If your skin has ever suffered at the hands of lesser-quality makeup that has harsh chemicals, then you know the importance of finding the best makeup remover. There are thousands of products there, but your selection is vastly limited when you make skin health a priority. Using makeup remover should not come between you and your skin health, but unfortunately, many products use harsh chemicals. This guide will show you what you need to know before you choose a sensitive skin makeup remover and which removers are the best to use on sensitive skin.
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Top 5 Makeup Removers for Sensitive Skin
The best way to shop for makeup removers that are going to be friendly to sensitive skin and eyes is to evaluate them one at a time and identify their weaknesses and strengths. In our reviews of these products, we paid particular attention to the ingredients, affordability, strength, and user impressions.
We’ve compiled this information into an easy-to-understand report that will help you find products that won’t irritate your skin and eyes. These products all meet our basic criteria for being friendly to skin, but some will be better suited to more specific and unique needs.
1. Best Overall Makeup Remover – Aveeno Ultra-Calming Foaming Cleanser and Makeup Remover
This 3-Pack of Aveeno Ultra-Calming Foaming Cleanser is rated as our best overall makeup remover for sensitive skin. The bottles are 6 ounces and contain the best makeup remover on the market.
This makeup remover helps to both clean and calm your dry or sensitive skin as it does its job. It even helps to clear mascara and other eye makeup.
One of the unique things about this remover is that it contains an exclusive foaming formula that contains Feverfew extract.
Feverfew is an ingredient that is comparable to Chamomile. These ingredients are known to help soothe skin and visibly reduce the appearance of redness. This is going to be a highly intriguing ingredient for anyone who experiences frequent irritation and sensitivity when using skin care products.
In addition to being healthy for your skin, the Foaming Cleanser by Aveeno is going to be friendly to your eyes as well. For those with past troubles involving eye sensitivity, this is a good choice. The natural ingredients ensure a completely harmless and non-toxic experience.
Things We Liked
- Cleans and soothes sensitive skin
- Comes in convenient 3-pack
- Hypoallergenic
Things We Didn’t Like
- Not the best makeup remover for waterproof makeup
2. Best for the Money – Kopari Coconut Cleansing Oil Makeup Remover
If you are looking for an effective makeup remover that is free of both paraben and sulfate, this Kopari Coconut Cleansing remover fits the bill. Kopari is a reputable brand for producing healthy and natural products, and this makeup remover is no different.
No matter how picky you are with your makeup removers, this natural makeup remover has a good chance of being suitable for you.
It is made of organic coconut oil, contains no GMOs, is vegan, and cruelty-free in addition to not contains parabens or sulfate.
Past users of this product love to rave about how it leaves your skin soft after use and doesn’t clog pores. It also can easily remove waterproof and most kinds of eye makeup, so there’s no reason to be concerned about effectiveness.
Things We Liked
- Uses responsible ingredients (Non-GMO, Organic, Vegan, Cruelty-Free)
- Leaves skin feeling soft and healthy
- Easy-to-use container with a protective plastic cap
Things We Didn’t Like
- Contains more natural ingredients, so might not be as strong as other removers
3. Best Premium Makeup Remover for Sensitive Skin – Lancome Bi-Facil Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover
The Bi-Facil Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover by Lancome is considered a premier option for those who want something to remove eye makeup.
When it comes to makeup removers, eye makeup is often a pain point for women because of how durable it can be. While that’s great for a night out, it’s not as much fun when you are trying to go to bed.
Even if your eye makeup is waterproof, this eye makeup remover for sensitive eyes can take care of it easily and effectively.
It works a little bit differently from other removers because you need to “activate” it. To do this, you simply shake the bottle which activates the bi-phase formula.
While the lipid phase works to remove your eye makeup, the water phase of the remover contains unique ingredients that refresh and hydrate the skin without leaving a greasy and uncomfortable residue.
