Daily hack: Using cleansers for more effective makeup removal

Wearing makeup can be fun and uplifting but the process of taking it off can be a drag. No matter how daunting makeup removal can be, it is something that you should always do. No matter how tired you are.

If you’re taking a wet wipe straight to the face in an effort to remove your make-up, you’re doing your makeup removal all wrong.

You should be starting by melting the makeup off using some sort of oil or cleanser.

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Although they were not initially advertised as makeup removers, New York dermatologist Kavita Mariwalla cautions against underestimating good cleansers. 

“The principle behind removing anything on the skin—whether it is dirt or makeup is that ‘like dissolves like’ so oil-based cleansers will remove thicker makeup and a regular cleanser will do enough to remove light makeup,” said Kavita Mariwalla in an interview with Well+Good.

Cleansers come in three formats and whether you go with cream, gel or oil cleansers depends solely upon what your skin needs. 

A happy medium for most people seems to be cream cleansers like the Cold Pressed Skin Youth Juice Antioxidant Superfood Cleanser from The Skin Co.(R300) or Cetaphil cleansing lotion (R240).

Another reason cream and oil cleansers work so well for makeup removal comes from the fact that “oil removes oil”, according to esthetician Joanna Czech.

Wet wipes alone are not enough to get all that makeup off.

In addition to taking your time when removing your makeup, it is worth noting that makeup removal is a process that involves a few steps.

These steps begin with cleansing, according to the founder of the 60-second-rule and the cleansing cuffs, licensed aesthetician Nayamka Roberts-Smith.

If her steps feel like too much work, perhaps consider cleansing, following up with a face wash, toning and moisturising.

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