We all have those lazy moments when we’d rather skip this important part of our daily skincare regimen. However, removing your makeup before bed is important to keep your skin clean and healthy-looking, letting your skin “breathe” while you sleep, and preventing smudges and foundation stains from reaching your pillow.

1. Pull bangs and long hair back with a headband, clips, or ponytail.

2. Remove eye make-up first with a suitable eye make-up remover.

3. Apply the remover to your washcloth or cotton ball and gently rub over your eyes, making sure to cover the lashes, eyelids, brow line, and under-eye area.

4. Use a Q-tip to remove any traces of makeup you couldn’t reach (particularly eyeliner).

5. Rinse with warm water.

6. Apply your facial cleanser to your washcloth or directly to your face and neck, and massage in circular motions until your entire face and neck are covered in a nice, foamy lather. Make sure to avoid the eye area.

7. Leave the cleanser on your face and neck for several minutes to work its “magic.”

8. Rinse your face and neck with warm water and pat dry with a towel.

9. Apply a light layer of facial moisturizer to your face and neck before going to bed.

How to remove eye makeup and mascara

Do you use lotion, bar soap, or your regular facial cleanser to remove eye makeup and mascara? The delicate skin around the eyes is 7 times thinner than the skin on the rest of the face. It should be gently cleaned with the use of a make-up remover designed to care for the eye area. Follow these simple steps to keep your eye area healthy.

Choose the eye makeup remover that best suits your overall skin type. We love Maybelline’s Bi Phase makeup remover for lips and eyes. If you’re prone to oiliness, choose an oil-free makeup remover. If you have sensitive skin, look for a makeup remover made for sensitive skin. You don’t have to spend a lot to get a good product. Many drugstore brands are very good makeup removers. Before your nightly cleansing routine, you should first cleanse the eye area. This way, when you wash your entire face, you won’t run the mascara into your eyes. Start by reading the instructions for your chosen eye make-up remover. Always use the recommended amount.

Lightly dampen the eye area to dampen the mascara, this will allow the remover to penetrate the mascara more thoroughly. Start with the eyelid, start at the top with a very light pressure cloth from the outer corner from top to bottom. Wipe away from the corner of the eye. This should leave a small amount of remover on the lid. Moisten a cotton ball or round ball with water and follow the same motion to remove excess makeup remover. Repeat if necessary with new cotton if any product remains. Now make the second eye. To remove mascara, add a small amount of makeup remover to the swab. Close your eyes and roll the q-tip over your lashes in a downward motion to apply the remover. You can follow up with another swab moistened with water or a cotton ball. Do not saturate the cotton. Gently glide over lashes in a downward motion. It may take a couple of cotton balls to remove mascara depending on the type and how many coats you apply. To remove any mascara that has gotten under your eye, use a small amount of remover on a cotton pad to remove it. Now that you’ve removed your eye make-up and mascara, you can complete your nighttime skincare routine.

How to remove the base

When you put on your foundation in the morning, it’s a given that you need to remove it that night before you go to the sheets. But removing foundation is not a one-time task. It all depends on the type of foundation you have on your face as to what cleansing concoction you should take to remove it.

Water-Based Foundation – If you have a water-based foundation covering your face, you are in luck. A special remover is not necessary in this case. You can keep your cleaning routine extra simple, because the foundation you use dissolves easily. With a gentle soap-free cleanser and a full tap of warm water, your foundation will be a mere memory in no time.

Oil-Based Foundation: It’s time to bring out the heavy artillery, that is, in makeup remover. Oil-based foundation must be dissolved with a special makeup remover for oil-based foundation formulas. Go the water route and the cleaner will get you nowhere fast. Apply the makeup remover to your face to cover it, leave it on for the recommended amount of time, and then wipe it off with tissues, cotton pads, or a soft, clean cloth. Follow up with a toner that matches your skin type to leave it super clean.

Helpful Tools: Keep your makeup area well-stocked with a gentle cleanser or makeup remover and toner. If you have dry skin, stay away from toners that contain drying alcohol. Also keep clean cotton pads, tissues, or soft cloths nearby. This will prevent you from having to search for things to clean your face. Being organized will also help you implement a routine each night that won’t take more than a few minutes of your time. Bonus Tip Whatever you do, always remove your foundation before slipping between the sheets. Leaving makeup on your face can wreak serious havoc on your complexion. The layer of dirt, oil, and makeup from the day before will grind into your pores and cause clogging, which can turn into pimples. Pre-moistened facial cleansing cloths can be used in a pinch. Just make sure to follow up with a toner to remove all residue.