Does Equate Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover Burn Your Eyes

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Byrdie / Sabrina Jiang

Ane of the all-time pieces of dazzler communication we've always received (or given!) is this: Do not go to bed with makeup on. Ever. We get it—removing makeup at the cease of the day is sometimes the last affair nosotros want to do, too. Simply the good news? The right eye makeup remover makes all the difference.

Removing makeup is not merely almost cleansing the complexion and preventing breakouts—information technology's about taking care of our sensitive eye area, brows, and eyelashes, also. "For optimal lash and middle wellness, we desire to make sure that we thoroughly remove all traces of makeup before hitting the pillow," explains Dani Kimiko Vincent, a celebrity makeup artist. "This will help go on lashes and brows full and good for you while also preventing unwelcome weather condition such as styes." Yep, not properly removing middle makeup could issue in a stye, aka the acne of eyelids. No cheers!

Meet the Expert

Dani Kimiko Vincent is a celebrity makeup artist and brow expert. She is as well the founder of the makeup brand KIMIKO.

Nevertheless, finding an center makeup remover that'due south gentle but powerful enough to lift away waterproof mascara and eyeliner is no piece of cake feat—which is exactly why we did the piece of work for you. We spent more than ii weeks researching and testing thirteen different eye makeup remover formulas, rating each on a scale of one to five for efficiency and whether or not it caused whatsoever irritation. Then, based on our results, nosotros narrowed our listing downwards to the formulas that we felt were truly top-shelf.

Keep reading to learn more than most the all-time eye makeup removers out in that location right now.

Our Ratings

Efficacy

5 /five
Eye Irritation

v /5

What We Similar

Practiced applicator
No eye irritation
Softens skin

What We Don't Like

Pricey

Out of all the formulas nosotros tested, this is the one we loved the virtually—and the one nosotros're continuing to employ daily. The bi-stage formula features a blend of micellar h2o and castor oil that lifts away long-wear makeup without excessive force (aka tugging and rubbing). Our tester said she was amazed at how easily it removed waterproof makeup and loved how the applicator bottle dispensed the right amount of product.

Nosotros first tried this product on Pacifica'southward Vegan Collagen Fluffy Lash Thickening & Lengthening Mascara along with powdered eyeshadow and pencil eyeliner. Our tester followed the application instructions and squeezed the formula onto a reusable cotton pad, then pressed the pad onto her eye for a few seconds. Swiping abroad removed all of the eyeshadow and half the mascara and eyeliner. Afterwards a few more than gentle swipes, all makeup was removed from our tester'south eye contour.

To test waterproof mascara and eyeliner, our tester held the cotton pad over her eye for a little longer (nearly 30 seconds, compared to 10 seconds). She followed the same swiping motion, which she said removed more than half of her makeup, and a few more than swipes around the creases of her optics and lash line did the play tricks for the residuum of it. For this reason, she rated it a 5/five for efficiency.

Formula and Type: Bi-stage liquid | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Costless: Yes

Byrdie / Jessie Quinn

What Our Testers Say

"It's oil-based (equally the name suggests), which initially turned me off, simply I wasn't left with greasy residue subsequently all was said and done, and my lids and nether eyes felt softer and smoother afterward—a overnice plus." —Lindsey Metrus, Editorial Project Director

Our Ratings

Efficacy

5 /5
Centre Irritation

5 /5

What We Like

Reusable
Just needs water
Can double as a hot shrink

What We Don't Like

Requires a lot of rubbing

If y'all're looking for a fuss-gratuitous (and affordable) eye makeup remover, we institute it. When nosotros first got our easily on the Cleansing Cloud, we were confused—it's simply a textile pad that you soak in water. Our initial thoughts were: "How can that be?" and "This surely isn't going to work."

This eye makeup remover comes with ii reusable material pads—ane for everyday makeup and one for more stubborn, long-wear formulas. Following the instructions, our tester first dunked the everyday makeup pad nether warm water to remove water-based mascara, powdered eye shadow, and eyebrow gel. Our start impression was that it felt really nice, similar to a hot compress. She held the pad over her center for nigh 30 seconds so began to wipe it away. Because it requires just h2o, she had to rub her eyes a fiddling bit more than other formulas, simply the warmth of the water and softness of the fabric prevented any irritation. After massaging the cloth over her eyes for nigh 30 seconds and then swiping most five times, our tester's makeup was totally gone.

Next, it was time to move on to the waterproof makeup. For this experiment, our tester wore thicker eyeliner. She massaged her eyes with the long-wear pad for about xxx seconds and so rubbed it effectually eight or 9 times to remove the makeup. While the rubbing is non ideal, she was still impressed with the fact that she was able to remove waterproof makeup with simply water.

