I will admit, I am absolutely awful when it comes to taking my make-up off before bed. After a long day at work, all I want to do is relax (and maybe fall asleep) in front of the television, so ‘cleansing’, ‘toning’ and ‘moisturizing’ my face is at the very back of my mind. It’s the last thing I want to do! However, one of my New Year’s resolutions, which I am determined to stick to, is to make sure that I give my skin a detox. Some well earned breathing space. And hopefully, by this time next year (or next month, if I really make it a morning/night habit), my skin will look revitalized, refreshed and have a healthy glow.
In a bid to make this a little easier, I have scoured the high street to find some of the most affordable, most practical and most effective solutions for make-up removal, and have discovered some great products along the way!
Wipes
Wipes are one of the easiest and most time effective ways to remove your make-up, or to generally give your face that fresh, clean and healthy feeling. Although they do work well to remove make-up, it is important to use a cleanser and a toner in conjunction with wipes – in order to make sure that no residue remains on the skin, which could clog pores.
If you have sensitive skin like mine, wipes that which contain fragrances may upset your skin and make it appear red and blotchy. Kleenex’s Facial Cleansing Extra Gentle Wipes (£2.99 from Superdrug) are quilted to make sure your skin is not scratched when using, and do not contain and harmful or perfumed chemicals. They are the most effective and gentle wipe I have found on the high street and they remove make-up very easily and quickly.
If you are acne or blemish prone, there are several brands which cater specifically for your skin type and work to prevent dirt and make-up being trapped under your pores, which if not removed – will produce angry looking spots. Nelsons Pure & Clear Facial Wipes (£5.45 from Boots nationwide) are great at removing make-up at the end of the day, as the tea tree and arnica extracts work to leave skin clear, fresh and dirt free.
Similarly, Clearasil’s Vitamins & Extracts Cleansing Wipes (£3.49 from Boots & Superdrug nationwide) are great for cleansing skin in the morning, especially if you need a ‘wake me up’ solution. The Apple and Vitamin B3 extracts really leave skin feeling fresh and blemish free. I’ve tried both of the above, and since my skin is more sensitive then acne prone, I found that Clearasil is a little harsh for me, however it works wonders with regards to removing make-up and leaving your skin feeling fresh.
For moments when you don’t have time to cleanse, tone and remove make-up, Faith In Nature’s 3-in-1 Facial Wipes (£3.25 from faithinnature.co.uk) provide an easy solution, as they contain Aloe Vera to cleanse skin, Vitamin E to tone skin and remove make-up in one quick swipe. Easy peasy!
Cleansers
Cleansers should be used after or during make-up removal, and usually work best when massaged into dampened or wet skin, then rinsed off with warm water. When I’m in a rush, I use a cotton wool pad to cleanse my face, remove the last remains of any make-up and then tone afterwards. For best results, make sure you cover the face and the neck, as traces of make-up can be found on the neck and if you’ve ever had a spot appear on your lower chin or your neck, you’ll know quite how painful and annoying they can be.
If it’s wrinkles and lines you are worried about, and want to incorporate preventing these into your skincare routine, then Murad’s Refreshing Age Reform Cleanser (£29 from murad.co.uk) is definitely worth investing in. It not only refreshes skin and removes an surface impurities but also fights the signs of aging and leaves skin feeling skin and smooth. Murad are experts in anti-aging skincare and also provide toners, moisturizers and eye creams to combat wrinkles and lines.
If like me, cleansing often leaves your skin feeling rather dry and dehydrated, Giordani’s Gold Nourishing Cleansing Milk (£12.95 from Oriflame) can help to remove impurities whilst also providing much needed moisture and hydration. It has a gorgeous silky texture, and works well when rinsing off with water, or when removing traces of make-up with a cotton wool pad.
Toners
Using a toner after cleansing is just even more vital, as if cleansing solutions are left on skin – this can also congest pores and leave them open for dirt. Raw Skin Food have a fantastic range of natural products to keep skin looking healthy and refreshed, in particular the Raw Skin Food Imperial Whipped Toner (£9.98 from rawskinfood.com) with a slight citrusy zest scent to brighten and awaken skin. Packaged as a facial mist, this product is so easy to use – simply spritz onto skin and wipe over with a cotton wool pad, and the absence of nasty chemicals makes it suitable for even the most sensitive of skin types.
One of my favourite toners is Liz Earle’s Instant Boost Skin Tonic (£12.50 from lizearle.com), which revitalises, soothes and tones skin for instant radiance. It removes all remaining traces of make-up or cleansers and restores skin to a natural, healthy and glowing condition.
Eyes
Removing eye make-up is often the most difficult and time consuming part of the process, as it can take copious amounts of cotton wool pads and solution to remove mascara, eye shadow and liner completely.
Similarly, I find that some eye make-up solutions irritate or sting my eyes, so I often avoid using them altogether. If this is the case for you, then Natio’s Eye Make-Up Remover (£6.80 from Debenhams) may be a better solution, as it is a gentle, non-oily solution that removes eye make-up quickly and effectively, but also controls the PH balance, preventing irritation.
Angela Langford’s I Can See Clearly Now Eye Make-Up Remover (£11.75 from angelalangford.com) is also a great and effective product that is ideal for removing mascara (even the waterproof kind) and any other eye make-up. The gentle solution works to remove all traces of make-up, whilst making sure to protect the delicate skin around your eyes.
To remove small amounts of residue, smudges or eye make-up mistakes, there is a revolutionary new easy product on the market – Jane Iredale’s Dot The I Make-Up Remover Buds (£20 for 50 buds from janeiredale.com). Similar to cotton wool buds, with an in-built make-up remover solution in the tube, to use all you need to do is snap the blue end and watch the opposite end fill with the solution – ready to use to correct any make-up mistakes.
