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
I use plain organic extra virgin coconut oil on my eyes after I wash my face. The water helps to loosen the make-up and the oil leaves your eyes silky smooth.
I’m doing that occasionally now as well. Still hunting for more ideas!
I tried to read through the comments to see if this was suggested but there are SOO many! I saw a few that mentioned one or the other but never both or why they are so amazing, so a few years ago a friend of mine shared a bunch of AMAZING home made spa treatments, I’ll post them here as it, as well as one in particular, since it is relevant. First is a kitty litter face mud mask – non-clumping, UNUSED of course 😉 which makes the skin baby soft, mix in a bowl with water (ratio isn’t important, just make sure there’s a little more water than there is kitty litter, that is what you will use more though I always add some of the ‘mud’ as well), heat up, paint on, let it dry then wash it off, amazingly soft face; knox non-flavored gelatin mixed with milk – heat up until warm – paint on areas of face with black heads – let dry then peel off! It’s not perfect but it removes so much and is way cheaper than those acne strips – I found it took a while to get the consistency recipe down even with measurements, you don’t want it too runny or too clumpy – practice makes perfect! Make sure to immediately clean the bowl, mixer and brush because it can be difficult to remove if you wait; another one I tried was the egg white (beaten) mask followed by the egg yolk (also beaten) mask. The egg white draws the oils out while the egg yolk moisturizes, make sure to not get any in your eyes, nose or mouth and wash it away very well, just beat the egg white, smear it on your face, let it dry for about 15-30 minutes then wash away really well, then repeat with the egg yolk; and last but certainly not least, the oil face wash, this is my reason for posting. It consists of Caster Oil and Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or any oil you want to use, the recipe uses Sunflower Seed Oil as example, there are many options for this. The ratio will depend on your skin type, it works for all types of skin! My Mother loves it (dry skin) my friend who showed it to me loves it (combination skin) and I love it (oily skin), the drier your skin is, the more Olive Oil you want to add, the more oils your skin has, the more Caster Oil you want to use. Make it in a very small batch, if your skin feels oily afterwards, add more Caster Oil next time. How to use: Tie back hair, put a dime-nickle size amount on your hands and rub them together for a little while to heat up the oil, put on your face, massaging into your pores. Take a wash cloth and wet it with hot water (the hottest you can stand, do not burn yourself, so err on the side of caution) lay the wash cloth on your face and let it sit till the cloth cools down, wipe away the oil, repeat this 2-3 more times (wet washcloth, sit, and wipe away, do not add more oil every time). Before trying ANY of these (especially the gelatin/milk and egg white/yolk) do some research. Some claim the milk recipe is dangerous because of the milk, others claim that because you’re warming up the milk quickly prior that it is not bad, and because you end up peeling it off. As for the egg mask, there’s a lot of talk about it on beauty forums, a lot of people say that it’s dangerous because of salmonella, while others state that as long as you avoid eyes/nose/mouth and wash it away REALLY well (some even take a shower afterwards) that it is fine to use, you should do it no more than once a week (I have weekly facial Fridays where I do all of this, Though I do the oil wash every day) All I’m saying is that this is my beauty system and it works really well, I have amazingly smooth evenly toned (there are also recipes to do more with the yolk, I’ll paste that link below which I do from time to time, I do them once every two to four weeks with the extra yolk) skin with no acne. I’ve been using it (including the egg mask) for years and have never had an issue, but I did research well before trying and did it at my own risk. The oil wash however, I’ve not read any ‘dangers’ of it at all, and when mixed right for your skin type, is wonderful. And yes, it will take off even the most waterproof of mascara!! I’ll paste links below (though I recommend more research if you’re uncomfortable) of the egg mask instructions, as well as information and instructions for the oil face wash (yes, this has since replaced my regular face wash since it does a great job at cleaning)
(Picture of the gelatin https://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/04/10/00/03/0004100003500_500X500.jpg
https://www.theoilcleansingmethod.com/
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-an-Egg-Facial-Mask
https://healthmunsta.hubpages.com/hub/Egg-Yolk-Face-Mask-Recipes
Again, this is just what works for me, most of these are ‘do at your own risk’ and I recommend research. The one I have no issues saying ‘try this’ is the oil wash, it’s amazing. I pasted the rest because I do them, so they may play a factor in my skin quality, though the oil wash won’t hurt to try on its own to see if it does everything for you that it does for me, I know my mother only does the wash and has seen major improvement in her skin quality.
I wish I could edit my post. I said something in the oil wash section that was wrong, I meant to say this.