Things We Liked
- Works to eliminate eye makeup with two phases
- Award-winning formula
- Works even on waterproof makeup
Things We Didn’t Like
- Not very affordable for someone on a budget
4. Repechage Hydra 4 Cleanser
Hydra 4 by Repechage is a rich and creamy cleanser that leaves skin soft and smooth. When you use it daily, it doesn’t just help you remove makeup—it actually serves as a sort of moisturizer and hydrating treatment.
The natural ingredients of this remover help to remove grime from your face without adding any of its own.
It won’t dry out your skin and will help to keep the skin hydrated, cool, and refreshed.
It’s also highly effective at removing makeup. If you have a tough waterproof makeup that you use, this remover will take care of it in a flash. Some people elect to buy separate waterproof makeup removers for face makeup and eye makeup, but this remover serves as both, saving you time and money.
Hydra 4 doesn’t contain color, fragrance, or parabens and its all-natural ingredients will minimize breakouts or reactions.
Things We Liked
- Calms and soothes skin
- Improves skin health when used daily
- Removes heavy eye makeup
- Won’t irritate eyes
Things We Didn’t Like
- The scent is unusual
5. Simple Kind to Skin Eye Makeup Remover
The Simple Dual Effect Kind to Skin makeup remover comes in as our best makeup remover for those on a budget. It comes in larger order sizes, which mean a higher upfront cost. However, since you’re buying more at a time, you will save money in the long run.
Aside from being just affordable, it’s also made with quality, safe ingredients. It doesn’t contain any artificial colors, perfume, or harsh chemicals. These are all things that can really damage your skin badly if used repetitively.
Because of the safety and quality of the ingredients, it is very friendly to the eyes. You can use this on your face and around your eyes without worrying about it causing eye irritation and pain.
It’s also a very strong remover with the ability to effortlessly remove waterproof makeup and other tough stuck-on makeups. If you are looking for a healthy remover that also works well on tough makeups, this is a great choice. This remover will even remove the airbrush makeup products found in this review.
Finally, it has the bonus feature of being able to hydrate and nourish eyelashes to lead to a healthier look and feel. It’s as close as you can get to a full-package makeup remover that is still suitable for sensitive skin and eyes.
Things We Liked
- Affordable when purchased in bulk
- Helps improve lash health
- Contains no harmful ingredients
- Protects skin from UVA and UVB rays
Things We Didn’t Like
- Doesn’t smell as good as other removers
How to choose the right makeup remover for sensitive skin?
When searching for a makeup remover that will be gentle on your sensitive skin, there are some key features that you should look out for. Keeping the focus on specific characteristics will help you to see through the advertising tactics of other unhealthy removers and concentrate on what you need.
The things that you should be considering when you are on the hunt for healthy makeup remover include price, ingredients, and reputation. These three factors will help you identify the right makeup remover for you while also making sure that you don’t have to spend big to have healthy skin.
Look for ingredients that soothe and condition your face while removing makeup
Whether a remover is going to be good for your sensitive skin or not is going to depend on a couple of things, but the most crucial factor in this determination is certainly what the ingredients are. When you are shopping for a makeup remover, be sure to have a look at what the ingredients are as this is going to tell you a lot of what you need to know.
Each person can react differently to different ingredients, but in general, you should try to get makeup removers that are oil or cream-based. You should avoid alcohol-based removers as they will dry out and irritate damaged skin.
Do oil-based removers dissolve waterproof makeup?
This common concern is rooted in the fear that oil-based makeup removers while being healthier for your skin, might not be as effective. Oil-based removers are very effective, and they are a good choice to dissolve and remove waterproof makeup.
If you are trying to remove waterproof makeup, don’t resort to harsh chemicals that will dry out your skin. You can use an oil-based remover. One stipulation is that if you are trying to remove waterproof makeup, you might want to invest in a little higher end oil-based remover than the standard.
What is the best makeup remover for sensitive eyes?
When selecting a makeup remover, it’s very important to be mindful of your eyes. Since the makeup remover is going to be spread across your face, there is a good chance that some might get into and around your eye.
For the most part, you want to look for the same qualities as you would in any makeup remover for sensitive skin. That means you want something oil-based. However, you can take it a step further by including as many natural and organic nutrients as possible to reduce the risk of eye irritation.
