The Best Homemade Eye Makeup Remover
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Ditch the toxins that are in most store-bought eye makeup removers and make your own instead!
I tried a bunch of Homemade Eye Makeup Remover formulas, and this one worked the best. No stinging, no greasy residue, and removes even waterproof mascara with ease!
I don't wear a bunch of makeup, but I do need something that will take off mascara and eyeliner. Store-bought eye makeup removers have some ingredients that just aren't the best, plus they can be pricey.
There are a bunch of recipes out there on the internet touting to be great homemade eye makeup removers, but do they work and which one is the best?
Or is there an even better option?
Here's what I found out.
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Why Make This Homemade Eye Makeup Remover
There are several great reasons to make this easy DIY beauty product.
Control Over Ingredients
I used to use a drugstore brand eye makeup remover, but I wasn't happy once I read the list of ingredients.
Here's the list:
Mineral Oil, Isopropyl Palmitate, Polyethylene, Ceteth-20, Trihydroxystearin, Sorbic Acid, Methylparaben, Butylparaben, Propylparaben, Vanillin, Titanium Dioxide.
Here's the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Rating on these ingredients. A rating of zero is the safest, and as the numbers go higher, the ingredient is most likely more problematic.
– mineral oil – (1-3)
– ceteth 20 (2)
– sorbic acid (3)
– methylparaben (4)
– titanium dioxide (1-3)
Plain Oil Just Doesn't Work Well
I know a lot of people use plain oils for this purpose, but I've tried coconut, olive, and jojoba oil. It removes the makeup well, but it's so oily.
Invariably, I would have some kind of oil residue on the next day and if I wore eye makeup, it would run more easily.
Even after washing my face with soap, I often didn't get all of the oil residue off.
In addition, coconut oil is comedogenic (causes acne) so I really don't like using that on my face.
Saves Money
After sharing my recipe, I outline the cost of this remover. Hint, it's super frugal and so much cheaper than buying a remover in the store.
Toxic Ingredients In Other DIY Eye Makeup Removers
A number of DIY Eye Makeup Removers have ingredients that are no better, or are worse than many removers in the store.
For example, I've seen recipes using:
- Dawn Dishwashing Liquid
- Johnson and Johnson's Baby Wash
- or other synthetic chemical-filled ingredients like that.
These are not things I want to use on my eyes. No way.
Homemade Eye Makeup Remover Formula Trials
Here's a list of 6 Eye Makeup Remover Recipes that I tested, along with the results from each one.
Recipe #1 – 50/50 Witch Hazel & Oil
– 1/4 cup witch hazel (alcohol-free preferred)
– 1/4 cup oil (organic almond oil, jojoba oil, and organic olive oil are all decent choices)
Note (please be careful in choosing an olive oil since many are counterfeit. This olive oil has been shown in tests to be the real thing.)
This one was the first recipe I tried. My initial thought upon mixing it up was, “Isn't this going to sting my eyes?”
The first time I tried it, it didn't.
The second time: stinging. Not good.
Recipe #2 – Water, Vitamin E Capsules
Seems like a good recipe, but it's basically just water and oil with a little added nutrition for your eyes. However, the water and Vitamin E don't mix well and you basically have the same oily mess that I described above, but possibly even a bit worse.
Recipe #3 – Water, Castile Soap, & Olive Oil
– 1 cup water
– 1/4 teaspoon Castile soap
– 1 teaspoon organic olive oil
This one plain stung and didn't work well. I had to rub at my eyes several times to get my non-waterproof mascara off. So this is a no-go for the delicate eye area.
Recipe #4 – Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Almond Oil
– 4 tablespoons EVOO
– 3 tablespoons almond oil
Again, this is all oils and was the same oily problem as above.
Recipe #5 – Water, Castille Soap, and Oil
– 1 cup water
– 1 1/2 tablespoons Castile soap
– 1/8 teaspoon oil
This one, again, didn't really work and stung somewhat. Not good.
Recipe #6 – Water & Soap
– 1/2 cup water
– 2 teaspoons soap (I used Castile soap)
Stinging. Again. And not good results.
So what's a gal to do when these are the results she gets?
Well, here's what happened. I came up with a winner that works like a charm and doesn't sting.
This Best DIY Eye Makeup Remover has:
- eye makeup removing power of oils
- added ingredients to make it less oily and easier to remove
- clean ingredients
- works even for waterproof mascara
- no stinging
This will even take off waterproof mascara, but you do have to work it in a little more and for a little longer. On a side note, I've heard that waterproof mascara can lead to lashes falling out, and apparently the loss is sometimes permanent. I don't know if that's true or not, but I seem to have fewer lashes than when I was younger, and I used to use waterproof mascara all. the. time. Sigh.
Cost of this Eye Makeup Remover
Here are the approximate costs of ingredients at the time of publication of this post.
Even if you buy a more expensive oil like jojoba, you can make this synthetic chemical-free eye makeup remover for:
– Jojoba oil: about $2.25 for 1 oz
– Witch Hazel: about $1.62 for 1 oz
– Water: basically free.
