Some would say that it’s indulgent to have three makeup removers on the go. To those people, I would say… they perhaps have a point, but it ain’t gon’ stop me. You see, after my journey into the weird and wonderful world of K-beauty, I’ve learnt that it is indeed crucial to remove makeup not once, but twice — and don’t you even think about just using makeup wipes, gurl!
So, yeah, I have three makeup removers that I use, and I’d like to share them with you today. Each is special and unique in their own way, and I find that there are certain times or situations that I prefer to use one over the others. Yes, there may be a favourite, but we’ll get to that in a minute.
First off, what are these three panda eye saviours that I’m talking about?
First up is the Nature Republic Forest Garden Argan Cleansing Oil. I first heard about this when Sheryll from The Wanderlust Project mentioned it in an interview she did, and to be honest I was shocked and appalled that I didn’t know this existed. I immediately searched for it upon finishing the article, and yes, discovered that it was true — my beloved NR did combine two of my favourite things (argan oil and cleansing oils) into one mega, hybrid, all-powerful makeup remover. That was a beautiful moment in my life.
I had previously tried (and loved) their Forest Garden Chamomile Cleansing Oil, which I reviewed here, so I was obviously enthralled by the idea of a sister product. I’ve loved argan oil from the moment I tried the Moroccan Oil Treatment, and yes even though I know that’s not pure argan oil, it just seems to work for my hair and makes it smooth as silk. So yeah… I was pretty excited about this.
First off, this makeup remover is obviously an oil, and it’s a particular kind of consistency to get used to if you haven’t tried one before. My preferred method is using it on damp to dry skin, and massaging it into the skin until your makeup/sunscreen/grime starts to dilute. Then, you add water and watch as the oil turns into a lather and washes off the dirt from the day (or is it just my face that gets that dirty? … I blame KL).
This is what it looks like:
The thing I love about the Argan Cleansing Oil is that it’s so moisturising and nourishing, it’s a real treat for my face. Sometimes, when the shower is too hot, I end up feeling like a piece of dehydrated fruit… and that’s never a good thing. But with this, my skin always feels clean, well-nourished and not dry at all. It’s also great for eye makeup, although I sometimes can’t be bothered using an oil remover on my eyes, because it’s just that much messier. But if you’re more patient than I, this is a good’un.
Next up is the Innisfree Apple Juicy Lip & Eye Remover. Sure, they left out one really important word in the product’s name, but whatever! This is something that I’d had my eye on for a while, as it’s a bit of a cult product in the K-beauty world. I have never really been a huge Innisfree fangirl, despite trying my absolute best — but I thought I’d give this one a whirl anyway, because that’s the kind of generous and loving person I am.
So this is one of those dual-phase removers, where the oil and the water are separated in the bottle, and you need to shake it up to activate the cleanser. I always love how these things look; it’s sort of hypnotic, like an aquarium (I really like aquariums). This is what it looks like — although this is a bit more shaken up than usual:
First off, I don’t really find that this smells anything like apple, and I can’t say that I’m not disappointed. As a big fan of apple-scented things (My Chew/Hi Chew, bubblegum, tart), I was looking forward to a really juicy cleanser. Alas, I still enjoy the scent (although I don’t think it’s appley). You can check out the full ingredients list here if you’d like to suss it out further.
You can see a little bit in the picture how the oil and the water are separated, although as I’m nearing the end of this makeup remover, the distinction is less obvious. I keep this one out of the shower, next to the sink, and it’s my standard go-to for lazy nights when I just my makeup removed quickly (which is often).
This is what the consistency looks like (swatches galore in this post!):
You can see that it’s much lighter than the Nature Republic Cleansing Oil, but it still is nourishing and has a fair bit of oil in there. It’s slightly more watered down than a full oil cleanser, but definitely has that same “essence”/oiliness.
Because of this, it does the job really quickly; however, I will say that it often leaves quite a bit of residue which takes some washing off. As I mentioned, I don’t love using oil products on my eyes, as it can be more cumbersome and messy and oily, and my sensitive eyes aren’t really having any of that. But if you’re into that kind of thing, this is a great one — and it definitely doesn’t leave my eyes feeling dry.
And now, onto the last (and most-loved) cleanser du jour: The Body Shop’s Camomile Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover. I bought this on a whim in the Bangsar Shopping Centre store, as I seemingly can’t help myself from accumulating pretty things. I’d actually heard a lot about the Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil on Amelia Liana’s blog and YouTube channel.
Also, being a longtime fan of The Body Shop meant that I was always destined to get sucked in at some point. I mean, who doesn’t love The Body Shop?
So… how do I feel about this one? I must say, this is my aforementioned favourite product, as it absolutely does not irritate my eyes whatsoever (except for one time I accidentally opened my eyes during cleansing… don’t ask). Now, that is a big call for me to make, and not one that I take lightly. For other people whose eyes don’t react to every little thing, perhaps it’s not important… but I ain’t ’bout that life.
I really like the scent of this makeup remover, because it’s got that soothing camomile-ness which is just so calming to use, especially at night. It’s also got the consistency of water, so it feels really light on the eyes — pretty much like a micellar water.
Of course, there are other ingredients in this makeup remover, and I do feel like I need to read up more on the effect of each ingredient on the skin’s pH and so on — but going on my gut instinct, and physical reactions (or lack thereof)… this is a winner. I honestly react to every little thing, and the fact that this feels so soothing on my eyes… that means a lot to me!
This one was quite difficult to photograph, because it literally looks like water, but here you go:
And that’s it for today! As I mentioned earlier, I really do enjoy using each of these three products for various things. I’d say that the Nature Republic Cleansing Oil is ideal for those with drier skins, and is obviously appropriate for the whole face, not just eyes and lips. For those who want a really nourishing eye makeup remover, the Innisfree one is great, and for those with more sensitive features, The Body Shop Camomile Makeup Remover is your go.
… So, there’s really something for everyone!
How about you — have you tried any of these products? What’s your favourite makeup remover or cleanser? I’d love to hear in the comments… let the shopping ensue!
Steph x