Formula and Blazon: Cotton wool pad | Byrdie Make clean: Yeah | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Our Ratings

Efficacy

5 /5
Eye Irritation

4 /5

What We Similar

Easy to utilize
Melts into skin
Sustainable packaging

What We Don't Like

Messy
Some irritation

Cleansing balms can err on the side of messy, simply this clean formula impressed the states enough to land on our all-time-of listing. Nosotros loved how hands its waxy texture melted into an oil upon awarding and how easily it removed heart makeup. On top of that, nosotros loved that the product comes in ultra-sustainable packaging: The jar itself is fabricated of 50 percent recycled postal service-consumer resin and comes in an FSC-certified paper box decorated with natural inks, as well.

We get-go tested this product on powdered eyeshadow and a combination of water-based liquid eyeliner and mascara. After our tester massaged the production on her eyes for around 30 seconds, the pigments lifted easily and without rubbing or tugging on her skin. She liked how the product didn't require a cotton pad and then she could get a good wait at how well the makeup lifted before adding water to emulsify and rinse.

Waterproof mascara and eyeliner, on the other hand, were much more than stubborn. Our tester couldn't get the formula to lift makeup easily on its own before adding water. But once she did add h2o, information technology came right off. Because she spent more time removing her makeup, her optics felt more irritated later on use, so she rated it a four/5 for irritation. All the same, she besides said she idea this had more to do with getting makeup in her eyes when cleansing versus the actual formula irritating the optics.

Formula and Type: Balm | Byrdie Clean: Aye | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Our Ratings

Efficacy

v /five
Eye Irritation

5 /v

What Nosotros Like

Easy to use
No irritation or burning
Softens peel

What Nosotros Don't Like

Applicator hole is slightly big

Designed with sensitive skin in listen, this micellar water is said to remove dirt, debris, pollution, and makeup. In our testing, nosotros found that it over-delivers on these promises.

Nosotros showtime tested this product on waterproof mascara and thick waterproof liquid eyeliner. Our tester added the formula to a reusable cotton pad and held it over her middle for a few seconds to run into how well the makeup lifted without swiping. One time she removed the pad, she was amazed to see that virtually all of the waterproof makeup had lifted off and stuck to it—it was like magic. She then swiped the pad beyond her heart a few more than times and the residual of the makeup disappeared, as well.

Our tester then conducted the same experiment on water-based makeup. When she removed the cotton pad, she observed that even more makeup had lifted off. Post-removal, her eyes felt clean and she didn't experience like she needed to follow upward with whatsoever cleanser. She also noted that she didn't experience any irritation whatsoever.

If nosotros are existence nitpicky—and nosotros are—nosotros take to point out this product's just flaw: The size of the applicator hole is a little big, so information technology's like shooting fish in a barrel to pour too much onto a cotton pad. If you're prepared for it, though, information technology'south completely manageable and doesn't take away from how sincerely stellar this micellar water is.

Formula and Type: Micellar water | Byrdie Make clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: No

Byrdie / Olivia Hancock

What Our Testers Say

"When the makeup came into contact with the micellar h2o, it began melting abroad effortlessly." —Olivia Hancock, Production Tester

Our Ratings

Efficacy

v /five
Middle Irritation

5 /5

What We Like

Has a locking cap
No irritation or burning

What We Don't Similar

Pricey

When we recollect of MAC, we think of gorgeous, statement-making center makeup, so we were excited to put this one to the exam and see just how much of that eye makeup information technology could really remove. Fifty-fifty before testing this product, our reviewer noted that she loved how the chapeau locked in place (like a pill bottle!)—a serious plus for anyone who has spilled makeup removers in their suitcases over the years.

Nosotros first tested this production on everyday eye makeup, which included a clean mascara (our tester wore Saie Mascara 101 for this test), a brow gel, and liquid eyeliner. Much like nosotros expected, the bi-phase formula removed the makeup in around 3 swipes of a cotton pad and required zero clean-up effectually the edges.

When information technology came time to examination how well this product removed waterproof makeup, we increased the challenge. We decided to employ about half the amount of formula to encounter how well it would elevator away waterproof mascara and thick waterproof eyeliner. While information technology required a trivial more try, our tester's makeup disappeared from her optics in near five swipes of the cotton pad. Post-removal, we had some clean-up to do effectually the edges just, overall, this worked very well on waterproof mascara. Our tester and so followed upward with a cleanser to remove any oily remainder.

When using eye makeup removers, you lot'll inevitably get some in your eyes. While a few of the products we tested caused irritation, this bi-stage middle makeup remover didn't cause any called-for or itching sensations and didn't brand our eyes feel cloudy, either.

