Beauty Tip – Natural Make-up Removers

You are back home from a night out clubbing and you are so eager to clean your face and remove that thick layer of make-up. You rush into the bathroom and are gutted to find your make-up remover wipes packet was left unsealed and totally dried up from their cleansing agents! What can you do to wash off this make-up? Can’t go to bed with smeared eyes a la Courtney Love in her grunge phase. Wait, there’s no need to rush to the nearest all night pharmacy when you probably have what it takes to do the job right in your own home.

Remember make-up removers are as important as the actual make-up. You don’t want to compromise on your skin, especially the delicate area around the eyes. Some store bought make-up removers contain certain chemicals that can actually cause allergic reactions, irritations, break outs and even acne.

Here are several homemade make-up removers that are gentle to the skin, but are still effective and chemical free. By the way, they probably cost you less too as they are already available!

Olive Oil – Good old multi-purpose olive oil! Go for the virgin kind. You can use this for your entire face, and is specially recommended for the eyes. It is particularly effective with stubborn mascara or waterproof products. It will also condition your eyelashes and moisturize your skin. It may be handy to always keep some by your bathroom sink in a tiny bowl or espresso cup.

Baby Oil – Similar to olive oil it will remove the dirt and all the makeup residues whilst giving your skin a natural glow. For removing eye make-up you can mix this with olive oil. It will really do the job for the stubborn area under the eyes.

Cucumbers – Often recommended as eye pads this soothing vegetable has an amazing effect on your skin. First peel a cucumber. Make sure you remove all the hard green rind then puree it in the food processor. It must be completely liquefied. Then simmer the cucumber juice and ½ a cup of milk in the saucepan for ten minutes. Stir occasionally so the milk does not scorch. Strain the mixture to remove any hard chunks. You are then left with a milky green mixture. Soak a cotton ball into this mixture and wipe off your make up and finally rinse it off with water. If you make a large amount you can store it in the fridge and use it within a week. Oh, and please do not mistaken for a smoothie the next day!

Milk or Yoghurt – That’s right, these dairy products are the most popular natural make-up removers. Simply add some of either ingredient onto a cotton ball and apply it to your face. Then wash it off with water to remove any residue. You will find your skin smooth and soft afterwards.

Jojoba Oil* – This does a great job with removing eye make-up. It also easily removes foundation, blush and lipstick. It also super moisturizes your skin.

*There are also some other naturals oils that can also do the trick and have the same moisturizing effects. These include sweet almond oil, walnut oil and grape seed oil. However, if the idea of oily residue makes you uncomfortable, bear in mind you still need to wash your face with water afterwards.

So if you have not tried any of them yet, give em a go! You may decide that store bought removers work best for you and is less hassle and messy.

And finally once you’ve cleansed get plenty of beauty sleep!