Simple and Effective Eye Makeup Remover (One All-Natural Ingredient You Probably Already Own)

Simple and Effective Eye Makeup Remover (One All-Natural Ingredient You Probably Already Own)

I’m not fancy (like Iggy Azalea). I’m more or less rockin’ the same basic makeup routine that I started in my teenage years. The shade of eye shadow has varied (happily stuck on a slightly shimmery taupe these days), the mascara has remained steady (black-brown for the win with pale-faces like me), and the light taupe eyebrow pencil is a must to fill in my nearly-invisible blonde-ish eyebrows.

I’m a pale-skinned, natural redhead, which means eye makeup is my BFF. I’ve learned in recent years that when it comes to being seen without my mascara, eyebrow pencil, and eyeshadow, sometimes I just need to let it go, let it gooooo… (fist bump to my girl, Elsa).

Regardless, I do like a quick makeup application most days. It’s fun, and I feel like it accentuates my features. But, in the world of makeup, what goes on must come off.

Okay, time for my most embarrassing confession: until the last few months, I have been ridiculously terrible at remembering to wash off my makeup before bed. I was just so exhausted and wiped out by bedtime that I usually just forgot, and if I remembered while falling asleep, I was too lazy to get out of bed again. I don’t really know how the eye makeup police haven’t arrested me yet.

Well, I guess my face decided to organize a mutiny because last year my eyes started to get itchy and sore after wearing my mascara for any amount of time (duh, right?). At that point I was using regular drugstore mascara, but I’ve since switched to a natural brand (I’m still testing out various brands to see which I like best.) Switching to a natural mascara helped, but religiously taking my eye makeup off before bed has also made a huge difference.

There was one small problem with my new resolve: I didn’t actually own any eye makeup remover. In the past when I remembered to do it, I’d just use a hot, wet washcloth and scrub my face vigorously until the makeup was gone. That wasn’t the most pleasant or easiest way of doing things.

Then I found a small bottle of drugstore makeup remover in the back of my cupboard, and used that for a few weeks until I remembered a little something I had read over the years of detoxing my skincare and body products. I had once read that our old pal coconut oil was a great eye makeup remover.

I didn’t really believe it at the time. I mean, coconut oil is absolutely incredible as a dietary supplement. It has a bajillion uses and is super versatile. It’s like the windex of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. But oil? As an eye makeup remover? Don’t you need, like, soap and stuff? How can an oil get something clean?

I had a little container of coconut oil in my bathroom cupboard, leftover from my days of using it as a facial moisturizer (until I discovered this crazy awesome little product that I blogged about, which, by the way, has since gone on to become my most popular post of all time here at R+H).

So one night I gave it a try. After dinner when I put on my pajamas (what, doesn’t everybody put their PJs on right after dinner?!) I headed to the bathroom, took a pea-sized amount of coconut oil on my pointer fingers, and massaged it all over my closed eyes and brows. It went on smooth and oily (um, duh) and felt like a fab mini-massage.

I’m not sure if I got any in my eyes but I definitely didn’t hold back from rubbing it in all over, trying to get every last bit of mascara in the base of my lashes. I don’t know if I just didn’t get any in my eyes, or if I did and it didn’t hurt. I imagine if I had rubbed something like shampoo all over my eyes, a little bit would inevitably have gotten in and hurt like a beepity-beep. Not this time! Another win for non-toxic body care!

But now you’re wondering – did it actually work? Did it remove the eye makeup better than a warm washcloth, or – dare I say – better than the drugstore makeup remover?

Bazinga! People, the eye makeup was obliterated. The mascara (usually the toughest to get off) easily came off every last lash, and was wiped away with the single swipe of a washcloth.

I am in love with this newfound discovery, and just can’t believe that I didn’t discover it sooner!

What do you use as a makeup remover?

Psst – You might also like this post: DIY Natural Eyeliner!

Original article and pictures take redandhoney.com site