How to Remove Eye Makeup Like a Pro

What Goes On Must Come Off

You know the drill: always remove makeup before bed. But are you paying enough attention to your delicate eye area?

When left overnight, eye makeup residue can build up on the skin, lash follicles or even underneath eyelids. This can lead to potential irritation, sties, and clogged pores. In more severe instances, deposits of makeup can become trapped under the eyelids, which can scratch the eyes and affect vision.

Removing traces of makeup around the eyes is a vital step of makeup removal. It’s a great way to show your skin some love, but it’s also an excellent method to protect the health and youth of your eyes and lashes. When performed with the correct technique and products, it can replenish moisture to the delicate skin around the eyes, softening and renewing skin cells to prevent premature signs of aging, as well as provide lashes with nourishment.

Technique is Important

It is also important to note that practicing gentle eye makeup removal techniques is a key factor. The skin around the eye area is more sensitive and fragile than the rest of our skin, and as such should be handled with extreme care, like a baby’s skin. The aim is to avoid pulling on the skin. Harsh rubbing and tugging on the eye area can lead to irritation, flaking, redness, plus increased dryness.

The ideal removal technique begins with applying makeup remover to two cotton rounds (we like to dampen ours with water first), placed on the eyelids for 15-30 seconds. Next, use gentle sweeping motions from the inner corner of the eye outward, following along the lash line. Sweep mascara away from the sensitive tear ducts. Finish by making short, gentle, downwards motions, also from inner to outer corner.

Pro tip: remove your eye makeup prior to cleansing your face. This way your cleanser can pick up any residue that is left behind.

If you use a lathering facial wash of any kind, it might be too strong for the delicate eye area and break down the moisture barrier, leading to a condition known as lichenification, which is characterized by a dry, leathery look and feel to the skin. (Similarly, using harsh scrubs and exfoliants around the eye area is not advised, as manual scrubs can cause micro-tears and scratches to our delicate eye area.)

Instead, opt for nourishing removers that are formulated specifically for the eye area. Our favorite is ElaSpa Eye Makeup Remover which is enriched with a fortifying formula containing D-Panthenol vitamin B5 to nourish lashes, reduce dark circles, maintain the skin’s natural moisture levels and provides a rejuvenating effect.