Share your pick! And don’t forget to share why 🙂
shu uemura cleansing oil is my favorite, and in general, I prefer cleansing oils or balms to remove my makeup!
Thanks to Kori for today’s topic!
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Clinique take the day off
I like Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Oil bc it’s super gentle and my skin finds the bi-phase one irritating. I also like Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm–that one is also gentle.
Coconut oil aaaalways works, and I’ve been a loyal fan of the La Roche Posay Respectissime make-up remover for years. Currently I’ve been using a cheaper make-up remover from Nivea though, and it works quite well actually. Nice surprise.
Agree about the oils! I’ve been using Julep’s version for months, and I can’t be without it now.
So far, I really like using Shiseido Benefique’s cleansing oil that I got from a local Asian beauty store. It’s thick and breaks down my eye makeup better than other brands I’ve tried in the past.
MAC! The clear colored one!
And the orange one for eyes! Only thing that gets their Liquidlast eyeliner off in one go!
Coconut oil all the way! 🙂 Effective and does not itch the eyes !
Cleansing balm by Banila & Co. Nothing beats the Korean cleansers.
I also second Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil. Currently I’m using the new Blanc Chroma Cleansing Oil, and it gently removes everything from eyes to face in one good massage. I double cleanse with another cleanser for its benefits and how it treats my skin, yet am always amazed by the oil’s ability, over everything else, to remove extreme mascara, cream eye colors on top of primers, marc Jacobs highliners, the works, and without irritation or stinging! I first tried Shu thanks to this blog, and while I love the Ultim8, the Blanc Chroma is beyond amazing for me presently. Whatever your skin needs, I believe Shu has an oil for you and it’s worth it! The smaller sized containers will last you forever if you’d rather not spend much money and there’s most often a code to get a percentage off, so for the most irritated or oil afraid, I say give it a go! I’ve also found I really love using Koh Gen Do Spa Water to clean the makeup off of my brushes! It works extremely fast & leaves zero residue! Very kind to brushes as well.. I love watching how fast the ckeansing goes, and I totally recommend it. A bottle will last years if using only for that reason! Thanks again, Christine, for turning me onto Shu’s Cleansing oils! Simply the best! 😀
Funny enough, but I have been working my way through some other cleansing oils I have around – and I’ve used shu’s for so long and regularly and so miss it. (I have another full bottle I can crack open, but I’m trying to expand my horizons!)
Lol! Have you had any luck, Christine? Equal with the Shu? Your skin is much more resilient than mine which found the oil branching out to be not so successful. I tried top & popular Korean/Japanese oils, the gentlest of anything, Most anything I could find I did try and all were not kind to me like Shu! So far I’ve used Ultim8, Pore Refinest, and the new Blanc Chroma, which is my absolute favorite of all! I did not care for the Green one at all. Recently I decided to just empty the crappy ones I can’t and will never use as they were inexpensive and taking up space where a Shu could go! Haha! I look forward to your discoveries and wish you the best in your trials! Shu misses you, too. (it’s okay to throw some things away) 🙂
Not yet! shu still reigns supreme on the list! None have been bad, but they make me miss shu’s. It’s usually that they’re a little heavier than shu or else they don’t break down makeup as well as shu.
Exactly! Overdone or not effective enough! I’m really super impressed with Blanc one. My hyper pigmentation spots are out of hand! Sunday Rikey products have been a life saver but I’m now trying to find a full coverage foundation that’s light enough! I’m awaiting samples of one I know I won’t react to, CdP crene foundation in I10 & B10 to see what to do! I’m not celebrating my birthday looking like pizza in a few places! KGD won’t cut it for me now but the color is so perfect! Wahhh D; If not, I may try the Lancome Teint idole which I could use for theater 15 years ago.. But it changed. I don’t wear makeup everyday but I’m really trying to do something! When I do, I LOVE SHU! 🙂 Mu face is tolerating my cksrisonic again.. Weird, right? Months using Drunk Elephant until the efficacy with out really strengthened the skin! SR is giving me perfect skin, but only in areas where pizza marks still remain. This cleansing post is very helpful! Thank you! 🙂
I know you’ll spend your birthday looking beautiful no matter what 🙂 What Sunday Riley products are you using?