Formula and Blazon: Bi-phase | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Complimentary: Yes

What We Like

Versatile
No irritation or burning

What We Don't Similar

Pricey

Nosotros love a multi-use product, so this one immediately caught our center. Not just can you lot use it to remove makeup, simply you tin can blend it with Drunk Elephant'south Bamboo Booster to exfoliate the complexion on a weekly basis. Formulated with a alloy of skin-friendly oils—including marula, baobab seed, Kalahari melon seed, mongongo, and Ximena oils—as well as vitamin C and fatty acids, this lotion lifts away tough-to-remove makeup while nourishing the complexion.

At first, we applied this formula to h2o-based mascara, powdered eyeshadow, and thick liquid liner. Like other balms, it did create a chip of a mess at first. Yet, this formula is activated with water, and once our tester splashed some onto her peel, the mess quickly dissipated and the makeup rinsed away without much rubbing. After this test, our reviewer noticed that her eyes never felt irritated. We conducted the same test on waterproof mascara and liquid eyeliner and saw the aforementioned results, again without irritation.

Overall, this was our favorite lotion in the group. It didn't crusade irritation or discomfort, and it efficiently removed every kind of middle makeup. Our tester says that information technology's at present on regular rotation in her routine.

Formula and Type: Balm | Byrdie Clean: Aye | Cruelty-Costless: Yes

Terminal Verdict

Our superlative choice for the best eye makeup remover is Glossier's Milky Oil, a bi-phase formula with added skincare benefits that easily lifts both water-based and waterproof makeup. Another of our favorites is Bioderma's Sensibio H2O, which is the best micellar h2o we've tried to date. And, if y'all're in the market for a cleansing lotion, Drunkard Elephant'south Slaai Makeup-Melting Butter Cleanser was another standout—it worked well on stubborn formulas and didn't irritate the eyes.

Byrdie / Jessie Quinn

Other Options Nosotros Tested

Clarins Instant Eye Make-Upward Remover ($30): This was the outset eye makeup remover we tested. Considering it's a bi-phase formula, we initially thought it could exist a summit contender. However, it wasn't as efficient every bit we idea it might be—plus, information technology caused a lot of eye irritation. The formula worked well on h2o-based makeup, but while wiping everything away, some of it got in our tester's optics and caused instant irritation. Additionally, it left behind an oily residuum and clouded her vision. Unsurprisingly, it didn't work besides on waterproof mascara and eyeliner, either. Later scrubbing back and forth about x times and outset to feel the same discomfort, our tester called it quits and used a different makeup remover to lift everything away.

Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water ($4): We once used this drugstore micellar water religiously and were excited to test information technology against other makeup removers. Much to our surprise—especially since then many people love this product—it didn't go as well as nosotros had thought. We tested the formula on h2o-based mascara and liquid liner, also as waterproof mascara; it was much more than constructive at removing the water-based options. Likewise, a word to the wise: Less is more than with this stuff! After accidentally squeezing also much product onto the cotton wool pad, our tester got a decent corporeality in her eyes. This caused some discomfort and cloudiness that didn't go away until she flushed her eyes out with some eye drops.

Athena Club Soft Face up Wipes ($x): We wanted to like this production as an eye makeup remover, but it didn't quite make the cut. We loved that these wipes feature nourishing ingredients (like vitamins B3, B5, and E), but they piece of work amend at cleansing the complexion after using a product formulated to remove eye makeup. We showtime tried the wipes on waterproof mascara, eyebrow gel, and an eyeliner crayon. The eyebrow gel lifted away in about ii swipes but left behind some of the eyeliner and well-nigh of the mascara. Subsequently some aggressive rubbing, we were able to remove near of the eyeliner (with some lingering along the lash line), but the mascara didn't budge. We so tried the wipes on h2o-based mascara, which lifted away easily, and eyeliner, which made a mess—the wipe spread it everywhere.

Then I Met You Living Cleansing Lotion ($38): This eye makeup remover was and then close to making it to our best-of list because information technology actually did a adept task at removing both types of makeup. We also loved that its clean formula is filled with peel-friendly ingredients similar seaberry oil, grape seed oil, and vitamin Eastward. But the cloudiness we experienced from the lotion-to-oil formula acquired a lot of irritation and discomfort, which fabricated it difficult for us to want to apply the product again. Compared to the other lotion formulas, this one required a lot more than rubbing to lift away makeup.

