The 14 Best Makeup Removers for Cleansed, Clear, and Hydrated Skin
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You can, in fact, get all that makeup off your face without stripping your skin.
Instyle / Madison Woiten
Removing your makeup after a long day is one of the most vital steps in your skincare routine yet we can all agree its not the most fun. Whether you wear minimal makeup on a daily basis or regularly go for the full glam vibe, you need a strong makeup-removing product that can cut through layers of foundation and waterproof eyeliner, yet doesn't feel strong on skin. Without it, your pores fill up with oil, dirt, product residue and will soon clog, leading to an acne flare-up, and your skin's tone and texture will become rough and dry, possibly even irritated and red... and who wants that.
We're no longer limited to the alcohol-drenched wipes our parents used to use. Now, makeup removers are available in a variety of forms, like oils, balms, and makeup wipes, or specifically formulated for eye makeup, which effectively cleanse, hydrate, exfoliate, and soothe irritation. This product is “not the same as your facial skin cleanser, says Dr. Michele Koo, a board-certified plastic surgeon and founder of Dr. Koo Private Practice." "Makeup removers should be gentle in order to thoroughly cleanse the pores and remove all the makeup." End by dabbing on a night cream, then let your head hit the pillow.
Best Overall: Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water Makeup Remover
What We Love: It gently and effectively removes makeup, leaving the skin soothed and refreshed.
What We Don’t Love: Stubborn waterproof mascara might need a few passes to budge.
It feels impossible today, but we vaguely remember a world before micellar water was ubiquitous — and those were dark times, let us tell you. As far as micellar waters (and makeup removers more generally) go, French pharmacy brand Bioderma has served up the best of the best.
“This product is a fan-favorite for a reason!” says Koko Slunjski, a Miami-based makeup artist and beauty expert. “It contains micelles, which are tiny oil molecules suspended in water, and this unique composition easily lifts away dirt, oil, and makeup without irritating the skin. It's suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin.” Several of the experts we spoke to recommended this product for acne-prone skin and eczema, since it's lightweight and cleanses impurities without the need for rinsing. The result? Skin that just plain feels great, refreshed, and comfortable — not dry or not overly hydrated. Just right.
Type: Micellar water | Key Ingredients: Micelles, cucumber fruit extract | Benefits: Cleansing, soothing, balancing | Size: 16.7 oz
Best Drugstore: Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water All-in-1 Cleanser & Makeup Remover
What We Love: It’s suitable for all skin types, including sensitive and acne-prone.
What We Don’t Love: It's not as effective on full glam as we would like.
Another great micellar options is this one, which we're sure you're already familiar with. It’s affordable, accessible, and just a really great product, which is why Dr. Leah Ansell, a board-certified dermatologist at Treiber Dermatology, is a big fan. “Micellar water is a particularly great makeup remover because it is very gentle, yet effective at removing makeup,” she says. “The micelles within the formula are surfactants, which help break down oils, dirt, makeup, and dead skin cells.”
As for what makes this particular product so beloved is the fact that it was tested by both dermatologists and ophthalmologists and deemed safe for all skin types, from the most reactive to the most acneic, as well as tricky spots, like the always troublesome eye area. It’s free of harsh additives, such as fragrance, alcohol, silicones, and sulfates. After each cleanse, the skin feels soft and clean.
Type: Micellar water | Active Ingredients: Glycerin | Benefits: Cleansing, soothing | Size: 13.5 oz
Best Splurge: Augustinus Bader The Cleansing Balm
What We Love: It feels so nourishing that we couldn't believe it was actually working at first. (It absolutely was.)
What We Don’t Love: It feels a bit too heavy for some people.
Makeup remover may not be the beauty product most of us typically splurge on, preferring to leave the big bucks for, say, anti-aging face cream or retinol products — but this might just turn out to be the luxe makeup remover that changes your mind on that front. In addition to its absurdly decadent texture, it’s also formulated with all sorts of lovely plant-based oils, like master hydrators avocado and olive, along with vitamin E and squalane to protect the skin from environmental stressors and free radicals, prevent moisture loss and restore the natural moisture within the skin barrier.
The solid balm melts into an oil as it touches skin, sliding all around without any sense of friction. The formula is quite safe, too, without any fragrance, irritants, allergens, or pore-clogging ingredients. Kaitlin Clark, senior beauty commerce editor at InStyle, swears that this unique balm completely rehabilitated her problematic skin. "My skin is extreme in more ways than one," she says. "It's next-level dry from the lingering side effects of Accutane, and highly reactive to almost any halfway potent ingredient. I really didn't have high hopes for this balm, but it felt indulgent and my complexion not only looked throughly clean, but also smooth, moisturized, and dare I say, glowing?"
