Harsh products that sting your skin are not uncommon in the make-up remover category of the beauty industry. This is especially true if you have sensitive skin, which is only made worse by these products. The truth is that these products often contain ingredients that can’t be called nourishing. They may even be doing more harm than good in the long run.

What is needed are ingredients that can remove your make-up easily, but provide the ultimate nourishment and nutrition for the skin at the same time. Find out how these natural make-up removers can make your skin glow, instead of blotchy.

Coconut Oil

Many people now turning to ‘clean beauty’ are also turning to coconut oil for its ability to emulsify and dissolve make-up. Miranda Kerr also claims to use coconut oil for both beauty and health purposes, and if it’s good enough for a certified health coach and Victoria Secrets supermodel, it’s certainly good enough for us.

Cosmetic chemist Joseph Cincotta reported in an article for Allure magazine that: ‘coconut oil solubilizes or breaks up water-resistant substances used in eye shadow and mascara, releasing them from the skin and lashes. And instead of harming your skin in the long-run, which potentially a lot of make-up removers can do, opting for coconut oil can nourish and protect your skin from signs of aging.

Coconut oil is solid at room temperature, unless it’s very hot in which case it will melt. If solid, take the coconut oil and warm up in your hand so that it melts. Rub it gently in circular motions over your skin and make-up. Take cotton wool balls and wipe them over your make-up to remove it. Repeat until all make-up is gone and your skin is squeaky clean and soft.

Alternatively, you can use a muslin cloth instead. After massaging in your coconut oil, wet the cloth with lukewarm water and wring out. Gently rub over your skin in circular motions. Reapply coconut oil and repeat these steps until all of your make-up has been removed.

Sweet Almond Oil

These tiny nuts pack some power when it comes to nutrition and the health of your skin. The nourishing ingredients of vitamins A, E, and D, oleic acid, linoleic acid, protein, potassium and zinc all make sweet almond oil an excellent make-up remover.

Vitamin E is anti-aging, soothing and healing for the skin. You can read more about it in this article.

Vitamin A is a known anti-ager in the skincare world, so by using almond oil to remove your make-up, you are also fighting aging as you massage the oil into your skin. Instead of stripping your skin of its natural oils with a traditional make-up remover, you will be providing your skin with nourishment whilst making sure no make-up is left to clog up your pores. The result: soft, supple, clean skin.

It’s suitable to use on sensitive skin as it’s lightweight and gentle, so it’s also suitable for use on the delicate eye area. The oil is even gentle enough to use for people with skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. As sweet almond oil is considered to be a ‘light’ oil, there is no greasy residue left behind.

To use, pour a few drops into the palm of your hand, and gently massage on your face over the top of your make-up. Do this with small, circular motions to help the make-up break down and dissolve. You can then use a cotton ball dipped in rosewater to rub your make-up off gently. An optional step is to wash your face with lukewarm water. If you want to ignore this step, you can allow the oil to work its magic on nourishing your skin. Close your pores by splashing your face with cold water.

Jojoba oil

The great thing about jojoba oil is that it’s said to be suitable for all skin types. The alpha, delta and gamma tocopherols found in jojoba are all forms of vitamin E. Amongst other benefits, vitamin E prevents aging by eliminating free radicals. It’s also non-comedogenic, which means it’s unlikely to cause a breakout.

Jojoba oil as a make-up remover will hydrate, moisturise and nourish, for skin that is smooth, soft and healthy. It’s a great option when swapping your usual make-up remover for something more gentle. However, it’s still powerful enough to cut through all that dirt and grease, and even dissolve waterproof make-up!

Other benefits of jojoba oil include its antimicrobial, antifungal and antibacterial properties. Its anti-inflammatory properties make it suitable for use on skin with conditions such as psoriasis and eczema, relieving the symptoms of itching, soreness, dryness and flaking.

It may also be an ideal choice for acne-prone skin, indicated by this study which found that using a healing clay jojoba oil facial mask can effectively treat lesioned skin and mild acne vulgaris.

The antioxidant properties of jojoba oil may improve skin elasticity, and slow down the tell-tale signs of aging. Although there is no concrete research on jojoba oils ability to fight aging, other antioxidant rich plant products have been shown to boost skin elasticity.

To use, massage the jojoba oil over your face and dampen a cotton wool ball to then gently rub over your face to remove the make-up. Keep going till all make-up is removed. If you want, you can rinse your face with lukewarm water and gently wipe with a muslin cloth or washcloth. Always splash your face with cold water to close your pores.

Will you be trying any of these oils to dissolve your make-up? Feel free to get in touch.

Written by Jess Burman

Wellbeing writer

BA (Honours) in Writing