Are You Removing Your Makeup Correctly?

by BR Tabatha

It's quite possible the second biggest beauty rule after 'always wear sunscreen' is 'never go to bed wearing makeup'. It's something we Beauty Review editors bang on about so much to our makeup wearing friends and fam that we fear we sound like nags, but to not would be wrong! Going to bed with your makeup on is just asking for your skin to get clogged, congested, broken out. Cleansing is a must! But even then, are we doing it correctly? Are there steps we should be taking to get our best cleanse ever? Read on...

Spent the day or night with mascara and eyeshadow emphasising your eyes? Then the first thing you need to do is remove your eye makeup. This really does need to be done gently and carefully as you don't want to hurt your eyes, let alone tug at them unnecessarily as they can age them faster than you might like. The easiest way I've found to cleanse my peepers is to hold micellar-soaked pads on the closed eyes for thirty seconds, then gently wipe away the product, finishing off with a final hold and swipe with another soaked pad to ensure there's not a scrap of product left.

Now to the whole face cleanse where it's double cleansing for the win to get your skin beautifully clean.

For the first cleanse, you can use micellar water on pads once again. A simple squirt and wipe, and you're done. Even better, with reuseable pads now a big thing (like these Top Rated Eco-pads from Garnier), you don't have to feel bad about popping cotton rounds into the landfill. Even better than that? Micellar water comes in a range of formulas and price points, making it an affordable first cleanse for the majority of skin types.

Alternatively, you can wet your face with lukewarm water, then apply a cleansing balm or a cleansing oil and massage it into the makeup to break it up, then use a gentle washcloth or makeup pad to wipe it away.

The second cleanse is when you can keep it basic by using a simple cleanser (ideal if you've sensitive skin) to deal to the leftover grime, OR you can use your second cleanse to amp up your skincare routine by using a cleanser that contains ingredients to help with any skin concerns you might have. For example, I use an oil as my first cleanse because I wear a lot of makeup, and a glycolic cleanser as my second. But if my skin is feeling sensitive or drier than usual, I use my oil followed by Cetaphil.

Are there any don'ts to double cleansing? Indeed there are! Don't double cleanse in the morning - there's no need. Don't over cleanse your skin while double cleansing as this can irritate and inflame the skin. If your skin is becoming too dry as a result of double cleansing, cut back, use gentler cleansers or stop altogether and stick to a gentle cleanser as your one and only.

There you have it! Now you've no excuse not to hit the sheets with a makeup-free moosh! So, do you get an A+ for your cleansing routine? Or will you be upping your cleansing game? Chat below!