Type: Balm | Active Ingredients: Sunflower seed oil, coconut oil, grape seed oil, avocado oil, vitamin E, squalane | Benefits: Hydrating, nourishing, soothing | Size: 3.1 oz
Best for Eye Makeup: Shiseido Essentials Instant Eye & Lip Makeup Remover
What We Love: It effectively removes stubborn makeup without stripping the delicate skin around your eyes and lips.
What We Don’t Love: It needs to be thoroughly rinsed, or you may be left with a greasy residue.
Eye makeup can be a nightmare to remove: We want our mascaras, glitter eye shadows and long-wear lipsticks to be completely immobile and unyielding while we're out, but wash away easily without irritating the delicate skin. While this may sound basically impossible, Shiseido has thankfully got you covered: This liquid remover is specially formulated to remove eye makeup, as well as deeply pigmented lipstick. And let us tell you: This baby works. As well as doing a fabulous job at dissolving makeup with ease, this product enables the skin to retain moisture in the most delicate areas of your face, courtesy of the skin strengthening humectant xylitol. It boosts the skin's hydration level by strengthening the barrier itself, so you can go to sleep with makeup-free and hydrated.
Type: Liquid | Active Ingredients: Xylitol | Benefits: Moisturizing, calming | Size: 4.2 oz
Best Wipes: Neutrogena Compostable Makeup Remover Cleansing Wipes
What We Love: Unlike many wipes, these are both gentle on the skin and compostable.
What We Don’t Love: You'll need two or three to get a full face of makeup off.
Regardless of how handy they are, makeup wipes can be a bit harsh, even on non-reactive skin. That said, the extra soft wipes are generously doused in a micellar-based emollient formula developed specifically to be easy and mess-free to use without compromising high-quality ingredients or nourishment. And these wipes are just about as gentle as they get while still being effective.
According to Dr. Ansell, these dermatologist- and ophthalmologist-tested wipes are able to clean off every trace of makeup easily — even many waterproof mascaras. The result? Skin feels soothed, soft and cleansed, without a lingering sticky residue. Neutrogena also uses plant-based fibers that are compostable and biodegradable.
Type: Wipes | Active Ingredients: Micelles | Benefits: Purifying, rebalancing | Size: 25-count
Best Balm: Eadem Dew Dream Hydrating Cleansing Balm
What We Love: The neutral formula doesn’t irritate sensitive skin.
What We Don’t Love: Some people find it leaves a film on the face.
Those with sensitive skin are high-key obsessed with this cleansing balm from Eadem. And of course they are: It's filled with ingredients that zero in on damaged skin and get straight to to work to repair the skin barrier at the cellular level. With a cocktail of healing heroes, like the nutrient-rich tiger grass to tend to sensitive and dry spots, hydrating kalahari melon — a fruit that is also surprisingly known to unclog pores — and redness-reducing allatonin, this product contains a whole host of anti-inflammatory properties to nurture skin. Even better, the formula contains even more soothing extracts, like licorice root, glycerin, and moringa, to help support cell turnover, which speeds up the restoration of the skin barrier, and even fights hyperpigmentation, while smoothing the overall appearance of the skin.
With a jelly-to-oil-to-milk texture, Dew Dream leaves skin feeling soft, supple, and totally healthy. As a truly excellent bonus, all of this can be yours within 60 seconds, which is how long the balm should be massaged into skin to completely remove dirt, oil, and makeup before rinsing.
Type: Balm | Active Ingredients: Tiger grass, allantoin, kalahari melon, moringa, licorice root extract, glycerin | Benefits: Hydrating, strengthening, soothing, anti-inflammatory | Size: 3.4 oz
Best for Sensitive Skin: Farmacy Clearly Clean Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm
What We Love: It leaves the skin renewed and cleansed without harsh stripping.
What We Don’t Love: It can leave a foggy film on the eyes.
InStyle editors have long been converted as devout followers of this cleansing balm from clean skincare label Farmacy. It's amazingly effective for melting away makeup and leaving the skin feeling refreshed and glowing. Sunflower and ginger root oils combine to break down layers of makeup, while turmeric neutralizes uneven texture and redness. To ensure an extra thorough cleanse, the addition of moringa extract helps slough away SPF and impurities and papaya enzymes act as a naturally powerful exfoliant.