*the dryer your face is, the more olive (or other) oil you want to use, the more oily it is, the more caster oil you want to use* The Caster Oil will be the more ‘drying’ of the two, while the olive coil will be the more ‘moisturizing’, as you know, just using the oil will be too oily, the caster oil addition is perfection 🙂
I’m sorry – I am finally getting to some of my older comments that I never approved / made sure weren’t spam, etc. Thanks for the tips!
my favorite is:
water
baby shampoo
coconut oil
I keep like 4 different oils in my bathroom and am constantly experimenting with different uses for all of them. Lately, I’ve been using straight up EVOO as an eye makeup remover and I love it. Since I use it at night, I don’t mind leaving a little oil behind on my eyes as an overnight moisturizer. Never occurred to me to try to mix it with other things. Might have to give this a try. Thanks for sharing your trial and error!
Thanks much!
Hi Adrienne, Great recepie! I too like avoiding chemicals and making my own cleansers, moisturisers etc. I have been looking into eyelash conditioning. I have used a mix (in a 30 ml dropper bottle) of:
10 mls: Almond oil (natural source of Vitamin B5,
10 mls: Wheatgerm oil
9 mls: Jojoba oil
1ml Hylauronic acid gel (bought on Amazon).
I have used it now for a month to recover my lashes from some abuse (wearing falsies etc). I can happily report that they are now longer and thicker than they have ever been. – Give it a try! This recipe was inspired by the very expensive ‘natural’ conditioners out there on the market. I use a redundant mascara wand to apply it every night after cleansing. I have been a massive fan of Neals Yard Gentle Eye make up Remover, but I am about to try making one with Glycerine, Rosewater, eyebright, witchazel and argan oil. I will adapt the one you have posted and see how it turns out! Keep up the good work babe! – making your own totally rocks and totally works.
I was just thinking I needed to make something like that. It’s on my list. Thank you! What’s a redundant mascara wand?
Witch Hazel says right on the bottle “avoid contact with eyes”
I know – but many many people have it in eye makeup removers and some really sting. I’m guessing b/c it’s diluted it’s OK.
I am looking for a natural, harmless, and homemade eye makeup remover. I found a recipe calling for equal amounts of witch hazel and olive oil, mixed it up, used it. First time it did not burn, second time it did. That’s when I read the witch hazel label. This product contains 14% alcohol and the warning says to avoid contact with the eyes. Hence, the burning. The remover you made that you like the best contains oil, water, and witch hazel. You didn’t mention that it burns. Is it the addition of the water that stops the alcohol from burning?
I don’t want to go blind, I just want to clean off the eye makeup? Any suggestions, answers?
Thank you.
Mine has a tad sting, but I think since it’s diluted so much it really doesn’t. You could dilute further if you like.
Does anyone have any ideas for a remover without oil? I used coconut oil as a makeup remover and then used water to wipe off my face and put on a little more coconut oil all over my face. During the night I must have rubbed my eyes and got some in my eyes and now my contacts are all nasty and I can’t see out of them. I LOVE LOVE LOVE coconut oil. It has resolved my winter dry & painfully chaffed skin. When I put lotion on my face it turns bright red reacting to all the chemicals. When I tried coconut oil…no reaction. Just soft skin and I swear my mild rosacea is better. I just shower, turn off the water, smear some on. That knocks off most of the water and just pat dry. My skin has never felt so soft. I saw a recipe for making it into lotion with some vitamin E and a hand mixer. I am sure the vitamin E would be good for my skin but I think I will just try it alone and see if that doesn’t make it a little easier to apply.
Someone mentioned they use Vaseline…that is made from petroleum…just a thought
Thank you for the tips I’m gradually switching over to more natural solutions for my personal care after realizing that everything you put on your skin your kidneys and liver have to process it (yuck) I will surely try the final recipe. I once again thank you for taking the Trial and error out of a lot of them for me (also have sensitive eyes).
You also mentioned the thinning lashes. I just finished some research on that problem myself. Basically it’s an aging/abuse to them problem. But I may have found a cure…. The best recipe I’ve found is coconut oil, castor oil, and almond oil equal parts in a very clean old mascara tube (cleaning it was tricky) or they say you can use a clean perfume oil roll on tube. I have been brushing this on my eyelashes for about 3 weeks nightly and I’m already noticing longer and slightly thicker lashes. The original recipe said could take a few weeks to a few months to see results. So far so good! Thanks again!
Now that is interesting. I had heard about using aloe. Why do you think it works? I have been using coconut oil but no change yet. And I heard it can be comedogenic so that would be counterintuitive.
This formula works like a charm and takes eye makeup (including mascara) in a few swipes. Very little lash loss and it doesn’t sting my eyes. I mixed up a batch in a mason jar and put cotton rounds in it to soak up the solution, viola, eye makeup remover pads at the ready!
Yea!!!
I think its wonderful & very thoughtful of you to go thru the hard work and share it with all of us. It saved us the trouble. You are greatly appreciated. ????