Take off that waterproof mascara with these tips

Nothing beats waterproof mascara on a rainy day. After all, who wants streaks of makeup running down their face as soon as the weather turns wet? The best waterproof mascaras stay in place so well that even the most torrential rainstorm can’t get them to budge. But there’s a flip side to this major perk of waterproof mascaras: they can be extremely difficult to remove.

You should never go to sleep with your makeup on, which means that no matter how stubborn your waterproof mascara is being, it needs to be taken off before your head hits the pillow. So how does one remove waterproof mascara? As it turns out, it’s not all that difficult if you have the right tools.

Why You Should Never Sleep With Mascara On

While sleeping with mascara on may seem like the easiest solution when you come home from a long day out and about and simply want hit the hay, it is never a good idea to go to bed with mascara still on your lashes. Mascara can end up in your eyes if you don’t remove it before going to sleep, leading to major irritation of the eyes and lids.

Additionally, eye makeup can clog the oil glands and hair follicles around your eyelids, leading to bacteria growth and serious inflammation. Styes are often formed on the eyelid as a result of not removing eye makeup, and depending on how serious the growth is, these can require medical treatment to be dealt with.

Invest in an Eye Makeup Remover Solution

While using water or face wash might work well to remove most makeup, such is not the case with waterproof mascara. Furthermore, soap can be irritating to the eyes. So what’s a girl to do when it comes time to remove waterproof mascara? Investing in an eye makeup remover is the way to go. These removers are simple to use and can be poured onto a cloth or cotton ball and then rubbed directly onto the eyelashes. Because of their unique formulas, eye makeup removers are able to easily remove waterproof mascaras with no pain or pulling.

As an added bonus, some eye makeup remover solutions are made to also protect the eye from bacteria growth, cleansing the lid area and ensuring that you won’t suffer any infections or irritations from your eye makeup.

Alternative Solutions to Removing Waterproof Mascara

If you’re unable to get your hands on eye makeup remover when you need it, baby shampoo makes a great alternative. Gentle on the skin and tear-free, baby shampoos are ideal for using around the eye area. To remove waterproof mascara with baby shampoo, simply apply a small amount directly to the eyelashes with a damp cloth or paper towel. While baby shampoo is safe, you do want to avoid getting it directly in your eyes, as it can be irritating for those with more sensitive eyes. Once the baby shampoo is applied to the lashes, take a clean, wet washcloth or cotton pad and wipe off the baby shampoo and mascara from your lids. You may want to end the process by splashing water on your eyelids to ensure that you’ve removed all the baby shampoo.

Another alternative to using eye makeup remover is to apply cold cream to the lashes. More irritating than baby shampoo, you should avoid getting this on your eyelids or in the eye. However, it can be applied directly to the eyelashes and left to set for a few minutes to help remove stubborn makeup. When you’re ready to remove the cold cream, carefully wipe it off of the eyelashes with a warm washcloth.

Only Apply One Coat of Waterproof Mascara

One trick that can help make it easier to remove waterproof mascara at the end of the day is to only apply one coat of it. While you may want to have multiple coats of mascara on your lashes, you really don’t need to apply multiple coats of waterproof mascara. Instead, apply a first coat of a regular mascara and then a second coat of the waterproof mascara. By doing this, when it’s time to remove your eye makeup, your mascara will slide off quickly, making your before-bed routine simple and hassle-free.

Resources— HuffPost, Byrdie, Cosmetics Info, WikiHow

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