How to Remove Makeup

Is there really a “right” way to remove makeup? As someone trying to break her bad habit of sleeping in makeup, I was curious to find out if I was actually doing it right. Does that sound super Type A? Have I mentioned I’m a Virgo?

Why should you remove makeup?

We all know by now that makeup can sometimes cause acne. Acne is most often caused by clogged pores. Not removing makeup is a bad habit that leaves more oil, dirt, and dead skin cells around to pile onto your poor pores. Additionally, all makeup expires eventually and the longer makeup is jostling around in your cosmetics bag, the greater the chance for acne-causing bacteria to form.

Plus, if you’re not on top of cleaning your makeup brushes, you’re hitting your skin with a double whammy.

And we can’t forget about wrinkles, either. Makeup and pollutants that build up during the day eventually move across the skin barrier and can wreak havoc on skin beyond acne. How? By degrading two of the skin’s most important tools: proteins elastin and collagen.

But what if it’s vegan makeup?

Yes. That’s it, that’s the answer.

How to fully remove makeup

1. Use a cleansing oil or micellar water

You want the right product for the job. Eye-makeup remover is best used on eyes, not the whole face, but it can be hard to find one that’s vegan, cruelty-free, and also clean. Cleansing oil or micellar water (which contains tiny beads of oil in soft water), on the other hand, can be used all over the face, including the eyes, and there are a lot of options on the market for vegan, cruelty-free, clean, or all three!

2. Don’t scrub like crazy

Your face is not a dirty floor, so go light on the elbow grease. Your fingers are enough and easier to use than a washcloth or even a cotton pad to tell if you’re going too hard on the pressure. I do have reusable cotton pads that I sometimes gently use on my lips when I’m wearing bright or long-stay lip color.

The best method for your skin’s health is a light touch, the same as if you’re putting on serum or moisturizer. Move in a circular motion, concentrating on each area at a time. It’s OK if it takes a little time to carefully go over your face—you’re worth it!

3. Get everywhere

You may need to spend extra time on places with heavier makeup, like your eyes or lips. But don’t forget about your neck, jawline, or chest, where makeup migrates over the course of the day.

4. Cleanse a second time or steam

Some folks swear by the double cleanse, where they use a secondary (typically foam) cleanser with warm water to ensure everything is gone. I’m a big fan of jumping in the shower after and letting some good old fashioned steam pull out anything I may have missed.

If you like my method, just make sure, especially in winter, not to overdo it by going too long or too hot in the shower. You can also skip the shower and gently place a washcloth soaked in warm or hot water and then wrung out on your face and neck for a minute or so. No rubbing required though!

5. Don’t forget to moisturize

After removing makeup, always add a moisturizer to replenish the skin. Can you remove makeup without a makeup remover? Yes! Head over to the kitchen and dig out the coconut oil to get started.

Wash your hands thoroughly and use a clean spoon to pull out a quarter-sized dab of coconut oil. Transfer the coconut oil to your hands, rub your fingers together until the oil begins changing from solid to liquid, and massage it—again using a circular pattern—over your skin, eyes, and lips.

Once the makeup is removed, use tepid (lukewarm) water to wash the oil away.

Final thoughts

After a long day, the best thing we can do for our skin is remove makeup. And the second best thing is to remove makeup without scrubbing too hard or using products that are too harsh for the more sensitive skin on the face, neck, and décolletage.

Leah M. Charney (she/her) is sassy yet classy and is always seeking a beauty routine to match. She delights in both the science and aesthetics of the clean beauty movement.