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Category: Makeup Removers

Bite Beauty Lush Lip Wipes Review & Photos

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Bite Beauty Lush Lip Wipes
Bite Beauty Lush Lip Wipes

Bite Beauty Lush Lip Wipes ($12.00 for 10; $22.00 for 30) are supposed to “remove color, replenish, and mattify.” The moistened wipe says it will “soothe and hydrate while removing your old lip color.” Even if this was an amazing lip color remover, it’s a product that really only makes sense in a more in-case-of-emergencies situation where you just have to remove your lip color on the go, but you’re paying for the convenience. I didn’t like the feel of the product, its efficacy, the size of the wipe, or the way it left my lips feeling after removing the color.

Each wipe is about 4.15″ x 1.65″ — it really is a lip wipe! — but the size is awkward to hold/use, because there’s not a lot of free edge for you to hold while removing the lip color. To remove lip color, I needed a few swipes — I find removal easier and gentler with Neutrogena’s and MAC’s Wipes (both the ones I have at home). I use MAC Wipes for removing lip color when I’m swatching, and it’s the best for removing stubborn lip color with little effort (or wear/tear on the lips), whereas this felt like it required more work and wiping. My lips felt dry (almost puckered–very textured when I looked at them in the mirror), sticky, and a little raw, after using, so it absolutely didn’t soothe or hydrate for me. The wipe itself was well-moistened, but it seems like it has more slip and a smoother surface, so it doesn’t grip the lip color and lift it off as effectively as other remover wipes I’ve tried. I used five of the ten wipes on various lip products ranging from sheer gloss to more opaque, tacky gloss to beige lipstick to deep red lipstick, and I used one on bare lips.

I think there’s room for the convenience of makeup removing wipes, but I’m not sure why these are so much more expensive than even mid-end full-sized, makeup remover wipes (MAC at $0.44/wipe, though if you buy the 100-bulk pack they are $0.29/wipe, Estee Lauder at $0.44/wipe). Bite Beauty’s product pricing is mid to high-end, so it should be priced similarly. Instead, they’re $1.20/wipe or $0.73/wipe if you purchase the larger pack (the larger pack would be more comparable to the $0.44/wipe packs from MAC and Estee Lauder). I think that even considering the individual packaging costs, these still seem overpriced (relative to Bite Beauty’s price point on other products) given that Bite’s wipes are much, much smaller and yet they’re 66% more expensive. Even MAC has a 30-pack demi-sized option for $10 ($0.30/wipe) for travel. The pricing on these reflects a higher-end, luxury price point, e.g. Koh Gen Do’s wipes, which work out to be $1.30/wipe (full-sized, though), which makes the pricing inconsistent with Bite Beauty’s product range. Note, I’m not saying these should be priced like a mass market brand’s wipes, but they should be more in line with brand’s pricing range, and it seems these fall outside of it.

I really enjoy a lot of Bite Beauty’s products, but this was a flop for me as far as the actual product went. It just didn’t remove lip color that easily, and it didn’t make my lips feel better, hydrated, or soothed after using. There was also a weird, sweet but chemical-y taste.

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Lush Lip Wipes
9
82
Lush Lip Wipes
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Pacifica Purify Coconut Water Cleansing Wipes Review & Photos

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Pacifica Purify Coconut Water Cleansing Wipes
Pacifica Purify Coconut Water Cleansing Wipes

Pacifica Purify Coconut Water Cleansing Wipes ($6.00 for 30) are designed for gently cleansing skin and “[reviving] skin and [removing] dead cells.” Pacifica says they can be used to remove makeup, but “[they] do not use chemical solvants, [so] they will not remove the most water-proof make-up.” I appreciate the honesty there, though I did use it to remove regular makeup and felt it did an excellent job moving all bits and traces of my foundation, eye makeup (including mascara), and lipstick. None of what I’ve worn is really waterproof (except maybe eyeliner), so whether it has a place in your routine will depend on whether you want it to break down waterproof makeup, too.

Each wipe was extremely saturated with cleanser, even though the package had been sitting face-up so the first wipe was the top wipe, which was still saturated and wet. A lot of times, I store makeup wipes upside down so that the first wipe you remove has been on the bottom staying its most moist, but with these, I didn’t need to do that. I’ve been using these here and there for the past three weeks, and I’ve used a third of the amount in the package. These also had a harder, plastic “seal” over the resealable plastic flap, so they should stay wet.  They smell like lightly sweetened coconut, but the scent doesn’t linger.

