We've always been skincare stans over here, but there's no denying that makeup is powerful. And fun. And artistic. We love all kinds of makeup—from drag to barely-there—but what we can't stand is getting makeup off. It's especially difficult now, as brands have gotten great at creating makeup that won't budge.
It's great for your look. It's bad for your skin. What you might not know is that leaving makeup on can actually make you look older and can damage your skin. Makeup blocks the pores that produce oil, which leads to breakouts if you leave it on overnight. It also slows down your skin cells' regenerative process, meaning it takes longer to repair damage and decreases the production of collagen. That all means dry skin, and dry skin—as you already know—is a major contributor of fine lines and wrinkles.
To avoid all that, take your makeup off every night. Every single bit of it. Here's how:
1. Oil-based cleansers
Oil-based cleansers are great because they can easily remove waterproof makeup without tugging at your skin. The only issue is that you've got to follow oil cleansers with a foaming cleanser to wash the residue and old makeup off your face.
2. Disposable makeup wipes
We really shouldn't even be listing these as a makeup remover because they don't actually remove makeup: they just attack it with some harsh ingredients, then leave it on the surface of your skin along with dirt and oil. They're expensive, horrible for your skin, and incredibly detrimental to the planet. Next.
3. Cold cream
This is probably how your mom and grandmother removed their makeup. Cold cream is great, but the fragrance is likely to sensitize skin over time, and some waterproof makeup needs an additional product to remove.
4. Micellar water
Gentle and balancing, micellar water is a solid choice for removing makeup. The only problem is that it often isn't powerful enough to remove layers of makeup, and you'll use a lot of product (and a lot of cotton balls) working the micellar water over your face.
5. Makeup removing cloths
These rely on just water to remove makeup, but they work their magic strong enough to remove even waterproof makeup. The only downside is that they do need to be washed, but that's much better for the environment than disposable makeup wipes. And, since there are no ingredients, there's no way to become sensitized to ingredients or have an allergic reaction.