Aww, Thank you so much Christine! I hope I can look into the mirror and feel beautiful at least! I’m getting old! (Look 17) lol After trial and error of most all SR products, what I have found to be working for me is as follows: Ceramic Slip Cleanser, Good Genes, Bionic, and Radical SPF is AMAZING, at night I use SHU Blanc, Ceramic Slip cleanser, Luna oil, Good Genes & then Bionic. I’ve never noticed such a difference in an instant! The other oils did nothing for me at all. I also did not like the eye cream and found Adreneline to be crap. Bionic smells like those yummy strawberry wrapped strawberry candies with strawberry syrup in center.. I love those! My face really feels amazing, it’s insane how each day there is notable difference! I’m so grateful & that is my skincare regimen for now! If I’m really sick in the morning, I’ll just wipe with KGD spa water, but I’ve been having help standing so I can get it done and heal this face! FYI: I’m lemming Pegacorn, Prenup, Birthday Suit, Thumper, Mochi, Holiday, and Bonus… Monster, Hippo, Smokin Whisles, Spoon, Stop The Show, Babo… I found the above to be dupes for some of my past mac & Chanel faves by researching. I’ll probably just try one to see if I like it first. Have you experimented with Sunday Riley? Good Genes & Bionic will totally change the texture of your skin in a day! Amazing. If it weren’t for hormones, I’d be a porcelain doll. 😛 I’m hoping it will happen with continued use! 😀 I hope you, your hub & furbaby are having a great Friday! 🙂
Thanks for the detailed breakdown of your current routine, Lotus! 🙂 Good to know that Bionic smells better, because Good Genes is a pretty hard smell to tolerate, lol. I have Good Genes and then a serum, I think, that appears to be discontinued (not sure). I tried incorporating them into my routine but started to break out (which is unusual for me), so I don’t know if it was them or not – I usually try to only rotate in one new product every week or other week as I run out, but I ran out of multiple products all at once so possibly too much new all in one go.
I’m sorry to hear you broke out, Christine! 🙁 I am actually addicted to the smell of Good Genes! But I’m an herbal tea and natural all around lover so I think these smell SOOOO good! I look forward to using them daily! Juno is intolerable and did nothing. Artemis & Flora, or Isis, as it was named, they all were pointless to me. Luna really dinks in and when used under GG, AMAZING CELL TURN-OVER! Add bionic for extra moisture and it’s great! Radical is an amazing sunscreen. I’m so glad I finally found one they don’t peel and actually helps improve my skin! The Juno lipid serum broke me out. The Juno oil may have, Artemis seemed to, and flora wasn’t worth my time. Hope that helps. 🙂 I’m dehydrated dry with hormonal confusion/combination. 🙂
Yeah, I’m definitely not sure if it was this, just a bad week, etc. It wasn’t a lot or anything, but it was enough/timely enough that I pared back just in case! We’ll see 🙂 Good Genes smells really sour to me and lingers for an hour or two; I can tolerate it, but it is a tough one. Less offensive than ultra perfume-y, though.
Have you tried Tatcha cleansing oil? I love Shu Uemura cleansing oil, but I love Tatcha’s camellia oil even more. It rinses off completely. I feel like Shu’s oil still leaves a bit of oil residue. As a bonus, Tatcha’s oil doesn’t have mineral oil. I think Shu does.
I have, but I felt that it didn’t breakdown makeup as well, actually!
Agreed! Shu Uemera hands down is the best way to take off any and all make-up and i too (as Lotus said she does) is to clean my skin with a foam cleanser after removing mu.
Btw, i LoVe these forums. I learn so much!!
Hi Helen! Aren’t these forums the best?! Diversity coming together and sharing is so wonderful! <3 🙂
Organic Coconut Oil….and it smells divine as well 🙂
Clinique take the day off.
I like Tatcha’s cleansing oil a lot. It’s expensive but it works really well.
Bioderma sensibio h2o and olive oil are my holy grails of makeup removers.
I two-step it. First, Bioderma Sensibio with cotton rounds to do most of the work. Second, Glamglow Thirstymud for the final cleanse and moisture.
Nothing fancy here, I LOVE Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser!! So efficient yet gentle, I can even remove my eye makeup with my eyes open!
Cleansing oils do the best job for me, but I despise the feel in warmer weather. I end up using KGD cleansing water in lieu
Bifesta’s Cleansing Lotion is absolute magic for me. It melts everything off, and doesn’t leave my skin feeling tight or tacky after.
Grace Wong!! didnt expect to see you here!! i was thinking Bifesta too and thought who is this like minded chic here!
Josie Maran Cleansing Oil is the bomb. Totally agree with liking cleansing oils and balms the most!