With just a spoonful of the smooth, velvety texture, which slightly resembles wax, the solid becomes a lightweight oil and easily glides all over skin to wash away — no rubbing required. Farmacy is Leaping Bunny Certified, meaning they’re entirely cruelty-free, and their products are formulated with responsibly sourced ingredient.
Type: Balm | Active Ingredients: Sunflower oil, ginger root oil, turmeric, moringa, papaya enzymes | Benefits: Moisturizing, nourishing, calming | Size: 3.4 oz
Best for Rosacea: Boscia MakeUp-BreakUp Cool Cleansing Oil
What We Love: It cleanses and purifies acne-prone skin to help prevent future breakouts.
What We Don’t Love: The pump can sometimes get jammed.
If you have a reactive, inflamed skin condition, like rosacea or eczema, it’s even more important to do a deep clean after wearing makeup all day. Yet, choosing the right makeup remover that won’t cause or aggravate the inflammation further isn't always so easy. While many people's first instinct is to go for an oil-free cleanser, this oil by Boscia actually works wonders on rosacea, helping to gently remove makeup while sliding over skin irritation with any disturbance.
Unbeknownst to many, green tea is a lifesaver for various dermatological conditions, rosacea included. With antioxidants that protect the skin, you'll have a proper defense against environmental stressors. Not only that, but it reduces the signs of rough texture, neutralizes excess sebum, and soothes the skin with its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Rich in vitamin E, A, and D, it's hugely beneficial to calm angry, reactive skin, strengthen the skin barrier, and support water retention. Importantly, this cleanser is formulated without harsh parabens, sulfates, chemical preservatives or artificial fragrance, which are all known irritants for rosacea.
Type: Oil | Active Ingredients: Rosehip, green tea, avocado, olive fruit oil, botanical amino acids, hydrangea leaf, jojoba, willowherb | Benefits: Anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, redness-reducing | Size: 5 oz
Best Oil: DHC Deep Cleansing Oil
What We Love: It wipes off even glitter and waterproof mascara as if by magic.
What We Don’t Love: It may irritate sensitive eyes.
If you wear lots of moisturizer with SPF (keep it up!), plus long-wear or waterproof makeup, owning a great cleansing oil is truly one of the best skincare choices you can make. Historically, those of us with oily or acne-prone skin have been told to stay way clear from oil-based makeup removers, but we’ve thankfully evolved to see the whopping benefits it provides.
DHC’s Cleansing Oil delivers a shockingly deep clean with their iconic mix of olive and rosemary leaf oils that zip through pores to stir impurities, while the antioxidants from the oils protect skin from environmental stressors. For a healthy boost of hydration, the formula offers vitamin V to moisturize and nourish skin. Equally important are all the things it doesn’t include, like synthetic fragrance (although the rosemary leaf oil is naturally aromatic, but it’s subtle), mineral oil, and other irritants.
Type: Oil | Active Ingredients: Organic olive oil, rosemary leaf oil, vitamin E | Benefits: Softening, hydrating, strengthening | Size: 6.7 oz
Best for Dry Skin: Drunk Elephant Slaai Makeup-Melting Butter Cleanser
What We Love: It melts makeup away and leaves the skin soft and smooth.
What We Don’t Love: It’s too heavy for oily skin.
Cleansing balms are having a moment, and the same reason that so many people are obsessed with them is the same reason that many are not. They’re thick (or at least start out that way), potentially heavy, and overflowing with rich hydration. And then you have this one Drunk Elephant, which is a whole new ballgame.
Designed specifically for hopelessly dry skin, this balm does just as much moisturizing as it does cleansing, which is crucial, because with parched skin, it’s best to opt for a makeup remover that a) won’t strip natural oils from skin, and b) actively promotes hydration. If you can get over the initial hard butter texture when you scoop it out, it transforms into a luxurious potion that could pass as a face oil, which is unsurprising, considering it’s formulated with a blend of five oils, like virgin marula oil, baobab seed oil, kalahari melon seed oil, mongongo oil, and ximenia oil. A fruit salad of various tropical extracts from kiwis, acai, blueberries, and strawberries tops off the deeply comforting formula. What you’re left with is cleansed, refreshed, and downright glossy skin.
Type: Balm | Active Ingredients: Virgin marula oil, baobab seed oil, kalahari melon seed oil, mongongo oil, ximenia oil | Benefits: Conditioning, nourishing, smoothing | Size: 3.9 oz
Best for Mature Skin: Tatcha Camellia Cleansing Oil
What We Love: It visibly reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
What We Don’t Love: It has a light floral scent, thanks to the camellia flower base.
