DIY Eye Makeup Remover (Natural Recipe & Simple Oil Options)
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This DIY eye makeup remover recipe is gentle, simple to make, and works even on mascara and eyeliner. After trying several formulas, I developed one that removes makeup well without stinging or leaving a heavy oily residue. It's truly the best eye makeup remover that I've ever used.
In addition to that, I’m also sharing simple oil alternatives and the formulas I tested that didn’t work well and why.
Many store-bought removers contain fragrance, preservatives, and other ingredients some people prefer to avoid. If that's you, you'll love the simplicity of this formula, in addition to loving how well it works.
Why This DIY Eye Makeup Remover Works
This formula is a simple one, but it works extremely well, and here's why.
- oil dissolves eye makeup, including waterproof mascara. It also reduces the stinging that plain witch hazel can cause.
- witch hazel helps cut the greasy feel and residue from the oil
- vitamin E is optional for extra nourishment
Homemade Eye Makeup Remover
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons witch hazel
- 2 tablespoons oil of choice
- 2 tablespoons water
- small glass jar with lid like this one or this one
- organic cotton rounds or 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 can place some of the mixture on clean fingers, and then wipe eyes gently until all of the makeup is loosened.
- Rinse your eyes with warm water.
- Follow with water-based facial cleanser and your regular skincare routine.
Notes
- To clean up stray eye makeup on face that might remain after using this remover, put a small amount on fingers or dip cotton swab in the mixture to clean up those marks.
- When washing your face after using the remover, you will likely want to wash your eye area as well to remove any residue.
- When using this remover for waterproof mascara, you will likely need to lightly massage it in a little bit more than you will for regular mascara.
- SHELF LIFE: The witch hazel in this product will help a bit with bacterial growth, but you should only make enough to use within 3-4 days and store this in the fridge. If it smells off, discard. You need a broad spectrum preservative in this to keep it for a longer period of time.
- I prefer using disposable cotton balls or rounds because eye makeup is difficult to wash off of washable pads.
This works so well that a natural-minded professional friend of mine—who is very particular about ingredients and demands performance from her products—told me this is the best eye makeup remover she has ever used. I always appreciate hearing that feedback, especially from someone like this.
How to Use This Eye Makeup Remover
- Shake well before using.
- Moisten cotton round or makeup pad with the mixture, or alternatively place some of the mixture on clean fingers, and wipe eyes gently until the makeup is loosened.
- Rinse eye area and entire face with warm water.
- Follow with water-based cleanser on face and eye area. If using a facial oil cleanser, you could do that first and then follow with a water-based cleanser for the double-cleansing method.
Simple Oils That Remove Eye Makeup
Some DIY makeup remover “recipes” online are simply a single ingredient, usually an oil, since oils dissolve makeup easily. Common examples include coconut oil, olive oil, almond oil, or jojoba oil for that purpose.
While I like facial oil cleansing because it removes makeup well, oils leave behind residue on eyelashes when used as an eye makeup remover. Even after washing once or twice, some oil can remain and cause the next day's makeup to run or smudge.
Note that coconut oil can be too heavy for some skin types and may contribute to clogged pores for some people.
Castor oil is sometimes recommended in DIY makeup remover recipes or eyelash blends because it’s very conditioning and is thought to help with hair growth. However, its heavy texture can make it harder to remove from lashes and the delicate eye area. Some people prefer to blend a small amount with lighter oils, but I still find it too difficult to remove and prefer lighter oils for this application.
Homemade Eye Makeup Remover Recipes I Tried
While developing this formula, I tried a variety of options. Here are the results:
- Witch hazel and oil: removed makeup but stung
- Water, vitamin E, and oil: too oily and separated too much
- Water, castile soap, and oil: stung and didn’t remove makeup well
- Olive oil and almond oil: effective but much too greasy
- Water and soap: stung and underperformed
Finally, after testing these options, I found that the above balanced oil-based remover with witch hazel was the perfect combination.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use coconut oil to remove eye makeup?
Yes, you can, but it can clog pores for some people. It also will leave an oily residue that can be hard to remove completely.
Does this remove waterproof mascara?
Yes, it works really well for waterproof mascara. You might need to massage your eyes a bit longer to get it off, but it will work.
Will this sting?
The oil in the remover is a buffer for the stinging. If you experience any stinging at all, it should be very mild. Of course if you have any kind of reaction to this formula, stop using it immediately.
How long does homemade eye makeup remover last?
Due to the water in this formula, you should only make enough for 3-4 days. The vitamin E might help it last a bit longer as will storing it in the fridge. If you want to make a larger batch, you'll need to add a broad spectrum preservative.
Is homemade eye makeup remover cheaper?
Yes and this DIY version costs much less per ounce than store-bought eye makeup removers.
Prefer to Buy Instead?
