Battle of Makeup Removers
I've tried A LOT of make-up removers. Some, I've already thrown out, so I actually only have a photo of four, but these are some of the best I've tried.
In no particular order...
#1 POND's COLD CREAM
The one on the tub below the Bioderma one is actually a repotted Pond's Cold Cream. The big tub that I have is in Baguio and it really takes so long to finish. |
| Photo Source: Makeup Alley |
The thing with the cold cream is that for it to be more effective, you have to leave it on for a few minutes. I usually do 10 if I'm not in a hurry, but 5, I think, is enough. After, you wipe it with a damp cloth, but I just use tissue. If you have makeup on, you'll find this product really amazing cause you'll see all the makeup being stripped away. You can do another round if you like. After rinsing your face with your regular cleanser, you'll find that your skin feels extra soft.
For the size of the tub, I think you really get your money's worth. They have the big tub in SnR (this might be the imported one), while there are smaller tubs in local drugstores like Watsons and Mercury.
#2 THE BODY SHOP CAMOMILE SILKY CLEANSING OIL
Actually, this is not the first Body Shop make-up remover I've tried. Initially, I tried the Camomile Gentle Eye Makeup Remover, but I wasn't so happy with how effective it was in removing makeup. It is, like it claims, gentle though with its watery consistency, somewhat like Bioderma and Bifesta. I was convinced to try this though because of Amelia Liana, another beauty vlogger from Youtube, who I've come to love. She talks about how many bottles she's finished. Plus, its cheaper at Php 695 than a Php 1,500+ bottle from other luxury brands. Body Shop also has a lot of promos; so if you find it on sale, then it's your chance to try it out.
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| Photo Source: www.mixedgems.co.uk |
Body Shop actually has other products in its Camomile line. They have another type of eye makeup remover that looks like the one from Clinique and a balm type one which seems to match up with the Pond's Cold Cream. The cleansing oil seems to Body Shop's answer to Shu uemura's best-selling cleansing oils. I haven't tried those yet, but I'm quite satisfied with the Body Shop one. It's a little messy though since it's oil, but I guess most oil products get messy anyway. And the packaging sucks as you might have seen in the earlier photo. I just kept the sticker on for the review.
If you're the type who likes using more natural products, then maybe you'd like this. It doesn't have an overpowering scent also. My sister likes this one.
Bioderma is actually the brand name, but their name is synonymous to one of their products that's famous for their micellar water that effectively removes makeup and dirt, Bioderma Sensibio H20. In the Philippines, this cult favorite is actually price-y. Too price-y that I don't think I'm going to purchase again, unless I'm in a French drug store.
I was hoping for this product to, other than effectively remove my make-up, improve my skin, but I'm not so sure if it did. Maybe in the long run, I'd see effects if I continue to use it. But I just bought the smallest one from SM's department store with my SM advantage points, because I wasn't too happy with spending Php 650 on a 100 ml bottle, especially since I've been using Bifesta for the longest time.
I did like it though; it had really similar results to Bifesta and same water-like consistency. But if it really came down to price and which one I'd reach for, it'd probably be Bifesta.
#4 BIFESTA
As I've mentioned, I'd pick Bifesta over Bioderma since it's more affordable. For around Php 450, you get a 300 ml bottle. You could easily get this from Watsons or most department and drugstores. It comes in one size only, but I just transfer a bit to a smaller bottle when I travel. It doesn't say that it uses micellar water, but cleansing water. Not sure if that's the same thing, but it does feel really similar. I haven't tried the Moist (white) and Enrich (pink) variant, but they seem to be more translucent than the Bright Up (dark blue) variant and the No Sebum one (light blue).
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| Photo Source: www.lucido-l.sg |
Usually, if I don't have that much makeup on, I'd use this before washing my face with my regular cleanser. Sometimes, I would admit, if I'm really lazy, I don't even wash after. Like the other makeup removers mentioned, you'd be amazed at how much this product removes despite the light, water-like feeling. My sister and I have finished a few bottles of this already.
Stubborn mascara and waterproof eyeliner doesn't get entirely erased with this. You'd find that after washing your face, there's still a bit of mascara and eyeliner around.
SPECIAL MENTIONS
Another oil-based make-up remover I've used and liked is Clinique's Take The Day Off Makeup Remover. This is great if for removing stubborn mascara and eye-makeup and lipstick. Unfortunately, this doesn't remove much of the face makeup. The L'Oreal Gentle Lip and Eye Makeup Remover works in a similar way. You thoroughly shake these makeup removers since they're somewhat a combination of oil and water or alcohol.
OVERALL THOUGHTS
For me, keeping one or two of these cleansers is not a bad idea. As I've elaborated, they have their own strengths and weaknesses. At the end of the day, the important thing is just to get your face totally makeup-free in preparation for the rest of your routine.
Have you tried any other great makeup removers? :)
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