Cleansing your face should be a ritual. It should relax you and also make you feel pampered. If you don’t clean your face well, you not only leave your skin susceptible to breakouts and dirt buildup, your serum and moisturizer also won’t be absorbed by your skin.
I have one rule: Never tug on your skin. Cleansing is not about being rough on your skin. It’s about being tough on the dirt and makeup, but being gentle on your face. The key to a good cleanse isn’t force. It’s the efficacy of the products you use.
This is why, for years now, I swear by the Lancôme Bi-Facil Eye Makeup Remover. I buy multiple bottles of this when I travel. I try to use many other eye makeup removers, but to me, this one is truly the best.
I put the solution on a cotton round. With eyes closed, I lay it over my lids and leave the cotton round there for a bit. I gently press it to get the little corners. It does all the work, which means you don’t have to tug around the thin skin on your lids and under-eye area, and avoid fine lines. I also find that the solution doesn’t sting the eyes.
For the rest of my face, I use the Bioderma Sensibio H20 Make-up Removing Micelle Solution. It’s a cult classic, loved by many. There are a lot of micellar cleansers on the market but this is the original one that set the standard. It’s amazing how this gentle solution breaks down gel liner, glitter eye shadow, and long-wearing foundation.
Little pressure
If I’m out of Bioderma, I use a toner as cleanser. Yes, you read that right. Same thing with the eye makeup remover, I just use a cotton round. With as little pressure as possible, I just take the cotton round all over my face to wipe off the foundation and the powder.
I have the Kiehl’s Calendula Herbal Extract Toner. This alcohol-free formula won’t damage the skin, and it does break down the makeup. It also has other skincare ingredients like allantoin, which comforts the skin, burdock root which moisturizes, and of course, calendula, which takes away excess oil.
Afterward, I wash my face. Sometimes I don’t use soap especially if I don’t have a lot of makeup on. If I’m too tired, I just make sure I finish off my cleansing routine with the Perricone MD Blue Plasma Cleansing Treatment.
This no-rinse formula will surprise you: Your cotton round will still have makeup stains, which means it deeply cleanses and removes the makeup which has settled in your pores. This is because Blue Plasma is also an exfoliator, which leaves you with a smooth face.
Meanwhile, I remove my lipstick and nourish my lips with the Burt’s Bees Overnight Intensive Lip Treatment. With natural emollients and waxes, it breaks down your lipstick. It’s best for those who love long-lasting liquid lipsticks but dread the cleanup.
I apply it with my finger then wipe it off with a tissue. You can apply another layer after this step. You can leave this on while you sleep. It maintains the skin’s natural barrier via ceramides.
That’s it! I hope you get to enjoy your makeup removing routine as much as I do with products that do your skin right.