I finally converted to cleansing oils, and I love the Tatcha Camelia Cleansing Oil! I haven’t tried a balm yet, so I’ll be reading the comments for recommendations.
Forgot to mention I do a two-step as well, so I follow with Tatcha Classic Rice Enzyme Powder with my Konjac Sponge.
Eh – I just use Neutrogena : )
Oh I used DHC cleansing oil years ago. It was nice – I just feel odd putting oil on my face.
I’ve several I’m happy with – MAC Cleanse-Off Oil, Clinique Take the Day Off balm (I recently got the oil but I don’t like it nearly as much nor as much as my MAC oil). I also really like Clarins’s Pure Melt Cleansing “Gel” – it’s a “gel” that turns into an oil on contact with your skin and then turns milky when you add warm water. I follow all of these with a foaming rinse off cleanser 99% of the time (unless I’m really tired and just can’t wait to fall into bed).
I prefer oils and balms too. I like Clinique’s take the day off cleansing balm as a first step if I have a lot of makeup on or waterproof sunscreen/makeup. Lately I have discovered thanks to comments on this blog) just using coconut oil and a dry cloth to massage and wipe off my makeup and then use a cleansing oil.I find this dries my skin out a little less than the Clinique balm (which is not drying- my skin has just been nuts! ) I am currently liking the Nude cleansing oil. I have pretty dry skin and it is one of the richer ones I have yet to try. But, I think one can find a good cleansing oil at pretty much any price range.I really have not found one cleansing oil that I bought repeatedly because I will try a sample and feel lime it is just as good or better.When the Nude when get low, I may try some mentioned here! Thanks!
Coconut oil. It dissolves EVERYTHING!!
MAC Cleanse Off Oil for me! Worth the repurchase.
I use bhcosmetics’ Eye & Lip Makeup Remover on my eye makeup. I then wash with Nu Skin’s 180° Face Wash.
If I’m wearing really heavy, really glittery, or really waterproof eye makeup, then I’ll use a dedicated eye makeup remover first. The two I like best are La Roche-Posay Physiological Eye Makeup Remover, a micellar water type, and Bliss Lid Wash, a clear gel.
For more everyday eye makeup down to no-makeup-but-sunscreen, I double cleanse. For removing said makeup and sunscreen, I like Clinique’s Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm, and L’Occitane Shea Cleansing Oil. I have tried the organic coconut oil thing and it worked okay but required too much rubbing on my eyes. And while I haven’t actually bought any, UD’s Melt Off or whatever it’s called has worked well when the SA has used it, doesn’t irritate my skin.
Pur Bluet by Yves Rocher. Good for sensitive eyes and very affordable! I have run to 7 bottles already.
Tatcha Cleansing Oil. I LOOOOOOOVE it. It melts the makeup off my face, removed stubborn eye makeup gently, is is so hydrating my super dry skin doesn’t feel a thing.
Bioderma and cotton rounds are my new go to for removing makeup. There’s usually very little to nothing left after the first step, but because I’m paranoid I normally follow up with my Josie Maran Cleansing Oil which also does a great job of removing makeup all on it’s own.
DHC Cleansing oil. This stuff is great. Takes off everything and rinses squeaky clean with water.
Cleansing oils are the best for me. I like both of Mac’s cleansing oils and plain ‘ole coconut oil, but my go to fave is the Shu Uemura cleansing oil.
Sensibo is my #1 go-to. I’ve used it for years and always have back-ups (in fact 3 arrived today from Beautylish! They had a great deal I couldn’t pass up!). It’s especially fantastic for eye MU removal in a very gentle manner. DHC oil (but never around eyes) and Estee Lauder (again, never on/around eye area). I find using any type of oil on my eyes will make them water/burn for days! I always follow with a gentle cleanser after.
I’m a fan of DHC cleansing oil as well. I always have a back up bottle on hand.
Good ol’ POND’S Cold Cream. Have been using it for 35 years. I’ve tried all kinds of cleansing oils – Shu Uemura, korean brands, Muji, etc. Nothing beats Pond’s. I follow with micellar water after, then a soap-free cleansing wash as the last step.
Tatcha is my very favorite followed by SKII, followed by Shu Uemura. Of the three, Tatcha is the gentlest on my rosacea prone, dry skin.
