The Best Liquid Makeup Remover
Our Review Process
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Our Picks For The Top Liquid Makeup Removers
- 1. Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water Liquid Makeup Remover, 2-Pack
- 2. Cetaphil Fragrance & Oil-Free Liquid Makeup Remover
- 3. CeraVe Cream-To-Foam Face Wash & Liquid Makeup Remover
- 4. Neutrogena Oil-Free Aloe Extract Liquid Makeup Remover
- 5. Bioderma Sensibio H2O Sensitive Skin Liquid Makeup Remover
- 6. La Roche-Posay Unscented Paraben-Free Liquid Makeup Remover
- 7. L’Oreal Paris Micellar Cleansing Water Liquid Makeup Remover
This micellar cleansing water from Garnier is a multitasking formula. You can use it to gently wash your face in the morning or to remove makeup, oil or dirt in the evenings. This liquid makeup remover lifts makeup and dirt without drying. It contains no oil, fragrance or alcohol.
Gentle for AllNo matter your skin type, you will benefit from this water-based cleanser.
Cetaphil's gentle waterproof makeup remover contains skin-boosting ingredients, including aloe vera, ginseng and green tea. This product removes even waterproof makeup after a long day at the office. It does not contain fragrance, alcohol or oil.
Perfect for Delicate FacesThis oil-free makeup remover is strong and leaves skin feeling refreshed.
This cream-to-foam cleanser is perfect for people looking for an all-in-one solution. It gently removes excess dirt and oil and provides long-lasting hydration. It contains ceramides, amino acids and hyaluronic acid, all of which are sure to please your skin.
Heavy-Duty MoistureThis foaming cleanser will cleanse the skin and leave it feeling moisturized.
Neutrogena knows skin, and its oil-free liquid eye makeup remover is a testament to that. This deceptively gentle product removes even the most stubborn waterproof makeup and contains aloe and cucumber extracts to leave your skin feeling refreshed, not oily.
Mascara No MoreThis powerful cleanser will wipe away even the toughest stay-put makeup.
Buying Guide
It’s important to remove makeup at night because otherwise, beauty products can clog pores and irritate eyes. Whether you wear makeup daily or just occasionally, you can benefit from a liquid makeup remover.
Of course, you could use water, but liquid makeup remover is designed to remove waterproof formulas as well as other products that keep you looking polished all day.
To find the best one, you should first consider your skin type, the type of makeup you wear, and how often you put it on.
Knowing your skin type can be tricky, especially during seasonal weather changes. If you have dry or flaky skin, or your skin often feels tight or taut, you likely have a dry skin type. A cleansing oil or balm might work best to remove makeup without stripping your skin of necessarily oils. Oil-free lotion- and cream-based cleansers are also popular for this purpose.
You likely have oily skin if you often break out or are prone to acne. If this is your skin type, you might do best with a micellar water makeup remover. You may wish to avoid oil-based liquids.
Combination skin is, as you might expect, a combination of dry and oily skin. Generally, with combination skin, your T-zone (forehead above nose, nose and chin) is oily while the rest of your skin is dry. Cleansing liquid removers would work well for this type of skin, while oil-based ones can actually help balance the T-zone too.
The last skin type is simply normal. Normal skin is well-balanced and neither dry nor oily. If you have this kind of skin, you’ll also want to make sure your makeup remover doesn’t strip your skin of natural oils.
Waterproof mascara and eyeliner are challenging to remove because they are designed to stay on for long periods, and some liquid makeup removers may not be strong enough. If you rarely wear makeup or wear it less often, no matter what skin type you have, you can consider a water-based makeup remover.
In looking for a makeup remover, you may want to avoid products with chemicals and added fragrances that can irritate skin, or drying ingredients such as alcohol. Also, you don’t want anything gritty, like an exfoliating product, because it can disrupt your skin’s barrier health.
What to Look For
- You can use both cotton balls and cotton pads to remove makeup.
- Wash your face with lukewarm water, not hot, as this will keep your skin healthier.
- To finish your skincare routine, make sure you are using the right cleanser and moisturizer.
- Pay attention to directions when using liquid makeup remover; some require shaking the bottle to infuse the ingredients.Â
- Keep skincare products in a cool, dry place and out of direct sunlight to ensure the formula is protected.
- Look for non-comedogenic products. This quality means they won’t clog your pores and are formulated specifically for the face.
More to Explore
You may think that a full face of makeup is a trend that only gained in popularity during the 20th century, but people have been wearing makeup for over 6,000 years.
Evidence from ancient Egypt suggests that men and women wore makeup on their faces, including their eyes. In Egyptian culture, makeup denoted status and wealth; it was much more than cosmetic, having spiritual and medicinal purposes as well. They often used pigments that symbolized gods, such as malachite, the green color representing the gods Horus, Ra and Hathor. Some researchers believe that the malachite apparently also shielded the eyes from the sun, and was mixed with oil that would protect from desert sand. Cleopatra, for example, was well known for wearing malachite on her eyes.
Romans, both wealthy and common, also used makeup. regularly. Though the Romans did not aim to please their gods through makeup, they incorporated many of the same ingredients into their beauty regimens and considered makeup to have some magical properties because of its ability to transform faces.
One critical difference in the Roman and Egyptian cultures was the perception of the wearers of makeup. Egyptians believed they honored their gods with pigmented eye makeup, while some Romans often looked down upon those who wore it. A few Roman men wrote that the wearing of makeup was manipulation, even leading to immorality by encouraging women to engage in adultery. Unfortunately, no women’s words were recorded to offer a different viewpoint.