If there’s one step you should absolutely add to your beauty routine for beautiful, healthy skin, it’s removing your makeup! But how do you do it properly, and above all, which facial makeup remover should you choose? We explain why this step in double cleansing is so important, which good cleansing habits to adopt and which bad ones to leave behind… and help you find THE makeup remover that’s right for you. Even if you don’t wear makeup every day, there’s plenty to gain! Here’s why.
Removing makeup from your face every evening: one step that makes a difference to your skin.
Removing your makeup is a simple step that makes all the difference. Whatever your skin type, this first step, using a balm or makeup-removing oil, has always been one of our essentials. Too often overlooked, done with unsuitable products or done incorrectly, it’s easy to think it only removes what you can see: makeup or excess sebum that makes skin shiny. In fact, you’re doing much more, because you’re also removing what you can’t see.
Besides makeup, your skin accumulates many impurities throughout the day. Dust invisible to the naked eye and pollution particles can both make skin more sensitive and leave the complexion looking duller day after day. Worse still, they’re also two major causes of premature skin ageing and can contribute to blemishes and dark spots, the latter increasingly being linked to pollution.
By removing your makeup, you give your skin a better chance of avoiding a range of concerns. There are other benefits too: by choosing suitable products, you can start addressing those concerns from the cleansing stage and make the skincare products you apply afterwards more effective. After all, skin is much more receptive to active ingredients when it’s thoroughly cleansed!
Why the most popular makeup removers aren’t necessarily the best for your skin.
We’re constantly told they have it all: quick and easy to use, gentle and effective… micellar waters line the shelves of pharmacies and supermarkets. The problem is that most are rich in detergents and synthetic surfactants that disrupt the skin’s hydrolipidic film. This can lead to dehydration and sensitivity. To top it off, micellar water often isn’t rinsed away because the instructions don’t tell you to. The detergents and impurities aren’t all on your cotton pad… a fair amount remains on your skin, so your makeup hasn’t been properly removed. Over time, blackheads and other unwelcome surprises may follow…
In terms of their drawbacks, makeup-removing wipes are actually quite similar to micellar water. Avoid them too: they’re also extremely polluting. They should only ever be an occasional stopgap. Avoid shower gels as well: designed for the body, these products often contain lots of foaming agents and detergents, and sometimes synthetic dyes. That makes them very harsh, just like micellar water and wipes.
And what about water on its own? Well, would you wash your dishes without washing-up liquid? Unfortunately, water isn’t enough: your skin needs a makeup remover that can bind to oils and impurities so they can be washed away. That’s why the most effective and gentlest option, which is also more environmentally friendly than other methods, is to start with a makeup-removing oil or balm.
Makeup-removing balms and oils: two versatile beauty products that tick all the boxes.
We know: using an oil-based product can seem completely counterintuitive, especially if you have combination or oily skin. But it works! Makeup-removing oil, made mainly from one or more plant oils, acts like a magnet, attracting oily substances such as makeup and excess sebum. And because it leaves the skin’s hydrolipidic film intact, the skin is protected from irritation and dehydration.
If you have dry skin, choose a makeup-removing balm or a natural makeup-removing oil made with rich plant oils, such as avocado or wild rose oil. Because dry skin lacks lipids, this helps protect it from dryness while providing the nourishing, softening benefits of plant oils.
Normal, combination or oily skin? Choose a lightweight makeup-removing oil. Try one based on jojoba oil, whose composition is closest to our skin’s sebum. Because the skin doesn’t feel stripped, it will produce considerably less sebum than it would after using micellar water, for example, which removes sebum completely and perpetuates the vicious cycle of overactive sebaceous glands…
As you can see, removing makeup with an oil remains THE gentlest method for every skin type, and you don’t even need cotton pads. Always apply it to dry skin, including around the eyes, since oil even removes waterproof mascara effectively. Then rinse with lukewarm water before using a cleansing gel or milk… and you’re done! If you still have questions or aren’t sure which makeup remover to choose online, feel free to contact us at consultation@ohmycream.com
