All natural home made make up remover

Photo: heathbeautyadvice.com

What do most women do every day? They start their day applying make up. Now, I'm a Beauty Therapist by trade and cannot stress enough how important it is that you stick to a regular and efficient cleansing routine, both before going to bed in the evening, and when you wake up in the morning. Your skin is the largest organ of your body and you want to take care of it and make sure it stays healthy and carries on doing its very important work of protection, thermoregulation, water resistance and sensation. We should always bare in mind that one of its functions though, absorption, can be a double-edged sword. 

I have a couple of branded Eye Makeup Removers and I decided to take a look at the ingredients. All of them share all or most of these: Mineral Oil, Isopropyl Palmitate, Polyethylene, Ceteth-20, Trihydroxystearin, Sorbic Acid, Methylparaben, Butylparaben, Propylparaben, Vanillin, Titanium Dioxide.

Parabens can cause skin irritation and contact dermatitis in individuals with paraben allergies, a small percentage of the general population. Animal experiments have shown that parabens have a weak estrogenic activity, acting as xenoestrogens.

Synthetic fragrances are widely used in consumer products. Studies concluded from patch testing show synthetic fragrances are made of many ingredients which cause allergic reactions.

Also, cosmetics companies have been criticized for making pseudo-scientific claims about their products which are misleading or unsupported by scientific evidence.

Mineral Oil, more commonly known as Baby oil, is a petroleum ingredient that coats the skin just like plastic wrap. The skin's natural immune barrier is disrupted as this plastic coating inhibits its ability to breathe and absorb the Natural Moisture Factor (moisture and nutrition). The skin's ability to release toxins is impeded by this 'plastic wrap,' which can promote acne and other disorders. This process slows down skin function and normal cell development causing the skin to prematurely age.

This is the reason why in the past couple of years there has been growing awareness of and preference for cosmetics lacking toxic ingredients, especially those derived from petroleum, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), and parabens. Numerous reports have raised concern over the safety of a few surfactants. SLS causes a number of skin problems, including dermatitis.

                                           

Photo: modernmom.com

For this reason I have been browsing the web looking for some more natural (and inexpensive) recipes for eye make up removers.

These are just a small selection of what I found. I intentionally avoided all recipes containing aggressive or toxic ingredients (like borax, shampoo or chemicals) and it seems to me that oil based make up removers are the way to go. The third recipe below contains Castile Soap and I wouldn't recommend it for sensitive eyes, but might be a bit stronger against water-proof mascara. Please feel free to post your own recipe if you have one!

I'm really looking forward to hearing your reviews. 

Photo: beautifulproducts.com

Eye Makeup Remover #1

www.wholenewmom.com

This website compares and tests many different recipes and swears about this one.
Makes about 1/3 cup

Ingredients        
2 Tbsp witch hazel  
2 Tbsp oil of choice
2 Tbsp water (please use filtered water)

Directions
1. Add all ingredients to your container / dispenser
2. Shake well before using.
3. Wipe on eyes with clean fingers, or moisten cotton ball or makeup pad and swipe over eyes.

Eye Makeup Remover #2

www.greenliving.nationalgeographic.com

Step 1:
Pour 1 tbsp. each canola and olive oil into a small bowl. Mix the oils with your measuring spoon. Dab a cotton pad into the bowl and wipe it around your eyes to remove makeup.

Step 2:
Create an alternate eye makeup remover by spooning 2 tbsp. of liquid coconut oil into a small bowl .If your coconut oil is in solid form, run the jar under hot water first or place the bowl in the microwave for a few seconds. Add 2 tbsp. of sesame oil and mix until blended. Dip your finger in the bowl and apply to your eyelids and eyelashes. Carefully wipe away with a clean, slightly damp cotton pad.

Step 3:
Pour 2 tbsp. each jojoba oil and meadow-foam oil into a small container and mix well. Dip a cotton ball or pad into the mixture and carefully apply to your eye area, wiping gently.

Eye Makeup Remover #3

www.domesticatedduchess.blogspot.ie

This makeup remover is non greasy, and gets the job done! The only thing is you must shake it up before each use!

You'll need:
1 cup of distilled water (be sure to use distilled!)
1/2 teaspoons of unscented baby-mild liquid Castile soap
1 1/4 teaspoons of olive oil
Small containers with lid (I bought two travel sized containers from Target)

Step-by-step:
1. Pour ingredients into container with lid
2. Shake well!
3. Put into small container using a funnel.