I can’t be the only one out there who’s woken up in the morning looking like a ragged raccoon. Late night laziness has, on occasion, gotten the best of me when it comes to removing my makeup at bedtime. On those occasions when I fore-go the quest for freshly cleansed skin because I’m just too tired to remove makeup, I certainly wake up to regret it. How can we look so fabulous one minute and then after several hours of sleep, look like the walking dead? There’s got to be a better way.
With new technologies for cosmetics out there, it’s no surprise that removing makeup isn’t at the top of your favorite to-do list. Long lasting formulas have taken makeup removal to a whole new level. And boy, are they long lasting! And by long lasting, I mean very difficult to remove. In a perfect world we could sleep in our eye shadow, eyeliner and waterproof mascara and wake up looking sexy and sultry. But, unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world, and waking up looking sexy just doesn’t happen! In fact, it’s quite the opposite effect. It’s like Halloween each morning we don’t get rid of makeup from the night before. What are the major down sides to NOT removing your makeup? It’s a major beauty sin that’s for sure. Your pores can become clogged resulting in blemishes. Skin can become irritated, pores can look enlarged, leaving your skin looking dull and lackluster. It can leave you looking, dare I say it, OLDER as a result. Your pillowcases become incredibly smudged. You can scare the living daylights out of the first person you see in the morning…. That alone should be motivation to spend the few minutes necessary to remove makeup before bedtime! Remember, just like us, our skin needs to breathe. Treat it well at bedtime, and you can wake up looking fresh and fabulous.
How to remove makeup
The options
There are several options for makeup removal. There are traditional facial cleansers that are great for most light cosmetics, but might not be effective for heavier or long lasting makeup. There are the old school cold creams that definitely do work. Cleansing cloths or wipes are always handy, especially when you’re in a lazy mood. In fact, I know myself well enough to keep some cleansing cloths and night cream on my nightstand for those evenings I’m just exhausted. I’ve been known to remove makeup without even leaving my bed. Yes, lazy, but a girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to do in the name of fabulous skin!Makeup removal x2
Effectively removing your facial makeup is a multi-step process to really do the job right. Whether you choose to use a cleanser and a washcloth or a makeup-removing wipe, you should give your skin a quick once over to remove the heavier surface makeup. Then, cleanse again to really get that makeup off your skin and allow it to breathe. This depends on how much makeup you wear. If you have foundation, blush, bronzer and concealer even before you get to eye makeup, then cleansing twice might be for you. My personal routine is to use a makeup-removing wipe first to get the bulk of the residue off my skin. I follow this by washing off excess residue with my favorite cleanser. If you’re going to take the time to remove makeup, then do it effectively and take ALL of it off.Removing eye makeup
It’s a good idea to have makeup remover specially formulated for the eye area—especially if you’re one of those that wears heavy eye makeup. Eye makeup removers come in liquid form or in pre-moistened pads. An oil based eye makeup remover is great for waterproof mascara or eyeliner. You can also find hydrating formulas that won’t dry out the skin around your eyes. For liquid formulas, simply apply with a cotton puff and gently remove makeup from your eyes. My favorite are the pre-moistened pads because they’re convenient and do the trick for removing my favorite long lasting eyeliner. It’s important to never tug the delicate skin around your eyes. This is a big mistake some women make when they struggle to remove their long lasting eye makeup. You need to take it easy when you take it off. If you use a moistened cotton puff or a pre-moistened pad, hold it against your eye for a few seconds before you start wiping away the makeup. By holding the pad or puff in place, it helps to loosen the makeup from your skin and eyelashes. When you loosen the makeup, you won’t have to take an aggressive approach to rubbing away your makeup. If you have any traces of eye makeup lingering under your bottom lashes, use a cotton swab dipped in remover to get rid of it. It’s important to be gentle, gentle, gentle.Hydrate
Once your face is fresh and clean, go ahead and apply your toner especially if you have oily skin. This will help remove any traces of makeup or cleanser left behind. It’s also a good base to prepare your skin for your much-needed moisturizer. Apply your night cream and your eye cream to replenish your skin and hydrate while you sleep. Your skin will appreciate it.Extra tips
- No matter how tired or lazy you feel, spend an extra few minutes to remove makeup.
- Always remove your eye makeup first because it’s the most difficult remove. The last thing you want to do is transfer mascara to your cheeks after you have just gotten them perfectly makeup free.
- Don’t forget to remove makeup from your brushes once in a while. If you need a refresher on how to do this, take a look at my previous post.
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