Why is it so important to remove your make-up properly?
Make-up removal is an essential part of your morning and night-time beauty routine, because cleansing your skin not only removes make up: it also removes all those impurities that come mainly from pollution. If you don’t cleanse properly, your pores become blocked, your skin starts to look dull and spots start to appear! Make-up removal also helps your make-up stay on and last, and when your skin is silky and supple it shines with a healthy glow.
Don’t remove your make-up with ordinary soap: it dries and irritates your skin.
Make-up removal products
- Lotions
These come in a pump or bottle; they’re gentle and respect your skin’s protective film. Apply onto skin and remove with dry or damp cotton wool. You can rinse it off, but you don’t have to. You can then apply toner with cotton wool. Lotions suit all skin types.
- Fluids
These 2-in-1s cleanse and tone at the same time and don’t rinse off. They’re suitable for all skin types.
- Gels and creams
These cleanse deep down, leaving your skin smooth and even, and rinse off afterwards. They’re suitable for combination and greasy skin types.
- Mousses
Wet your face first before applying make-up removal mousse. Mousses give your skin a dry sensation and are ideal for greasy or acne-prone skin.
- Wipes
These are wonderfully handy and great for on the move. They’re effective on all skin types. However, it's eco-friendly not to use them all the time!
Choosing a make-up remover for your skin type
- If you have dry or sensitive skin:
Dry skin often suffers from a lack of sebum, so use very gentle, nourishing products. Go for creamy milk or lotions that contain lots of active ingredients, non-rinse fluids, or removal oils which restore essential fatty acids to the skin and make it feel really soft and supple.
Application
You can rinse off milk, fluid or mousse with lukewarm tap water, but if the water in your area contains too much calcium, use mineral water instead. If you use oil or milk, just wipe it off with cotton wool dampened with lotion.
Our tip
If you have dry skin, use a thermal water spray in the morning and remove your make-up fully at night.
- If you have greasy or combination skin:
Your skin needs freshness and needs cleansing deep down to get rid of that unpleasant greasy feeling. Products that you rinse off with water are best, especially purifying oil-based ones. Refreshing, non-greasy, toning cleansing gels that purify and soften the epidermis of your skin are also good. Light, clear make-up removal fluids are recommended if you have greasy or combination skin but you don’t wear much make-up. These cleanse and tone at the same time.
Application
Squirt a blob of gel into the palm of your hand, lather with a little water and apply to your face. Use a damp flannel to rinse it off, and then apply toner to remove any remaining traces of make-up. Removal fluids should be applied with cotton wool all over and not rinsed off.
Our tip
For a shining, toned face, a final cold rinse will close up your pores and revive!
Removing eye make-up
The eyes are a particularly fragile zone but they have to cope with a lot of make-up, which is why it’s important to use targeted products to remove make-up gently. Classic non-greasy lotions and gels are ideal for cleansing the eye area, but there are more 'caring' products out there which are gentler on the delicate eye area.
Our tip
If you use waterproof eye make-up, use an oil-based remover that’s specifically designed to remove waterproof make-up.
Photo: Mixa bebe