Total: $3.87 for 3 oz., which is $1.29 per ounce (not including vitamin E).
And if you use olive oil instead, the EVOO from Costco costs about $.17 per ounce.
Then your total is: $1.79 for 3 oz, which is $.60 per ounce.
Compare that to one synthetic chemical-laden brand I was using, which was about $4.99 for 2 fl oz.
I'd much rather the pure stuff and it costs so much less, too!
Homemade Eye Makeup Remover
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons witch hazel
- 2 tablespoons oil of choice
- 2 tablespoons water (please use filtered water — see how to make your water safe)
- Small Glass Jar with lid like this one or this one
- Organic Cotton Rounds or organic makeup remover pads (I recommend the rounds since eye makeup will tend to be hard to wash off of the pads)
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to your container / dispenser.
- Shake well before using.
- Moisten Cotton Round or Makeup Pad with the mixture, or alternatively you could place some of the mixture on clean fingers– then wipe eyes gently.
Notes
Where to Buy Non-Toxic Eye Makeup Remover
Don't feel like making your own Eye Makeup Remover? Here are a few very clean options.
Poofy Organic's Eye Makeup Remover
Poofy Organic's makeup remover is a super-easy-to-use product that's reasonably priced and is loaded with nourishing ingredients for the skin around your eyes, too.
Rowe Casa's Eye Makeup Remover
Rowe Casa's Eye Makeup Remover is another affordable option that works well. Code WNM gets 20% off your first order. They have a full line of wellness and home products to choose from as well.
Crunchi's I Am the Balm
I Am the Balm from Crunchi is a lovely rich product that many enjoy for removing face and eye makeup.
For me, it's too stiff, but many love it, so it might work well for you. Code ADVOCATE10 gets 10% off your first order.
Crunchi also has a membership program with free shipping at $125, 10% credits back and special offers. See my Crunchi Review for more information about this and other products.
More DIY Non-toxic Personal Care Products
Here are some more great homemade personal care and beauty products that are simple to make. I love all of these, and I think you will too.
– Homemade Jojoba Face Wash
– Easiest Baby Wipes
– Homemade Foaming Soap
– Homemade Shea Butter Lotion
– 2 Ingredient Homemade Hairspray
What do you use to remove your eye makeup?
Photo Credits: Naomi Huzovicova
also, what is your opinion about micellar water?
Hi again – What are you wondering about regarding it?
Just wondering what your opinion is about it, no judgment. I like your article.
Are there hidden bad chemicals in it one should worry about??
Hi again. Got it. It would depend on the brand. Do you have one in mind?
may i ask, why refrigerate the witch hazel & jojoba oil? both these products are not refrigerated by themselves?
Hi Jan – there’s water in the formula. I might try to redo the recipe at some point but that’s why. Hope it works well for you!
You do know that literally everything, except for energy and subatomic particles, is a chemical? Because you keep talking about “removing chemicals”, which means you have fallen for the scare tactics hook, line, and sinker. Water is a chemical. Oxygen is a chemical. Glucose is a chemical. Salt is a chemical. You are full of chemicals because guess what? All of those are found in the body and are necessary for life.
You people hear the word “chemical” and think bad because you listen to scaremongers, but they (and now you) have no idea what you’re talking about.
Hey there “Someone” – if you had used a real email instead of the fake one, you could see my response that would then allow you to be “educated”.
Yes, I am aware that everything is made up of chemicals. Pretty much. Technically the word chemical in this case should be replaced by “synthetic chemical” and I just did that. I just have a lot to manage on my site and that was missed.
I haven’t fallen for any scare tactics. You are ignoring the obvious that many synthetic chemicals are a problem and you’re extrapolating from a typical misstatement that I don’t know what I’m talking about.
I do.
Hello. Thanks for doing the due diligence on this topic. I will definitely try this recipe out for sure! Been using Burt’s Bees makeup wipes but have been noticing diminished eye sight day after use. Yea! I did want to add that I have a Soy allergy & I have found information that tells of ALL Vitamin E in USA is in fact Soy derived sadly enough. Blessings to you for going above & beyond. ;o)
Hi there! I hope you like it! 2 thoughts about your soy situation.
1) I did find this one that’s soy free and there are more (affiliate link) https://amzn.to/3j9PicP.
2) Typically “derived” means that there’s very little of the original substance in the derived product. You would have to ask the manufacturer, but I work with Amare and they have ingredients grown in milk that has on dairy component in the final product. I know this topic pretty well due to my oldest having life threatening food allergies.
Hope that helps!
Thank you for sharing your research! My research brought your reasearch and we care for the same healthy, non-toxic, natural and minimal way of living.
I am also writing to you to suggest a way to preserve the mix without preservative and without needing to refrigerate it: I got a 4L of distilled water at our drugstore, for only $1.60.
Cheers!
Marie
Ottawa, Canada
Hello there. Thanks! You could try something like vitamin E or rosemary or some other natural preservative. I don’t currently have recommendations for amounts, however.
Thanks so much for this information!
You are so welcome!