Beauty Diaries : 12 Makeup Removers I Can’t Live Without!!!

From the desk of Jhenelle Neon.

Best makeup remover for natural beauty lovers

Natural beauty products are just as effectiveas their conventional counterparts—can get off more makeup than most people wear in a lifetime. Think: Broadway makeup, but it does it with incredible ease, and leaves your skin soft and supple. Echinacea GreenEnvy helps even tone, papaya extract is a natural exfoliator, and moringa tree extract is super purifying.

Best makeup remover for waterproof mascara fans

Koh Gen Do Cleansing Spa Water hit the market years in advance of the current micellar water craze. It's formulated with mineral rich Japanese hot spring water and soothing herbs to hydrate and balance skin. And when put on a cotton pad, it effectively removes every last shred of makeup—including waterproof mascara—no need to wash off." Make sure to avoid the mascara mistakes that make lashes look clumpy.

XOX Jhenelle Neon

Best makeup remover for banning foggy vision

I Count Tatcha Pure One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil among my must-haves. I've been using this for years and truly couldn't live without it. Camellia and rice bran oils and green tea extract work together to cleanse and soothe the skin. It gets rid of absolutely everything—even the most stubborn makeup! So many cleansing oils can make your eyes foggy—this one won't. It's magic!

Best makeup remover for contact lens wearers

I'm a contact lens wearer and Aveeno Positively Radiant Makeup Removing Wipes effectively remove any trace of makeup in the most gentle way possible. Plus, the natural soy extract helps improve and even skin tone over time. 

Best makeup remover for sensitive skin

When clients come to the set covered in makeup I grab a bottle of Bioderma Sensibio H2O. This no-rinse formula is light, refreshing, and works fast to cleanse and remove makeup—including water-resistant stuff—from the face and eyes. Plus, it doesn't sting and is non-irritating, even on really sensitive skin. (If your complexion is prone to irritation and inflammation, read up on the 11 rules for people with sensitive skin.) So, what's the science behind this formula? Its fatty acid esters, the constituent elements of micelles, are similar to the phospholipids of the skin cell membranes and naturally help rebuild the skin's hydrolipidic film. Simply put: It washes away dirt, grime, and makeup without stripping skin of its natural oils. Is your cleanser drying out your skin? Find out the common face washing mistakes you might not even realize you're making.

Best makeup remover for extra moisturizing

Every dermatologist on the planet will tell you that removing makeup before bed is must! In the evening,I reach for Sunday Riley Blue Moon Tranquility Cleansing Balm. Because this is a cleansing balm, it really melts into the skin and does an excellent job of removing all makeup—especially waterproof mascara and liner—without being heavy or leaving any residue. The essential oils draw out impurities, while cocoa butter nourishes skin. More than a liquid cleanser, it moisturizes and replenishes my complexion after a long day, making it perfect to use before bed.

Best makeup remover for tight budgets

Albolene Moisturizing Cleanser is hands down my favorite on a budget. Ingredients such mineral oil and ceresin makes it an effective makeup remover and moisturizer. Not only is it affordable, but a little goes a long way, so it lasts forever. We'd be remiss if we didn't mention the ingredient that continues to divide the cosmetics industry: Mineral oil.  There are basically two opposing schools of thought. In my opinion, it has acquired an undeserved bad rap. Contrary to popular belief, it does not clog pores, as it's molecularly too large to penetrate the skin. Most dermatologists recommend steering clear of mineral oil if you have acne or rosacea.

Best makeup remover for on-the-go

This Works In Transit No Traces. Designed for women who are always on-the-go, and formulated with rose water and sunflower seed oil, these cleansing pads remove makeup in one swipe, while simultaneously soothing and moisturizing skin.

Best makeup remover for older skin

I love Lancôme BI-FACIL Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover. It takes off any formula—longwear, waterproof or otherwise—so effortlessly, which is important since you never want to rub harshly, especially with more mature skin. To use: Shake bottle, apply to cotton pad, leave on for a few seconds and wipe off. This emollient formula is great for sensitive skin and contact lens wearers, which is another reason why I like to recommend it. PS. Lancôme recently launched a travel size—perfect for weekend getaways.

