How To Remove Makeup To Keep Skin Looking Its Best

It’s the end of the day and you’re ready to fall into bed, where all of your soft, fluffy pillows await your arrival. But before you find yourself in bedtime bliss, there’s an important routine to consider—makeup removal.

Sure, you could just go to bed and take it off in the morning, but taking the time before you shut your eyes to remove dirt-trapping makeup can reduce the chances of blemishes, remove dead skin, and improve the appearance of skin. 

While there’s no singular best way to remove makeup, we did put together a quick how-to guide that includes the musts if you’re looking for clean and clear bedtime skin.

How to Remove Makeup in 4 Steps

To wake up with clean and refreshed skin, it’s essential to add a makeup-removing routine to your evening. As such, we’ve laid out a step-by-step process on how to take off makeup to streamline your skincare routine and cleanse your skin.

Step 1: Prep Your Hair

Removing makeup is a multistep process. With water on your face—and suds, toner, and moisturizer abound—do you really want to risk getting it in your hair? No way! 

Pull back those locks and you’ll be ready to go. Here are a few pinup options:

• Put your hair up in a ponytail or messy bun
• Use a hairband to remove bangs from your face
• Wrap your hair in a towel to keep your locks away from oily cleansers or toners

Step 2: Start With a Makeup Remover

If you really want your skin looking and feeling fresh at the end of the night, start with a product that can remove anything from light to heavy makeup. Whether you tend to use a foundation, BB cream or CC cream as part of your daily makeup routine, you will want a cleanser that can remove it all at the end of the day. First, you simply rub the cleanser directly onto your dry skin, including your hairline and chin. Once you’ve rubbed it in, rinse it off with warm water.

There are a few different makeup removal options you can choose from, including:

• Makeup removal cloths – A makeup remover wipe is often more affordable and is ideal when you’re on the go. While not every makeup wipe or cloth is created equally, Honest’s Makeup Remover Facial Wipes are infused with grapeseed oil and olive oil to lift away makeup, dirt and oil without over drying skin.
• Cleansing oils – When mixed with water, they usually lather up to help clear your skin of makeup residue and dead skin, which can also help clean out clogged pores.
• Melting cleansers – Our Magic Gel-To-Milk Melting Cleanser removes makeup and impurities to leave skin glowing and clean. Melt the makeup (and the day) away with this cleanser made with rosewater and pink kaolin clay.

Step 3: Use a Cleanser to Purify Your Skin

After you’ve removed your makeup, it’s time to use your cleanser. Cleansers are made to remove the impurities from your skin, such as dirt and dead skin cells (no thank you, very much).

Using a cleanser is super straightforward. Simply massage the cleanser onto damp skin, rinse with water, and gently pat your face dry with a soft towel.

However, it’s important to find a cleanser that doesn’t strip your skin of its natural oils, which can leave your skin feeling dry afterward.

That’s why we developed the Calm On Foaming Facial Cleanser. Made with micro hyaluronic acid and a lipid-reinforcing Calming Phyto-Blend, this formula gently cleanses skin leaving it feeling soft and smooth.

Step 4: Incorporate a Toner Into Your Routine

You’ve cleansed your face and you’re ready for your moisturizer, right? Not quite. Toner is an often overlooked step in the makeup removal process, and we’re here to rectify that—stat.

Toner is magical, in that it can:

• Prep your skin to better soak in your moisturizer
• Get rid of any makeup residue, dirt, or other impurities

Our Pollution Solution Purifying Toner is designed for all skin types, and is especially ideal for people with oily skin, as it contains Zinc PCA to help reduce sebum and surface oil. To use it—and most other toners—saturate a cotton pad with toner and lightly rub it all over your face and neck. 

Voila. Less shine.

Makeup Remover Hacks to Consider

Here are a few tips and tricks that could come in handy the next time you’re removing makeup:

• Give your skin some grace – And by that, we mean, be gentle. Whether you’re using cleansing oil or toner, use soft swiping movements rather than a harsh scrub to avoid irritating your skin.
• Offer your eyes a little extra attention – Mascara and eyeliner really like to cling, so it’s essential to know how to remove eye makeup properly. Soak a cotton pad with your remover, close your eyes and let the pad sit on your eye for a few seconds to let it dissolve the makeup. Then, gently rub it off.

Keep Your Skin Clear with Honest

Having smooth and healthy skin can be a breeze with the right routine. A few minutes at the end of your day is all you need to successfully remove your makeup before you jump into the comforts of your bed.

And why make it a chore? With skincare from Honest, you can turn makeup removal into a therapeutic time to unwind, relax, and set your intentions for what’s ahead (ahem–solid sleep).

Bolster your evening routine with our skincare collection for all things cleansing, moisturizing, and clean.