Biore Eye & Lip Makeup Remover works best for me. It takes off stubborn waterproof mascara and gel liner instantly. It also doesn’t sting my eyes so that’s a plus. 🙂
I enjoy Bioderma followed by Vichy 3-in-1 Cleanser to actually cleanse as well as remove any remaining traces. But I’ve really started to love coconut oil to remove eye makeup.
First Bioderma, then follow with Philosophy Purity Made Simple. This combo removes everything I don’t want and leaves me feeling clean but not dried out. For waterproof mascara/long lasting cosmetics, bust out the coconut oil. Then continue with steps 1 and 2 🙂
I have a question for the oil/coconut oil users – what do you do to remove the oil? Can you describe the process? I think it might work for me but I feel so GROSS putting them on my face so I need some instruction!
I wear hard gas permeable contact lenses so an oil cleanser is out for me as it gets on the lenses that I don’t want to take out at the time of makeup removal. Recently whilst in the U.S. I picked up the Sephora triple action water I think it’s called with a push pump top and I love it. Happily removes waterproof and max factor masterpiece max mascara which is soooo difficult to remove but I love how it looks. Then before I go to bed I second cleanse with Emma Hardie cleansing balm which I adore and have used for nearly 3 years now – not sure if you can get that in the U.S. But it’s amazing – similar to Clinique take the day off but with an amazing smell that if you breathe in you will sleep like a baby !
I use NYX eye and lip make up remover and Lanerge multi cleanser. And Purity ( philosophy ) and Release Me.
I love Moo Goo’s Oil Cleansing Method. It smells nice, feels nice, takes everything off easily and leaves my skin feeling clean and clear.
Ole Henriksen African Red Tea Foaming Cleanser! Works great, but it’s gentle. Oh, and just smells so refreshing and lifts my mood too!
Lancôme bifacial for eye makeup and I like Loccitane Shea cleansing oil for face makeup. I have very dry skin and the Loccitane cleanser doesn’t strip my skin and make it feel tight like some do.
Another vote for Pond’s Cold Cream! Although I’ve tried others, I always keep a tub of Pond’s around. It obliterates everything, while remaining gentle on the skin.
The Body Shop Cleansing butter!
I really like Ole Henriksen 3-in-1 cleansing Vitamin C Gelee.
Eve Lom cleanser is great for removing everything quickly and easily, but the insane price keeps me from using it regularly. Shu Uemura is a very close second and, although expensive, last forever (I think I’ve had the same bottle for 3+ years and I’m only halfway through it!).
If I’m being lazy and don’t want to go the water route, MAC Wipes are great. Love the smell, too!
Eve Lom
Since I was 16, I have been using Mary Kay’s Deep Cleanser #3. It is currently discontinued, but I stocked up.
I use a Neutrogena makeup wipe followed by Philosophy Purity Cleanser. I’m oily/acne prone, so I’ve never tried a cleansing oil or balm for fear that it may break me out. I may try to venture out so I’ll be reading for suggestions.
Sephora Cleansing Water or my tried and true Olay Foaming Face Wash for sensitive skin. It blows my mind how good this stuff is and it’s only $4!
Now that I’m aware of the difference that oils and balms make, I’ll never go back to a different cleanser for removing makeup! I’m currently using the Clinique Take Off The Day balm which I like because it’s gentle on eyes. It’s not too thick or filmy either, and is easily removed with a warm cloth. It’s amazing how much makeup comes off after properly cleansing your face! I’ll never use a micellar water or wipes for ‘cleansing’ again! I also like the Clarins Cleansing Melt gel, and I have The Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Oil to use next!
Boscia Makeup Break up is a favorite! I mostly use wipes or coconut oil these days though. Derma E hydrating cleanser is great too.
I use coconut oil to remove eye makeup and Pond’s Cold Cream (with the green lid) for face makeup. These products remove my makeup gently and completely.
I use “Squa Cleansing” by HABA, a Japanese brand. It is aMAZING! A pump the size of a quarter goes onto my dry face and I massage it around for a minute, paying extra attention to the areas with the heaviest makeup (or pollution/grime). It feels like a thick oil. Then I wet my hands and massage for another minute– totally breaks up the oiliness. And then I rinse by splashing with water. I LOVE it.
Smeh good old bioderma sensibo soaked cotton wool works for me, followed by whatever cleanser I’m currently using.
I’ve been eyeing the shu uemura cleansing oils for a while now, can anyone recommend one that would suit oily combo skin?
Neutrogena Makeup Removing Cleansing Towelettes
Lush’s Ultrabland!