At this price point ($0.20/each), they’re comparable or cheaper than wipes by brands like Aveeno ($0.28/each), Neutrogena ($0.28/each), and Almay ($0.24). Ponds has a value pack, which brings down the cost to $0.16. I normally use MAC’s Makeup Removing Wipes ($0.29/each), and I seriously have six 100-packs in my house at all times–they’re my go-to for removing swatches, but I can’t use them on my eyes often (on my cheeks and lips are fine), so I really like that I can use these all over.

Ingredients

Purified Water, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin (vegetable), Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Water, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe) Leaf Extract, Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract , Calendula Officinalis (Calendula) Extract , Polysorbate 20, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Fragrance (all natural).

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shu uemura Fresh Pore Clarifying Gentle Cleansing Oil Review & Photos

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shu uemura Fresh Pore Clarifying Gentle Cleansing Oil
shu uemura Fresh Pore Clarifying Gentle Cleansing Oil

shu uemura Fresh Pore Clarifying Gentle Cleansing Oil ($67.00 for 15.2 fl. oz.) is designed for combination to oily skin types as a cleansing oil that “effectively remove[s] make-up and ipurities … while maintaining the skin’s necessary moisture level.” It is “empowered with Sakura Complex” to “[minimize] pores by eliminating excess sebum and visibly [smoothe] the skin’s surface.” According to shu uemura, sakura leaf extract is “known to reduce inflammatory mediators that can cause skin redness” and “improve skin texture.” It also contains salicyclic acid and cherry extract. It is available year-round in a regularly pink-tinted bottle but has been relased in special packaging for the ob collection. It’s sold out (in this packaging) online, but if you are located where shu uemura is still sold in stores, you may find it locally.

I’m a big fan of shu uemura’s Cleansing Oils, and I hadn’t tried the Fresh Pore Clarifying formula yet. The last bottle I used was a limited edition bottle released with last holiday season’s wkw collection, which was the “White Recovery EX+ Brightening Cleansing Oil Advanced Formula” (which doesn’t seem to be available in regular packaging on the U.S. website). One giant bottle lasts me anywhere from four to six months. I didn’t love this one as much as the other formulas I’ve tried, because it is very thin–almost water-like in texture. The others were slightly thicker but not so thick that they felt oily or heavy, but this one is so thin that it took some getting used to. I needed to pump it into my hands over the sink, as it would leak through my fingers or pump beyond my hands and get onto the counter/in the sink. I just never noticed this as an issue with the two or three bottles I’ve used previously (different formulas, all cleansing oils). The formula has a very light floral scent that’s pretty muted.

Aside from the consistency/packaging issue, the formula worked well to break down and remove makeup, dirt, and whatever else happened to be on my face. I take two to three pumps and then massage and work it into my skin, and then I rinse my hands under water and then work the oil into a small lather. After that, I rinse my face with lukewarm water and pat dry. I never experience any oily residue, no squeaky clean/tight feeling, or have issues with my eyes clouding during the rinsing process. shu’s cleansing oils are definitely a go-to for me when I’m wearing a full face of makeup, because it gets it all off and I don’t need to follow-up with another cleanser.

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NARS Gentle Cream Cleanser Review

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NARS Gentle Cream Cleanser

A Truly Gentle Cleanser

NARS Gentle Cream Cleanser ($29.00 for 4.2 fl. oz.) is supposed to be a “gentle, non-drying cream cleanser with a luxurious lather designed to pamper the skin while washing away makeup and surface impurities.” NARS says it is best for normal, dry, and seasonally dry skin, and it is “synthetic fragrance, paraben, and alcohol” free.

I’ve been using this for the past two and a half months as my morning cleanser (though I have also used in the evenings on occasion). It’s lightweight, incredibly gentle, non-drying, and a little goes a long way. I don’t even think I’m half-way through the tube, even though I consistently use it every morning. It lathers up quickly, but it’s not at all drying. I tend to have normal-to-dry skin, which is more normal than not during the spring/fall, but it gets drier as we head into winter. What I like most about the cleanser is really how genuinely gentle it is; there’s no stinging or burning sensations if this gets into your eyes at all. It doesn’t cloud your eyes or anything like that either.

It cleans well, and for something marketed as “gentle,” it is surprisingly effective at removing makeup. It won’t get long-wearing products off fully, but it did break down my liquid foundation well.  I like how it leaves my skin post-cleanse, which is soft and supple–my skin never feels stripped or dried out. Given how long I’ve been using it, and how much is left, the price tag stretches out a bit.

