All natural makeup remover (including waterproof mascara)

One question I am asked often is, 'What do I use as an all natural makeup remover?'. Over the years, my answer to this question has changed, and to be honest, even now I use a range of options, depending on what makeup I have on (often very little), what I have to hand to clean my face with, and how much time I have (or more precisely want to spend) cleaning my face. Sorry but that is the reality for me. I have never been one for long makeup routines, but I guess being a show waterskier in my younger days has probably cured me of the need to use heavy makeup just for fun. The makeup we used for show skiing was so thick and gunky, and often included glitter (that manged to stay with you for weeks after a show). Back then we needed to wear thick show makeup to withstand the water spray, night time lighting and the occasional dunk in the river. But wow it was not fun stuff. I think 16 years of show makeup cured me of the makeup bug, except for special occassions.

So what do I do:

Water and a wash cloth

I'm not kidding, for a normal stay at home day where I haven't used a lot of makeup, just soaking a wash cloth in warm water and washing your face is a good hassel free all natural way to get rid of the day's muck and pollution. The wash cloth provides a soft and gentle scrub to the skin preparing it perfectly for your night time moisturiser or oil.

Cornflower hydrosol

If I wore a light makeup (e.g. eyeliner, mascarra and maybe some light eyeshadow) I would use a bio cotton makeup pad soaked in some Cornflower Hydrosol (Centaurea cyanus). Wipe the eye area gently (no rubbing). Cornflower hydrosol is a very gentle floral water able to be used as an eyewash and can help relieve tired, itchy or swollen eyes and can also help relieve the eyes from the effects of pollution and long hours at the computer. Not bad for an eyemakeup remover, no? It doesn't have a long shelf life so it is best to keep it in the refigerator. This also adds the natual cooling effect of the hydrosol. Cornflower hydrosol is also good for toning and firming the skin around the eyes and can help revitalize dry skin. If you have time let the damp cotton pads rest on your eyes like a compress to help with fine lines.

Other hydrosols you could use for the eye area are Roman or German Chammomile which are also safe for the eye area.

Grapeseed oil

So waterproof mascara is one ski show habit I have not been able to break, I confess, I often wear waterproof mascara. Yes I know how bad it is but it is so convenient to wear in hot sweaty weather (when your makeup melts), when I might end up in the water (aka the beach, pool etc.) or when I think I might cry: movies, weddings, etc. In those cases, this stuff is still my go to mascara. To get it off I use Grapeseed oil (Vitus vinifera). I also keep this in the fridge as it is a fairly fragile oil and does not have a long shelf life. Where possible buy organic to avoid any of the chemicals that can accumulate in the grapeseed during the drying process.

Similar to how I use the Cornflower hydrosol, I soak a bio cotton makeup pad with the oil and gently wipe the eye area. Be careful not to get any of the oil in your eye. Wipe the eye area with Cornflower Hydrosol afterwards if you want or just press a warm wash cloth to the area and gently wipe away any excess oil.

Grapeseed oil properties include; high in vitamin E as well as many other vitamins and minerals. This oil can help support the collagen in the skin and therefore maintain its elasticity. It is astringent which can help to tighten and tone the skin. Does your current eye makeup remover do that?

Jojoba oil

When I have actually done a full makeup this is how I get rid of it. Jojoba oil (Simmondsia chinensis), or another facial oil that you love. First wash your face with the warm wash cloth as above. Drip a small amount of organic jojoba oil into the palm of your hand and rub both hands together to slightly warm the oil. Apply to your face and massage in. Let it rest on your face for a few minutes and then wipe off with the warm water wash cloth.

Jojoba oil is technically a wax but don't let that put you off. This is a light oil with a mild scent that is very stable and will last a long time under normal conditions. This oil is happy in the cupboard as long as it is away from heat. This oil can help the cells in your skin regenerate and can also help to tone the skin, but it is especially beneficial in regulating the sebum in your skin (the stuff that moisturises your skin), it can aid in retaining moisture and can help to treat acne problems. It does not clog the pores.

The above notes are how I solve my makeup removal problem, and what always amazes me is how incredible all natural products are. Instead of applying harsh chemicals to my face, and my body needing to work hard to get rid of them from my system, I use all natural hydrosols and oils to lift off the gunk, but the truly amazing part is what else they do for me. They are working hard not just to get rid of makeup but to improve my skin and my body doesn't need to waste time and energy on getting rid of chemicals and toxins and get back to doing what it needs to do.

If you need help designing an all natural makeup removal program for your specific skin type, please contact me by email for further details and information.

Photo by Gift Habeshaw on Unsplash