If you’d rather not make your own eye makeup remover, here are a few brands I trust that have safer ingredients:
- Poofy Organic's Remover – Code WNM gets 10% off your first order.
- Rowe Casa's Remover – Code WNM gets 20% off your first order.
However, DIY options are far less expensive and allow you to control exactly what ingredients you’re using.
More Natural Beauty Recipes
Here are some more great homemade beauty products that are simple to make. I love all of these, and I think you will too.
- Homemade Jojoba Face Wash
- Homemade Foaming Soap
- Homemade Shea Butter Lotion
- 2 Ingredient Homemade Hairspray
- Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Rinse
What do you use to remove your eye makeup?
Photo Credits: Naomi Huzovicova
Coconut oil works perfectly and so cheap. Also use as a moisturiser for my nails.
AGREE!!
I opened this column out of curiosity because all I ever have used for years is coconut oil. Simple, easy, and it works so well. No recipes, no formulas…. I sticking with it.
I really thought that would be the conclusion. A little surprised that it wasn’t, nor even in the running.
Hey there. I just added a little bit of info into the post about why I didn’t like using coconut oil. So it’s kind of in the running now–or kind of not. Well, yes but it didn’t win. Thanks for reading!
I would think that if you used Distlled water and added Silver Colloidal-then solution would not go bad as quickly.
Walkers Natural Body Care – Effortless Eye/Makeup Remover & Conditioning Cream is the best I have found. The only bad thing is that they do not ship this product when the weather is hot (it melts). I do not like the removers with oil – I prefer creams. The one that I loved the best was NuSkin’s eye makeup remover. Unfortunately, they discontinued it.
The recipes with Castile soap won’t sting if you use the baby version with the light blue label 😉
Really? Thanks!
Thanks for the receipes. I use the one with witch hazel, oil, and water. But I’m having a problem with my vision being blurry right afterwards for a few minutes. I think it’s the oil because I’ve noticed this with all oil based removers. But oils seems to be the only thing that works for my eyeliner & mascara. Any suggestions?
I think it’s just the oil film which is why you want to use a non toxic oil. Hope that helps and hope you are using non toxic cosmetics. If you aren’t sure you might want to check out Beautycounter – they just came out w/ 2 new mascaras and they are really nice. No pressure, of course, but I think you would be really happy with their cosmetics. https://wholenewmom.com/beautycounter/
I agree with Adrienne in regards to the blurry vision. I used Clinique “take the day off” for years (a freebie from a friend that had like 5 bottles, it’s awesome, if a bit expensive) and experienced blurry vision after every use. I switched to a jojoba and coconut oil concoction that I had made at home for my dry skin when I ran out of the Clinique and experienced the same blurry vision, along with needing to clean the oil off of my eyes afterward. I’ve tried the witch hazel, jojoba and water and that seems to be the best for a quick, easy and inexpensive way to take off all of the extended wear makeup out there nowadays. It works great on lipstick too!
Quick tip for removing mascara smudges… leave it till you’re done doing your makeup then take a dry q-tip and gently brush it off. 🙂
I didn’t believe this until I tried it! Amazed!!
I use a 50:50 mixture of pure Aloe vera gel and sweet almond oil. I mix it up in a 4 oz travel container. Shake it before each use to mix the ingredients. I may add a couple of drops of Vit E oil to the mix but haven’t really decided if it’s beneficial.
Is this something that last’s longer than the 3-4 days?
Thanks!
Thank you for the trails & recipe! I feel confident in your results knowing exactly what you went through to reach this conclusion. One follow-up question: any concern about oil remaining in/around eyes for us contact lens wearers?
You are so welcome. I don’t know! I don’t wear contacts but I haven’t seen anything about that from the small amount of research that I did.
Just wanted to follow up to say I’ve been using this mix in my eyes since August & have had zero problems with oil on my contacts! I take them out before removing my eye makeup & have had no problem with residue. So yay! This recipe works so amazingly well, better than anything I’ve tried commercially.
I have made and used this a number of times. I love it. I have never had it go bad. I leave it in my bathroom cabinet. It lasts me a few months. No problems!
Which one do you use
Can you share which one you use?
Thanks,
Eileen
Hello!
I stumbled upon your blog while researching a diy makeup remover. I make a lot of my own beauty products and I prefer to not add any preservatives so I am careful about the ingredients and shelf life. Now, I noticed you indicated that this is probably only good for 3-4 days without a broad spectrum preservative. I have maybe perhaps a silly question. If I was to use Thayers Witch Hazel with Rose Petals which already contains purified water and jojoba oil and not add any additional water, would I still need a preservative? I wouldn’t think so since both products have a longer shelf life on their own. I don’t see how mixing them would reduce the shelf life.
Hi there. I think you are right – I think it will be pretty strong on your eyes, however so please do be careful. I would increase the carrier oil to dilute it.