Blank Face

Hola!

Question for all your make-up mavens out there....what do you use to REMOVE your make-up at night? I hope that no one is going to bed with make-up on. Humph! If you are, just don't let Penny know...she gets all worked up over things like that. LOL!

Penny has tried a number of make-up removers over the years and some may get foundation off but not mascara; others may get mascara off  but not foundation; so the search for one good product went on. Some of you are wondering...what's wrong with good old soap and water? LOL! Nothing at all...if you want to spend some time 'beating down the mug' (as one of Penny's friends would say). LOL! I always seem to have residue if I don't use something to break down the waterproof gel eyeliner, lipstick, and the various formulas of mascara I like to wear. Eyeshadow and foundation come off pretty easily with soap and water, but some products need an oil-based solvent to dissolve them.

Penny's favorite make-up remover/cleanser is Bobbi Brown's Cleansing Oil ($39, Bloomingdales). I love the feel and smell of Bobbi Brown's product but most importantly I love that it removes ALL my make-up at once. I put the oil cleanser on a dry face and gently rub it over my lids and lashes, and even my lips. This gentle oil dissolves everything and doesn't burn my eyes or leave my skin dry. The only drawback is the price. It is too expensive to purchase on a regular basis but is good for someone who doesn't use make-up often therefore allowing it to last longer. I love that this is a one-step process for cleaning my face and removing my make-up. BB Cleansing Oil is very similar to the more expensive Shu Uemura Cleansing Oils. Shu Uemura was said to be the pioneer of cleansing oils that remove make-up while maintaining the skin's balance.

Before I discovered BB Cleansing Oil, I used Clinique's Take the Day Off ($18, Sephora) for many years. This product is advertised as a make-up remover for "lids, lashes and lips" and it works well on all three. Just shake well before using (you will see the liquid separates in the bottle); saturate a cotton ball, and gently hold over your lid allowing the product to penetrate the eyeshadow and mascara for a few seconds, then wipe away the make-up. You may have to do this a few times. The only thing I didn't care for is the slightly oily residue this product left on my lids. But you have to wash your face afterwards anyway. What I did like was that it did not irritate my eyelids like other removers I tried in the past. My skin is super sensitive and my lids are easily irritated due to allergies. But this product worked fine. (read full story...)

Still hoping for a more budget-friendly remover, my latest search led me to Neutrogena Naturals Fresh Cleanser and Make-up Remover ($6.39, CVS). The price is great and the product works well to remove my make-up and cleanse my face in one step. However, I can't use this too often as I feel like its a little drying. You also don't accidentally want to get this in your eyes because it burns like hell. LOL! This product is paraben-free, sulfate-free and supposed to be free of harsh chemicals, but it contains fragrance and for some reason seems a bit stronger to me than the cleansers I previously mentioned. This may be a good cleanser for those with oily skin.

Some folks have shared that they use Vaseline or Baby Oil to remove their make-up; that's fine too as long as there are no adverse effects like clogged pores or break outs. Other combinations of oils like castor oil/coconut oil, or castor oil/olive oil used in the Oil Cleansing Method (OCM) also work well for some. As long as you cleanse AND moisturize your face after removing the make-up, all is well. What's your secret?

Be blessed. Be beautiful.
Penny