Admit it: at least once in your life, you have fallen asleep with your makeup on. Whether you immediately collapsed into bed after a night out or drifted off during a Netflix binge, your late-night missteps will inevitably result in crusty mascara and foundation-clogged pores the next morning. We have all been told not to do this a billion times, but even if you are not passing out with a full beat, we could probably all be more diligent about our makeup removal process.
Proper cleansing is recommended to remove makeup and the dirt and pollution our skin accumulates during the day, says New York City dermatologist Hadley King, M.D. These free radicals can “contribute to the breakdown of collagen and the development of wrinkles,” she adds. Collagen is a protein essential for preserving the skin’s elasticity and ability to repair itself. “When our collagen levels are compromised, the skin can appear duller and age faster. For those with oily or acne-prone skin, failing to cleanse can result in more clogged pores and stubborn breakouts,” says Sunday Riley. “Good skincare starts with a good cleanser. Cleansing for at least one minute is ideal but if you’re washing your face at all, I’m happy. Believe it or not, a lot of people come to us who actually don’t wash their face at all and that’s problematic. Not cleansing properly can cause so many skin issues including inflammation, sensitivity, redness, and collagen degradation,” Sunday adds.
Meet the Experts
Sunday Riley , CEO, founder and product formulator
Hadley King, M.D. , New York City dermatologist
Alexx Mayo , Lizzo’s makeup artist
Alexa Hernandez, a makeup artist with Forward Artists
What’s the most important thing a person can do if they want great skin? “You’ve got to wash your face. A lot of people don’t do that. It’s also really important to exfoliate. You could spend $5 billion on the best products in the world, but if it’s just sinking into your dead skin cells, it’s like, what’s the point?..”
Because not all skin is created equal, it is important to select a makeup removal method based on your particular needs. “When you formulate a product the world is your oyster. You can create anything you want to create. But the way that I like to do it is I like everything to be powered by science and then balanced by botanicals, because that for me is the whole 360 health of the skin,” explains Riley. “I’m obsessed with cleansing. It’s like the unsung hero, right? So the thing is, we all have to clean our skin, and a double cleanse is phenomenal.” Double-cleansing works exactly how it sounds: instead of picking one type of cleanser over another, double-cleansing uses one after another.
Here, you will find everything you need to know about the best makeup removers for your skin type.
Cleansing balms
Picture it: you have dry or sensitive skin, and you need to remove a full face of makeup. Going in with harsh products or excessive scrubbing would irritate your skin, but you don’t want to go to bed with traces of makeup in your pores. The solution? The best makeup remover for sensitive skin and dryness is a cleansing balm. Blue Moon Clean Rinse Cleansing Balm is a multitasking product.
“This hybrid balm-to-oil formulation effortlessly shifts to a milk-like consistency upon application, ensuring deep cleansing without leaving any oily residue behind. It melts away all that makeup, that stubborn makeup, maybe stubborn eyeliner that you might have or eyelash glue. What sets Blue Moon apart is its incorporation of sugar particles, which gently exfoliate the skin, removing impurities and unveiling a smoother complexion,” adds Riley. “If you like that kind of thick, creamy, rich texture, it’s that oneI typically reach for and I have chronically dry skin.”
Recognizing the common pitfall of cleansing balms that leave an unwanted greasy film, Sunday Riley was inspired to craft a product that not only cleanses and calms but also leaves the skin feeling clean, comfortable, and refreshed without any oily after-feel. Therapeutic essential oils of Blue Tansy and German chamomile help to calm the look of irritated, dry, flaky skin while tangerine oil helps improve clarity. With a softening base of organic cocoa, moringa butters, and enriched with essential oils of vanilla and sweet orange to relax the mind and create a sense of balance, this melting cleansing balm gives skin a tranquil, pure, and healthy cleanse.
“I’ll use a cleansing balm on Lizzo every night, starting with dry hands and a dry face before I even turn on the faucet,” says Alexx Mayo, Lizzo’s makeup artist. “Break down all of the makeup first and then rinse that off. And then actually cleanse your face. The way I like to remind people of this is that you have to sweep before you mop.”
“Instead of tugging at your face and your delicate eye area, you simply take a quarter-sized amount of the balm and massage the cleanser all over the face,” says Alexa Hernandez, a makeup artist with Forward Artists. Then, she says, rinse away with warm water; you can also follow up with another cleanser if you are after a more squeaky-clean effect. Hernandez uses balms to remove intense editorial makeup on shoots, but she also recommends them for anyone who needs extra moisture. If you have dry skin, a cleansing balm is great because you can use it as a nourishing mask, just leave it on the skin for 20 minutes. That’s what was tested on the backstage of New York and Milan fashion week by many professional make up artists. Blue Moon is also an effective lip scrub that removes dead skin cells and leaves your lips looking plump and feeling soft.
Clay-based cleansers
When you need a deep cleanse, turn to clay-based cleansers. “Clay is a great choice for oily and acne-prone skin,” King says because it absorbs oil and has antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. “I like Ceramic Slip because it removes makeup, dirt, pollution and excess sebum without stripping your skin. When you strip your skin, it might feel really good at first, but then it starts to create micro-tears which collect bacteria, and it’s a disaster,” says Riley. “I’ve got dry skin and I love this cleanser, I use it twice a day. My daughter uses it, too, and she has oily, acne-prone skin. It’s great for all skin types.”
Formulated as a universal, gentle foaming cleanser for even the most sensitive skin, Ceramic Slip leaves all skin types softer, cleaner, balanced, and radiant. Extremely gentle, this deep cleaning cleanser can be used daily, morning and night, for a healthier-looking complexion.
“Think of it as if you’re using a really good detox face mask along with your cleanser. Imagine the clay diving deep into your skin to pull out all the stuff you definitely don’t want, kind of like how a super face mask works. But then, it doesn’t stop there. It brings in some goodies, like rice and olive oil esters, to pump hydration right back into your skin. So, it’s like you’re using a magnet: yanking out the bad stuff but also making sure the good stuff, like serious hydration, gets back in. You don’t want to strip your skin bare. We’re aiming to get rid of all the gunk — pollution, dirt, makeup, sunscreen, you name it — without leaving your skin dry as a desert. We don’t want to over dry your skin,” Sunday says. “After I cleanse, I spritz with Pink Drink which helps to support the microbiome because when we cleanse, we’re disrupting our microbiome diversity.”
Hernandez notes that clay-based cleansers are the best makeup removers for acne-prone skin but that they can also be beneficial for other skin types depending on the situation. “I love clay cleansers after travel when you want a deep cleanse, or those nights we slept in our makeup,” she says.
PRO TIP: TRY THE FLASH FIX FACIAL
Mix equal parts Ceramic Slip Cleanser with Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment. Blend together and apply to clean skin as a mask. Rinse with water after 10 minutes. Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment immediately exfoliates dull, pore-clogging dead skin cells, and reveals smoother, clearer, younger-looking skin. With continued use, the appearance of dark spots and the visible signs of aging are reduced for a healthier-looking complexion. Ceramic Slip Cleanser balances and purifies the complexion, visibly minimizes the appearance of pores, and removes excess oil and impurities. Follow with your favorite Sunday Riley treatment and moisturizer.
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