You know the feeling. You get home after a long day at work. You make dinner. You put the kids to bed. You watch your shows. You prep for the next day. You’re tired and you’re exhausted. You want nothing more than to climb into bed and feel the sweet relief of slumber. Yet, you can’t yet. You still have a full face of makeup to take off. It’s not easy. You’ll feel like cutting corners. But, unless you want to see a smudged version of your face on your pillowcase in the morning and a rainbow mess all over your actual face, you’re going to need to take makeup removal seriously. The alternative simply isn’t worth it.
It’s important to be gentle to your face at the end of a long day. You may be wearing waterproof and long-lasting makeup, but that doesn’t mean you need to scrub with soap or use oils to remove it. If you have acne-prone skin, you’ll want to avoid irritating ingredients. Instead, use one of these mild cleansers to wash up before bed. Sure, it’s an extra product that you have to but to fill your cupboard and may seem like an unnecessary extravagance. However, it truly is a necessity for anyone with acne prone skin. You have to be careful. The negative side effects could be disastrous if you’re not. So take it seriously and get your skin the cleanser that it deserves.
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Soothing ingredients
Water-based makeup removers sometimes struggle to remove mascara and other silicone and wax-based products, but these are the best kind for acne-prone skin. Adding more oil to your face will only cause more breakouts. It might be a little extra work and a bit of a pain, but it’s important for the future of your face to take this seriously and skip on the oil. One exception might be to use pure jojoba oil, a plant-based oil that is chemically very similar to human sebum.
In general, you’ll want to look out for cleansers that clean and calm your skin. Some ingredients that soothe acne-prone skin are chamomile, allantoin, and zinc gluconate. There are others available, but these are the most important. Now, what are they? We’re glad you asked…
- Chamomile—An anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and calming solution.
- Allantoin—Also an anti-inflammatory and keratinolytic (aka it softens skin).
- Zinc gluconate—This fights acne bacteria, which is obviously important.
Avoid these additives if you can
Generally speaking, you’ll want to avoid cleansers with strong fragrances, oils, and volatile alcohols. These cleansers will all cause more problems than they are worth. It’s always best to read the ingredients list before buying a product if you’re prone to irritations and allergies. Always, make sure to find the cleanser that’s right for you!
On the other hand, some alcohols are not harsh for your skin. That may sound strange, but “fatty” ones like cetyl, stearyl, and cetearyl alcohol don’t irritate skin like volatile alcohols do. Instead of drying skin by evaporating quickly (imagine rubbing alcohol), they moisturize. That moisturizing could be quite important to your face in the long run.
The best makeup removers for acne-prone skin
Here are the top products that will clean that makeup off your face. If you have acne-prone skin, accept no substitutes. These are the best options for your facial health. Anything less will make things worse, not better. Nobody wants that. Go with the good stuff. Go with…
Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleansing Cloths
Elle Magazine recommends Cetaphil’s Gentle Skin Cleansing Cloths as an essential beauty product. It’s all too easy to see why. For one thing, they’re very handy since they are pre-moistened towelettes that you can use without having to rinse afterward (No rinsing! Think of how much time you’ll save every day!). Another reason is that Cetaphil’s products are almost always safe for people with skin problems like eczema and acne.
One of their ingredients is allantoin, which fights inflammation and softens dry skin. Another ingredient is zinc gluconate, which shows promise in fighting signs of aging. Don’t panic when you see cetyl alcohol as one of the primary ingredients. It’s a “fatty alcohol” that doesn’t dry out your face, but does help moisturize your skin and break down makeup. In this particular instance, you can consider it a “good alcohol” that’s worth slathering all over your pretty little face.
Cetaphil says their cleansing cloths won’t clog pores, mess with your natural pH balance, or strip away oils. Use one to wipe away the day, then throw it away. It really is as simple as that!
Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes
Neutrogena is another trusted name in skin care in part because they have their products tested by dermatologists and ophthalmologists. At the time of writing, their Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes are the #1 best seller in eye makeup removers on Amazon. There’s a reason why these towelettes sell out everywhere: they work! They work oh-so well.
Like the disposable cloths made by Cetaphil, you use one and then dispose of it afterward. There’s no need to rinse your skin. If you wear contacts, Neutrogena says the chemical formulation won’t bother your eyes. It will only bother the make up on your face.
Neutrogena says these Towelettes remove 99.3% of all makeup, even waterproof mascara. But don’t stop with your eyes; you can use these on your whole face. It is ideal for anyone who cakes on their makeup because it will work anywhere on your face, safely and easily!
Neutrogena Fragrance-Free Make-Up Remover Cleansing Towelette
In case you have very sensitive skin, we included this fragrance-free version of the Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes. They work just as well as the regular version described above–they just don’t have any scent to them.
Why does fragrance cause a problem? Some perfumes just irritate skin even if they smell good. It’s a shame, but it’s true. Aroma therapy won’t clean your face, after all. In fact, it’s one of the most common reasons why people have an allergic reaction (like contact dermatitis) to a skin care product. So, it’s probably a good idea to avoid make up removers that have any sort of “pleasant” scent. It always comes at the cost of making the removers less effective.
One last note about smells: fragrance-free is different from unscented. Unscented may mean that one of the ingredients is making the product not have an odor. Buy fragrance-free if perfumes and scents cause a bad reaction.
Clinique Take the Day Off Makeup Remover
If you don’t want to use pre-moistened cloths, here is a liquid solution for you. Clinique’s Take the Day Off Makeup Remover works on your whole face, from your eyes to your lips, even on waterproof makeup. It’s a solution for all skin types, and it won’t irritate eyes or sting skin. It truly is a solution that will work for anyone. The only challenge is finding how to apply it.
Clinique says the Makeup Remover can be used before or after other cleansing methods. They recommend applying it to a cotton ball and then wiping away makeup. Rinse with water afterward. Repeat as necessary.
The Body Shop Camomile Gentle Eye Makeup Remover
The Body Shop offers this Camomile Gentle Eye Makeup Remover with chamomile extract. It’s water-based, and contains glycerin for extra moisturizing. There are no added fragrances or dyes, and their products are not tested on animals. It’s simple and it gets the job done. No fuss, but thankfully even less muss.
The Body Shop recommends applying the remover to a cotton ball and wiping away make-up. You can follow up by washing all of your face with another cleanser, if you want.
Foxbrim 100% Pure Organic Jojoba Oil
Foxbrim 100% Pure Jojoba Oil isn’t your typical make-up remover. But jojoba oil is a natural plant derivative that is chemically very similar to human skin oil, or sebum. It works well as a moisturizer because it helps your body balance oil production. It’s generally safe to use even if you have acne, psoriasis, or eczema. Foxbrim says their product is 100% pure, virgin, cold-pressed, certified organic.
Put a few drops of jojoba oil on a cotton ball and easily wipe away mascara, lip gloss, and more. It’s safe to use around your eyes and won’t clog your pores.
While you wait for your new makeup remover to arrive
Put down your soap and pick up a clean washcloth. Moisten it with warm water and gently wash your face. That’s right, don’t use any harsh chemicals to clean your skin. Your washcloth will help exfoliate and stimulate your face by itself. It might seem too simple and obvious, but don’t rule out your trusty washcloth while trying to remove your makeup.
If you still can’t get that stubborn waterproof mascara to come off, you can try a little olive oil on a cotton ball. Wipe your lashes with a downward motion. Then cleanse your face as usual.
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