Not So Boring Eye Makeup Removers

As much as I adore my little mama raccoon outside, I don't want to look like her. That makes eye makeup removers a necessity. Even the best facial cleansers won't always take off that stubborn mascara "run" under my eyes.

One product I use is a bit unusual, but it's very effective: OCuSOFT Lid Scrub Eyelid Cleanser ($13.95 for 30). These individually wrapped moistened pads are fabulous, not only for removing eye makeup, but also for exfoliating the tender skin around your eyes. They were recommended to me by my opthamologist a couple of years ago, and I have used them ever since. I buy mine at CVS. I highly recommend these pads.

I have an arsenal of other eye makeup remover products I like. I'll tell you about my most-often-used ones here and why I like them. I have a few criteria. They must be effective without rubbing, non-irritating, free of perfume, and appropriate for sensitive skin.

Let's start with the least expensive. Almay makes oil-free eye makeup remover pads that work really well and are not at all irritating to my sensitive skin. They are made with a botanical blend of aloe, cucumber, and green tea. If you go looking for them, make sure to get the Oil-Free Makeup Remover Pads. Even though they are advertised as hypo-allergenic, the moisturizing ones have oil that can seep into your eyes. These Almay pads are often on sale at drugstores. The drugstore.com price is $4.99, and there's a BOGO offer there at the moment.

Also available at some drugstores is the Vichy Purete Thermale Eye Make-up Remover Sensitive Eyes, a very nice product. I'm turning to it more and more. I buy this product at CVS - the list price is $14. It is made with Vichy's Thermal Spa Water, cornflower water, and pro-vitamin B5 (see Korres below).

Estee Lauder makes an oldie but goodie that must be a great seller to this day. I have used the Gentle Eye Makeup Remover ($15.50) on and off for many years, and I still return to it. I love the fact that it is frequently available in deluxe sample size in gifts with purchase or as sample to select on the Estee Lauder Web site.

I have been using a Korres Jasmine Eye Makeup Remover ($21 and shown above) for about a year, and I really like it. Beyond the appeal of the Korres brand's natural products, it works, feels good, and makes me feel like I'm doing something good for the environment. It's fragrance-free, gentle, and contains pro-vitamin B5 to moisturize the skin. Here's what it doesn't have: synthetic fragrances, dyes, pretrochemicals, phthalates, genetically modified organisms, or triclosan. I read a review of the product on Sephora's Web site, and the writer said that Korres has discontinued this product. Sephora still lists it, but as out of stock. That's disappointing...I wonder what Korres will introduce as its replacement. Something to anticipate!

Give one of these a try if you are looking for a new eye makeup remover!

Photos courtesy of Sephora and OCuSOFT.