Most of us wouldn’t think to incorporate anti-aging properties in our makeup remover — preferring to leave the heavy lifting to our serums and face creams — but it can’t hurt, can it? This best-selling product from Tatcha is a moisturizing 2-in-1 makeup remover and cleanser made with the lightweight Japanese camellia oil, a botanical oil rich in fatty acids, along with vitamins A, B, D, and E, to draw out excess oil, sunscreen, and, of course, makeup from pores. The brand’s proprietary Hadasei-3 blend consisting of rice, green tea, and algae, helps to plump up your skin, leaving it feeling super soft and healthy. If you’re doubtful, the results from their four week clinical trial may sway you: 100 percent of participants showed improvement in the appearance of wrinkles, while 95 percent saw an improvement with fine lines
Of course, it’s makeup remover we’re talking about here, so it’s important to note that the gentle formula struggles with breaking down heavy, waterproof eye makeup, so you’ll want to make sure to use another makeup remover specifically for the eyes to prevent an infection or irritation.
Type: Oil | Active Ingredients: Hadasei-3, Japanese camellia oil | Benefits: Anti-aging, firming, brightening, smoothing | Size: 5 oz
Best for Acne-Prone Skin: Cosmedix Purity Solution Nourishing Deep Cleansing Oil
What We Love: Don’t be fooled by its lightweight texture, this cleansing oil is tough as nails when it comes to excess oil as well as cystic and hormonal breakouts.
What We Don’t Love: Waterproof eye makeup or layers of full coverage foundation may need a second cleanse.
Although we may never be as fab as Victoria Beckham, at least we can use the same makeup remover. And Hailey Bieber, too, with this option from Cosmedix. This line of clinical-grade skincare was formerly only available for purchase in luxury spas and dermatologist offices, but now you can buy it at retailers who have their finger on the pulse of what really works. Just like Posh, we use this 2-in-1 cleansing oil at the end of every day to keep our acne-prone skin in check. Unlike most other skincare specifically formulated for acne, our complexion never looks anything short of hydrated, fresh, clean as a whistle, and radiant.
Ingredient-wise, Cosmedix takes it all the way back to ancient India to tap the Ayurvedic mainstay, azadirachta leaf extract, also humbly known as the Miracle Tree as well as the village pharmacy, for its antibacterial, antiseptic, and anti-fungal properties. This multitasking, anti-inflammatory antioxidant is also potent enough to be used as a core ingredient for the treatment of several skin conditions, while still having such a gentle effect that it’s suitable to interact with sensitive, inflamed skin.
Type: Oil | Active Ingredients: Argan, olive and moringa, kukui, safflower, and sesame oils, melia azadirachta extract | Benefits: Clarifying, conditioning, anti-inflammatory, rebalancing | Size: 3.3 oz
Best for Oily Skin: La Roche-Posay Effaclar Micellar Water for Oily Skin
What We Love: It absorbs oil and promotes hydration in one fell swoop.
What We Don’t Love: It’s drying on non-oily skin types.
Those with oily skin need to pay extra attention in selecting any skincare product, including makeup remover. Generally speaking, you may want to opt for a formula that’s oil-free (though this isn’t a hard and fast rule), but it should most definitely be non-comedogenic to keep pores nice and clean, and alcohol-free so your skin doesn’t dehydrate and shrivel — lucky for us, this unicorn of a product is all three.
A water-based micellar water, like this option, is one of the safest choices around for slick skin. Dr. Ansell loves this one, which is specifically formulated to be kind to oily skin — even the most sensitive — because it’s filled with the best ingredients to keep blemishes out of our lives, starting with micelles, which effectively purify the skin, and zinc for helping deal with excess oil. Obviously, though, stripping the skin of moisture is counterproductive for oily skin as for other skin types, however, this micellar water prevents this from happening with the support of hydrating glycerin and soothing thermal spring water.fslun
Type: Micellar water | Active Ingredients: Glycerin, La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water, glycerin, poloxamer | Benefits: Purifying, mattifying | Size: 13.52 oz
Best for Waterproof Mascara: Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover
What We Love: It’s amazing for erasing stubborn eye makeup without irritating the delicate area.
What We Don’t Love: It can leave an oil-like feel on the skin.