Simple Eye Makeup Remover Pads ($6): These heart makeup remover pads are small and meaty, which we beloved for traveling. The formula is too on the cleaner side of the spectrum, which is another plus—especially for the sensitive eye expanse. But it didn't exercise a great job at removing near types of eye makeup. We outset tested information technology on water-based mascara, eyeliner, and eyeshadow. It easily lifted the eyeshadow, but the mascara and eyeliner inappreciably budged. And, when it came time to exam it on waterproof formulas, information technology was even harder to remove makeup.

Clinique Naturally Gentle Heart Make-Upwards Remover ($21): Nosotros were initially very intrigued past this formula, which has a gel-lotion consistency. Every bit instructed, our tester massaged the product directly onto her eyes and tissued off the remainder. Information technology was messy and smeared black mascara and eyeliner all over the place. It also burned and caused irritation. Based on irritation, mess, and difficulties removing makeup (waterproof mascara, in detail), this product didn't make our best-of list.

La Roche-Posay Respectissime Waterproof Eye Make-Up Remover ($16): This is some other formula that was so close to making our listing. We loved the bottle and how the applicator had a small hole to assistance control how much product comes out. While it did a decent job at removing water-based eye makeup formulas, it didn't polish in the waterproof makeup portion of the test. Because of that—and considering of the corporeality of tugging required to lift abroad the makeup—we felt that we couldn't put a full stamp of approval on it.

How We Test Eye Makeup Removers

The author of this commodity, Jessie Quinn, spent more than six hours over the course of two weeks testing 13 eye makeup removers on unlike types of makeup, from stubborn waterproof eyeliners and mascaras to water-based formulas and powdered heart shadows. With each one, she tested how quickly and effectively it lifted makeup from the peel. She also noted how much rubbing, swiping, cleansing, and rinsing were required for each formula to work.

What to Look for in an Eye Makeup Remover

Ingredients

Middle makeup remover ingredients are ultra-of import, as you want them to go the job done without irritating the sensitive eye area. "I adopt gentle hydrating ingredients such as glycerin, coconut oil, jojoba, and marine algae," says Dr. Loretta Ciraldo, a lath-certified dermatologist based in Miami. "Information technology's of import to consider makeup removal as an opportunity to hydrate delicate eye skin that often is the outset to evidence dryness and signs of aging," she adds.

According to Dr. Ciraldo, at that place are also ingredients you lot want to avoid, including fragrances, sulfates, artificial colors, and ethyl alcohol. These ingredients can "make delicate heart skin get red, irritated, and puffy, and fifty-fifty exaggerate the appearance of fine lines and crow's anxiety," she notes.

Byrdie / Jessie Quinn

Formula

When shopping for an eye makeup remover, Vincent says the first footstep is to await for a product that's designed for the eye area. She also recommends a bi-phase formula: "Bi-phase makeup removers contain an oil and a water—you can recognize them from the visible separate in the bottle as oil is lighter than water and sits above it," she explains. "These products incorporate an emollient portion to break down and dissolve makeup and a water portion to cleanse off that remainder." She as well notes that choosing a formula with "minimal fragrance" is also a good idea, since the centre area is so sensitive.

Meet the Proficient

Dr. Loretta Ciraldo is a Miami-based board-certified dermatologist. She is also the founder of the skincare brand Dr. Loretta Skincare.

FAQ

How do you completely remove eye makeup?

When it comes to completely removing center makeup, Vincent says a fiddling patience goes a long way. "Saturate a cotton fiber page and gently press it over the middle makeup. Give information technology time to settle into the makeup by counting to ten and dorsum down once more, then y'all can slowly use gentle circular motions to begin removing," she explains. "Y'all'll probable feel some leftover rest [afterwards]. That's why I recommend removing eye makeup first and then continuing with regular face cleansing to wash away remaining [formula]," she adds.
What is the about gentle way to remove center makeup?

Finding a formula that doesn't crave too much rubbing or tugging on the skin is the near gentle way to remove eye makeup. Vincent says to expect for bi-stage formulas—such as Glossier's Milky Oil—since oil breaks down makeup most easily.
What is the best product to remove waterproof mascara?

When removing waterproof mascara (and eyeliner, for that matter), Vincent says to stick with bi-phase or oil-based remover formulas, equally the ingredients exercise the best chore at breaking down long-clothing pigments designed to stick to your lashes and lids.

Why Trust Byrdie

Byrdie correspondent Jessie Quinn personally tested every heart makeup remover on this listing to determine which formulas worked the all-time. Each formula was graded on the aforementioned scale, and Jessie took extensive notes on how easily different types of makeup (from water-based to waterproof) lifted away from her complexion. She besides interviewed two experts for this slice to assistance respond some oft asked questions and ensure she knew what to look for in the all-time heart makeup removers.