Best makeup remover for combatting pollution

REN Rosa Centifolia No.1 Purity Cleansing Balm. When activated with water, this rose-infused formula turns into a rich milk that calms as it cleanses. Sweet almond oil, which tops its ingredient list, is one of my favorites for removing makeup because it's moisturizing yet light. Prebiotics and shea butter help fortify the skin's natural barrier against environmental pollutants, while the chamomile soothes even the most sensitive skin types.

Best makeup remover for your whole face

 IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Makeup 3-in-1 Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm to cleanse and condition her skin. It melts in your hands, becoming an amazing makeup remover for your entire face (and eyes), and leaves behind a moisturizing serum to help fight aging and improve your skin's hydration level. And I love the tropical fruit scent!

Best makeup remover for people with rosacea

I Suggest Cetaphil Gentle Waterproof Makeup Remover, touting its soothing, skin-friendly benefits: This super gentle formula contains aloe vera, green tea, and ginseng, so it hydrates while removing makeup.

The Beginner's Guide To A Makeup Routine !!!

From a healthy distance, makeup can be scary. Not like "Hey, babysitter alone in the house, don't go in the basement" scary. More like Apollo 13scary: Not actually a horror film, but something to avoid if you're wary of that whole outerspace thing. And Tom Hanks almost dies! It's terrifying. Anyway, I really hate movies about space.

Back to makeup—scary for some, like a fish to water for others. But that's why ITG is here, right? To make it easy for all so you can go on with your day. If, up until this very instant, putting together a bare bones makeup routine has eluded to you, stop worrying. It's not hard, and it's not going to take very long. You need maybe five products and no discernable technique to master this challenge. Read about it for the next few mintues, get your hands on some products, and literally never think about it again. Here goes:

Really easy foundation

If you don't already use foundation, now might not be the time to start. There are roughly a bajillion, really good products that will even out your skin tone without excessive blending, stipling, brushing, or anything like that. Laura Mercier's Tinted Moisturizer gets a lot of lip service—and for good reason—but my money is on the L'Oréal Lumi Cushion. So easy, so buildable, so many shades. And very affordable. I'll be shilling for this product until the end of time.

Concealer with a wand

Chances are, this makeup bag we're building together is going to travel around from place to place with you as you live your life. One thing you're not going to want to do is stick your finger in a pot while you're out and about. Germs! Of course, you could solve that by using a brush. Or you could skip a step and go straight for something like Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer which has a lovely little doe foot applicator attached to the cap. The best way to apply is to smear a little from the doe foot onto the natural palette of your hand (that fleshy space on the back between your thumb and pointer finger) and then dab where needed with your fingers. Wash your hands first, of course. But you knew that.

A bronzer that's also a highlighter

Both bronzer and highlighter become less frivolous when you combine them. But nobody, nobody, does better than Bobbi Brown's Shimmer Brick in Bronze or Beige. The one downside is that it's a powder compact—so you'll need to add a brush. I'd suggest some sort of collapsible kabuki brush because it stays hygenic with its own little enclosure. Alternatively, take the brushless route and pick something like Glossier Haloscope in Topaz or Nars The Multiple in Napali Coast.

One color for cheeks and lips

This could be your typical RMS Lip2Cheek-type product, or just a lipstick that you like for both parts of your face. I've found that the Rituel de Fille Forbidden Lipsticks are the best when mixed with a little lip balm. Mix it up and make it more of a stain for casual days, then transition into more of a true lipstick look if you're looking to make that statement. Or alternate every day for the hell of it. Or just pinch your cheeks and drink a glass of wine. It's 2017 and you have options.

Brows!

Yes, I work at Glossier so there's obviously a little implicit bias here, but Boy Brow is the only thing I use on my brows, and the only thing I recommend to people who are trying to build out their makeup routine. After three years, I still don't know how to properly fill in my brows with pencil or shadow. So get you a product that does it for you—fills, fluffs, holds. Or pick something else entirely! But know that brows are non-negotiable.

As for liner and mascara (I almost never do liner; I almost always do mascara), that's up to you. Depends on the kind of day you're having and the kind of look you're going for, but I don't think they're as non-negotiable as the rest. I'll just say this: Lancôme has some pretty baller liners—of both the pencil and liquid persuasion—and Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara is the most versatile formula and brush I've ever come across. Do what you will with that information and let me know how it goes.

—Jhenelle Neon