avène Eau Thermal Micellar Lotion is another top pick for combination skin due to its gentle formula that won’t dry out your sensitive skin.
The Eau Thermale Avène Micellar Lotion Cleanser and Makeup Remover can be used on all different complexions, including oily or normal-to-oily ones! With its mild formulation, you’ll never have to worry about over-drying again. And the best thing – no need to rinse!
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Best Drugstore Removers for Mature Skin
Olay Age Defying Cleanser is a great makeup remover for mature skin. It hydrates the skin and refreshes your complexion.
The cleansing wash from Olay is the perfect way to cleanse your mature skin. It works with salicylic acid and glycerin so it won’t dry out aging skin. Instead, it will nourish it with vitamins to keep it looking bright and radiant. A great drugstore cleanser to remove dirt, oil, and makeup from your skin.
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Palmer’s Coconut Oil Formula Cleansing Balm is a favorite for mature skin because of its gentle formula of nourishing, skin-hydrating ingredients.
The Palmer’s Coconut Oil Formula Cleansing Balm is made with ingredients like coconut oil, cocoa seed butter, and shea butter. These melt into an aromatic lather in your hand while gently removing makeup without stripping away moisture from the skin.
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Another good makeup remover for aging skin is e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm.
Thanks to its powerful hydrating properties, it’s a perfect balm for removing long days of makeup-clogged skin. Containing ceramides and hyaluronic acid, this is the perfect remover to help nourish and protect the skin’s barrier.
The e.l.f. Cleansing Balm is an easy-to-use product that’s great for people with more mature skin! It melts off your makeup without drying out or irritating the sensitive area around the eyes, and it deeply hydrates to leave you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.
Ingredients to look for in Makeup Removers
Makeup can cause clogged pores and breakouts if you don’t use the proper tools to remove it, so it’s important you’re using the best makeup removers to eliminate every last trace of makeup.
There are some specific ingredients you’ll want to look for in makeup removal products. Things like:
- caprylic/capric triglycerides
- ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer
- distearyldimonium chloride
Fragrance-free products are best for sensitive skin as they will not irritate your face.
Look for:
- aloe vera extract
- vitamin E
- witch hazel
All of which make great choices due to their natural calming properties.
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Avoid harsh chemicals such as:
- sulfates
- parabens
- propylene glycols
- petrochemicals
By understanding these different ingredients, you will find the best makeup removal product for your skin type!
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Why Should We Say Goodbye to Makeup Remover Wipes?
You may have noticed that not a single makeup remover wipe product is present in my list…well, that was certainly no accident.
And while makeup wipes may seem convenient, they’re not the best method for makeup removal.
That’s because they may not be compatible with all types of skin, and they often contain harsh chemicals that can leave your skin feeling irritated. Plus, you’re basically just pushing the dirt and makeup all around your face. You’re not truly cleaning it.
Some people prefer natural makeup remover wipes made from ingredients like grape seed oil or castor seed to remove the most stubborn waterproof mascara formulas and other problem-causing cosmetics residue. However, chemical-free alternatives are becoming increasingly popular, so you’ll need to do some research before making up your mind about which is right for you.
I always recommend opting for makeup removal cleansers and waters rather than makeup removal wipes. They’re better for your skin, more effective at getting rid of makeup, and targeted to your skin type. And most importantly, you’re not adding more waste to the planet!
Featured Image by Charisse Kenion via Unsplash