I have one complaint, though, and for me, it’s enough to look for something else:  the packaging.  It looks sleek, and just looking at it, everything seems in order.  Using it, however, is another matter.  It leaks cleanser, mostly into the cap, but unscrewing the cap will leave you with half an inch of cleanser just sitting inside the cap.  More leaks out as you unscrew the cap, so then the cleanser runs over and down the sides.  A little goes a long way, and it’s hard to get just a little out, because it has such a fluid consistency.   I feel like a lot of cleanser has gotten washed down the drain as a result, and it keeps the tube perpetually slippery and sudsy.  It might be better with a pump or if you could stand it on the opposite side (the tapered end).

Bottom Line: I really enjoyed the cleanser itself, but the packaging made it hard to use and wasted product.

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NARS Makeup Removing Water Review

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NARS Makeup Removing Water
NARS Makeup Removing Water

NARS Makeup Removing Water

NARS Makeup Removing Water ($28.00 for 6.7 fl. oz.) is touted as a “soap-free, oil-free, and alcohol-free water that removes face makeup and tones the skin.” It’s designed as a gentle formula that will remove makeup without requiring rubbing while hydrating skin.

This is a makeup remover that is best described as gentle, because that’s exactly what it is, but it’s gentle in every way–it’s not at all stinging, burning, or irritating against the skin, even around the eyes, but it doesn’t effectively remove all your makeup, though it specifically says “face makeup” and not “eye makeup.” Just so we’re clear: if you wear eye makeup, don’t expect this to do much in the way of removal. All it ever seems to accomplish is smudging everything around so I end up looking like a mutant. I absolutely would not use this for anything that says “long-wearing” on the label, including face products.

If you want it to remove light eye makeup, I recommend gently pressing the soaked cotton pad against the eye for 15-20 seconds before gently swiping the product away. You’ll get some, perhaps not all, of it removed this way. Since NARS only mentions face makeup, it seems like you would use something else for your eye makeup.  It’s packaged in a clear plastic bottle with a flip-top that has a small hole so only a little comes out as you need it.

I’d like to think of this as a remover for gentle makeup; lightweight, natural, soft makeup. However you want to term it, it’s good for lighter makeup days. For me, it seems to remove face makeup as well as most facial cleansers are able to. It is very lightweight, doesn’t feel greasy or oily against the skin, and it leaves no trace of residue once it’s wiped away with a cotton pad.  It really does have the consistency and feel of water.  There’s no stickiness, dried, or tightened skin after use either. I need at least two cotton rounds in order to remove about 90% of face makeup.

It doesn’t remove makeup completely, so I feel like I need to use a cleanser afterward or yet another cotton pad. Instead, the way I found this product to be most useful was after using a facial cleanser, so it was only responsible for removing the last bits of makeup the cleanser missed.  You can definitely use it before your cleanser of choice as well–I just like the visual of seeing the cotton pad just picking up stray makeup and knowing that my face is clean.  It also means that I can better control how much product or how many cotton pads I use since this doesn’t eliminate a cleanser.

It’s a superfluous product in my night time regimen; it seems to be an extra step rather than a time-saver. It’s more like a toner in my routine–I don’t trust it to remove all my makeup, but I do trust it to remove the last vestiges of makeup my cleanser may have left behind (especially around my hairline and the edges, which I don’t push the cleanser around as much so it doesn’t get into my hair!). And if I’m going to use NARS as my toner, I’d rather use their Hydrating Freshening Toner, which is one of my favorites, and for me, hydrates a little better than the remover does.  You can use this like you would a toner, however, so if you do include one in your regular routine, this could take its place.

If you’re a fan of micellar water removers, then you may enjoy this recently launched remover by NARS, which has all the earmarks of one (though I didn’t see NARS officially billing it as such).  There are quite a few on the market internationally and a couple in the U.S., but this year has shown major progress with more U.S. brands launching their own versions.  Bottom line:  this will remove some but not every type of makeup, particularly longer-wearing products and heavier textured products, but it’s not designed to do much more than it does do, so it’s pretty good from that standpoint.

Ingredients

Water, Butylene Glycol, Peg/Ppg-35/40 Dimethyl Ether, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Trisodium Edta, Cucumis Sativus [Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract], Chamomilla Recutita [Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract], Sodium Hyaluronate.

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