Imagine this: you’re finally home from a long night out with friends, and you can’t wait to crash in bed.
You know better than to sleep in your makeup, so you reach over to your favorite makeup wipes and – GASP – you’re all out. What do you do?
On the other hand, perhaps you are just trying to start the year right by using natural makeup removers and healthy moisturizers to improve your skin.
Basic soap is too harsh for your skin, so what can you use from your skincare cabinet to get you through the night?
9 Awesome Alternatives of Makeup Removers
Here’s a handy guide of how you can remove makeup without makeup remover.
1. Micellar Water
Have you ever heard of Micellar water? It is composed of little ball-like molecules that contain cleansing oils. They are suspended in water, so you can basically make your own makeup wipes if you have some at home.
Micelles (the little oil balls) are attracted to oil as well as dirt; thus, this natural product can draw impurities out of your skin without drying the surface.
2. Petroleum Jelly
Petroleum jelly, like Vaseline, has so many beauty uses that we could write an entire article about just that. It can remove even stubborn eye makeup like waterproof mascara or eyeliner or smudge-proof, long-lasting lipsticks.
All you have to do is apply some jelly on a cotton pad and give the makeup time to breakdown before wiping it off. Be cautious with repeating this routine too frequently, though, because petroleum jelly is incredibly heavy on the skin and can lead to breakouts when overused.
3. Oil Cleansing for Removing Makeup
Oil cleansing is not a new concept in the beauty industry; this timeless trick allows the versatility of using different natural oils to address different skincare goals. It is essential to use a face wash after oil cleansing to remove the oils from the face.
- Olive oil can be used as a moisturizer in addition to removing makeup, so if some of it remains on your skin, you don’t need to worry! You can either use it straight or mix it with some water to make a homemade micellar water knockoff.
- Coconut oil works similarly to olive oil and can help with hyperpigmentation and acne scarring in some cases.
- Sweet almond oil can be used just like the coconut or olive oil, and this oil can help with wrinkles, reduce dark circles, and even treat chapped lips!
- Baby oil, while not necessarily natural, contains mineral oils, which may include other oils like olive oil, almond oil, vitamin E oil, and calendula oil.
- Avocado oil can reduce fine lines and wrinkles while removing your makeup. You can even use whole avocados for this – just massage the pulp onto your skin!
4. Baby Shampoo
Though this may be surprising at first, it actually makes sense when you think about it. Baby products have to be extremely gentle, so what better to use on your face?
Baby shampoo contains lauric acid, which comes from coconut oil. You can use baby shampoo just like any other face wash.
5. Baby Body Lotion
If you’re going to consider baby shampoo as an option, you may as well think about baby lotion. To remove makeup, massage the body lotion into your skin and wipe it off using a cloth or cotton pad.
6. Moisturizer
This product is one of the best travel hacks if you’ve forgotten to pack a makeup wipe but are still loathe to use the hotel soap on your face. If by some miracle, you remember to pack your moisturizer, you can use that to remove your makeup.
All you have to do is gently rub it into your skin and allow time to breakdown fatty substances in the cosmetics before wiping it off. This technique keeps your skin hydrated while still removing the makeup and dirt of the day.
It’s always recommended that you wash your face with water and use a clean washcloth after and reapply moisturizer, but it definitely works!
7. Coconut Milk
Just like coconut oil, coconut milk is excellent for makeup removal too. Whether you use it as is or mix it with equal parts of olive oil, all you need to do is massage it into your face and wipe it off.
8. Milk Powder
Though this one sounds crazy, hear us out before you make up your mind. It does involve a little DIY, but it is worth it.
Add warm water to milk powder to form a paste – you don’t want actually to make milk! Massage the paste into your skin and wipe it off with a cotton pad.
This method removes every type of makeup you could possibly have on your face. The secret to this magic powder is the lactic acid that brightens the skin along with the alpha hydroxy acid that removes dead skin.
Plus it has antioxidants in the milk that help improve the elasticity of skin and collagen production. With all the benefits in the milk powder, it sounds like you might want to use this instead of makeup remover.
9. Aloe Vera and Honey
This mix works mostly for foundation and makeup applied to the cheeks because it doesn’t have the chemical makeup needed to break mascara down effectively.
It may be even slightly less effective for waterproof makeup like mascara and long-lasting lipsticks.
Conclusion
By no means does this list include all the different ways you can take your makeup off without a makeup removing liquid or wipe; nevertheless, you have learned enough skincare and DIY options to provide you with healthy alternatives to makeup remover. No matter what you do, you now know you need never commit the crime of going to sleep in your makeup, no matter how tired you are!
