Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online.
- Makeup removers for sensitive skin use gentle ingredients to dissolve clingy cosmetics without leaving an unpleasant stinging or stripping sensation behind.
- Our favorite is Glossier's newly launched Milky Oil, a combination of micellar water and oil that eradicates hard-to-remove eyeliners and mascaras in seconds, with minimal residue.
I think I'm the only person in the world who can't use most popular micellar waters to remove makeup. They work just fine on my face, but they burn the heck out of my eyes - not ideal when I'm trying to scrub off stubborn eyeliner and long-lasting mascara at the end of a long day.
When I first looked into skin-care, I quickly realized I preferred oils, balms, and bi-phase removers with a lot of slip to them. The kind you can really massage into your face without tugging at gentle skin, especially around the eyes and mouth. Lots of tugging not only encourages wrinkles but can also cause irritation.
"Oil-based or cream-based removers are recommended [for sensitive skin] and then a mild face wash to get off the makeup remover," Dr. Purvisha Patel, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Visha Skincare, told Insider Picks.
It can be challenging to figure out which products could irritate your skin just by looking at the bottle, especially if you're experimenting with a new ingredient. For some general guidelines, Dr. Patel recommends steering clear of "alcohol-based astringents and foaming cleansers" or removers that contain "strong acids, sulfates, and parabens," all of which can have a sensitizing effect on reactive skin.
Through trial-and-error (and lots of burning eyelids), I've narrowed it down to five favorites that I can count on to remove my makeup quickly, minus any unpleasant side effects.
If you have concerns, consult a dermatologist before applying a product on your sensitive skin.
The best makeup removers for sensitive skin you can buy in 2019:
- Best makeup remover overall: Glossier Milky Oil
- Best oil-free makeup remover: Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover
- Best waterproof makeup remover: Cetaphil Liquid Makeup Remover
- Best oil-based makeup remover: Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Botanical Cleansing Oil
- Best makeup cleansing balm: Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm
Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks.
Subscribe to our newsletter.
Find all the best offers at our Coupons page.
Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Insider Picks team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.