This is the second Neutrogena product to earn a spot on our list. What can we say, the brand just really knows what they're doing when it comes to makeup removers, and Slunjski calls this one, which was developed specifically for eye makeup, an all-time favorite. “I highly recommend this Neutrogena makeup remover because it's super lightweight and easy on the eye area," she says. "It's also incredibly effective at removing all types of eye makeup, including inky liquid eyeliners, waterproof mascaras or heavy glam looks with lots of eyeshadow."
As someone who wears contact lenses daily, Clark said she stopped even trying to look for an eye makeup remover that didn't instantly inflict burning waves of irritation. "Most others sting with the intensity of an entire hornet's nest, but I was on a destination bachelorette party when a fellow bridesmaid convinced me to try this supposedly gentle Neutrogena option, and it's been true love ever since. The aloe and cucumber feel refreshing and cool, and I haven't woken up to red, puffy eyes ever since." To really play it safe, Clark recommends completely dousing a flat cotton round — never a cotton ball. "This is very important," she says. "Cotton balls are too dense, absorb too much product, and shrink into hard little nubs, which definitely don't feel great on my sensitive eyes."
Type: Liquid | Active Ingredients: Aloe, cucumber extract | Benefits: Softening, soothing | Size: 5.5 oz
What to Keep in Mind
Your Skin Type: If you’re following up your makeup remover with a second, different cleanser, your skin type doesn’t matter as much, according to Dr. Koo. If, on the other hand, you’re using your makeup remover as your only cleanser, you might pick differently. In this case, “for dry skin, opt for hydrating and moisturizing formulas with ingredients like glycerin or oils,” suggests Slunjski. “Oily or acne-prone skin benefits from oil-free, non-comedogenic options like water-based cleansers or micellar waters. Sensitive skin requires gentle, fragrance-free removers, such as hypoallergenic formulations.”
Formula: Makeup remover comes in oil-based and water-based variations, and it’s helpful to know the difference so you can make the right choice for you. “Oil-based removers are great at dissolving oil-based makeup because they follow the ‘like dissolves like’ theory,” explains Slunjski. “They attract and bind to the oils in makeup, making it easier to remove.” While water-based removers can be less effective at dissolving long-wear makeup, “for those with oily and acne-prone skin, a water-based makeup remover is a better option,” says Dr. Ansell, since it doesn’t add extra oil to your skin.
Your Makeup Style: Of course, you won’t need the same makeup remover if you're a makeup minimalist, only wearing, for example, a skin tint and brow gel every day. “For light makeup, water-based removers like micellar waters and gentle cleansing lotions work well to remove foundation, concealer, and lipstick without leaving a heavy residue,” says Slunjski. “For a heavier, full-on look, go for an oil-based cleanser. They are specifically formulated to break down and dissolve thick makeup, including heavy foundation, intense eyeshadows, and long-lasting lipsticks.”
Your Questions, Answered
Which makeup remover is best for acne?
To make sure a makeup remover is acne-safe, check which skin types it’s formulated for, and scour the reviews for reports that a product made people break out. But as a general rule, Dr. Koo recommends using a “water- or glycerin-based remover, but definitely without alcohol, which can strip acne-prone skin, causing irritation and even increasing the likelihood of more acne.”
Are makeup remover wipes bad for skin?
Makeup remover wipes aren’t bad for skin as such, but they’re also not the best, per the experts we spoke to. “Most makeup remover wipes contain more emollient-based cleansers which may be too ‘oily’ for most skin,” says Dr. Koo. “Think of it this way: You wouldn’t use toothpaste to wash your hair. The intent is to remove deeper or thicker debris, such as mascara and full cover foundation. There shouldn’t be anything harmful, but they're not ideal for skin, especially sensitive types."
Meanwhile, Dr. Ansell also notes that “some contain additive fragrance or preservatives that can cause allergic contact dermatitis for those with very sensitive skin. Therefore, for those who are eczema-prone or tend to have very sensitive skin, I prefer micellar water on a cotton pad to remove makeup.”
Why Shop With Us
Iris Goldsztajn is a Paris-born, London-based freelance writer with 10 years of experience covering fashion, beauty, wellness and lifestyle for the likes of InStyle, British Vogue, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, and Refinery29. For this story, she spoke to skincare and makeup experts who shared their recommendations, including Koko Slunjski, a Miami-based makeup artist, Dr. Leah Ansell, a board-certified dermatologist at Treiber Dermatology, and Dr. Michele Koo, a board-certified plastic surgeon and founder of Dr. Koo Private Practice.
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