18 Makeup Removers You Can Find at the Drugstore

December 29, 2022
Jessica Khorsandi
By: Jessica Khorsandi | skincare.com by L'Oréal
person with red hair holding Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water
If you don’t want your makeup to budge throughout the day, you probably use a waterproof eyeliner for your cat eye and a long-lasting formula for your bold red lip. But, when it comes time to remove your makeup, getting it to come off easily can be tricky. That’s where makeup remover comes in. Available in multiple forms from wipes to balms, makeup remover will help rid the skin of pore-clogging cosmetics prior to cleansing. Plus, there are a ton of great options available at the drugstore. Ahead, our editors have rounded up some of the best drugstore makeup removers to add to your skincare routine.

How to Remove Makeup

Understatement of the century: There are a lot of ways to remove your makeup. Some people prefer the double-cleansing method with an oil or balm and others are committed to the micellar water and cotton round combo. Another popular way to get the job done is to use a makeup wipe. No matter which option you choose, be sure to gently wipe or massage the product on your skin, avoiding harsh or aggressive rubbing which could cause irritation. If you’re trying to remove waterproof mascara or eyeliner, it helps to hold a product-soaked cotton round to your eyes for a few seconds before gently wiping it away.

The Best Drugstore Makeup Removers

NYX Professional Makeup Be Gone! Makeup Remover Wipes

Even your most beloved waterproof mascara is no match for these gentle makeup-removing wipes. The towelettes help remove dirt, oil and waterproof makeup from the surface of the skin without leaving the greasy residue behind.

NYX Professional Makeup Be Gone! Makeup Remover Wipes

La Roche-Posay Micellar Water Ultra

This dermatologist-tested micellar water won’t irritate sensitive skin or sensitive eyes. It cleanses the skin of dirt, oil and makeup with the help of micelles, and the non-comedogenic formula never feels oily or greasy on the skin. You can even use it to help remove liquid lipstick.

La Roche-Posay Micellar Water Ultra

Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Jelly Water with Cleansing

What’s unique about this makeup remover is that it has a micelles-infused jelly consistency to help capture makeup and dirt, while the infusion of charcoal helps to absorb excess oil. It’s ideal for oily or acne-prone skin types.

Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water with Hyaluronic Acid + Aloe

CeraVe Makeup Removing Cleanser Cloths

These ultra-soft cloths — gentle enough for even sensitive skin types — cleanse, remove dirt, oil and makeup and hydrate the skin simultaneously. They also help repair and restore the skin’s natural protective barrier with three essential ceramides and hyaluronic acid.

CeraVe Makeup Removing Cleanser Cloths

Vichy Pureté Thermale Micellar Water for Combination to Oily Skin

Perfect for oily or acne-prone skin, this micellar water is formulated with salicylic and lactic acids to help gently exfoliate the skin while providing an effective cleanse. On top of sweeping away makeup, it offers a mattifying effect to the skin.

Vichy Pureté Thermale Micellar Water for Combination to Oily Skin

L'Oréal Paris Ideal Clean Makeup Removing Towelettes

Revitalize your skin with these refreshing cleansing towelettes. Enhanced with grape extract and vitamin E, these towelettes nourish skin while they remove dirt, oil and waterproof makeup. It doesn’t hurt that they are dermatologist- and ophthalmologist-tested, so you can bet they’re extra-gentle on skin — and eyes.

L'Oréal Paris Ideal Clean Makeup Removing Towelettes

Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water with Hyaluronic Acid + Aloe

Gently remove your makeup while plumping and hydrating your skin with the Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water with Hyaluronic Acid and Aloe. It pairs perfectly with the brand’s Micellar Cleansing Eco Pads, reusable microfiber pads that last up to 1,000 washes.

Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Jelly Water with Cleansing

La Roche-Posay Respectissime Eye Makeup Remover

Take off your signature cat eye or floating eyeliner with ease with a waterproof makeup remover like this one from La Roche-Posay. The formula consists of a water-based cleanser and an oil that’s activated once the bottle is shaken. Apply some to a cotton round and gently wipe to remove stubborn mascara, shadow and liner.

La Roche-Posay Respectissime Eye Makeup Remover

CeraVe Makeup Removing Cleanser Balm

Prefer a double cleansing routine? Start with an oil-based cleanser or a makeup-removing balm. We love the CeraVe Makeup Removing Cleanser Balm because it transforms into a silky, oily consistency once massaged on the skin, removes makeup with ease and hydrates the skin with ceramides.

CeraVe Makeup Removing Cleanser Balm

Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water with Vitamin C

This Garnier micellar offers skin-brightening benefits thanks to the infusion of vitamin C in the formula. Of course, like all Garnier micellar waters, it gently removes makeup, excess oil and dirt with the help of micelles.

Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water with Vitamin C

L’Oréal Paris Eye Makeup Remover

This oil-free formula sweeps away eyeliner, mascara and eyeshadow without clogging the pores or leaving behind a greasy film. We recommend following up with a water-based cleanser for a thorough, full-face cleanse.

L’Oréal Paris Eye Makeup Remover

NYX Professional Makeup Stripped Off Micellar Water

Reviewers claim this $7 micellar water is extremely efficient in removing makeup without drying the skin or leaving behind an oily residue.

NYX Professional Makeup Stripped Off Micellar Water

Pacifica Glowing Glycolic Acid, Orange, & Vanilla Makeup Removing Wipes

Removing your makeup can feel like a drag when you’re tired, but these wipes from Pacifica make it fun. The vegan towelettes are formulated with glycolic acid and fruit acids to help gently remove makeup, oil and dirt, so skin is left looking radiant and clean. Scented beauty products aren’t everyone’s thing, but if it’s yours you’ll find the orange and vanilla fragrance to be an added bonus.

Pacifica Glowing Glycolic Acid, Orange, & Vanilla Makeup Removing Wipes

Honest Beauty Makeup Remover Wipes

If you find that most makeup wipes dehydrate your skin, these Honest Beauty Makeup Remover Wipes may be for you. Fans of these wipes say they’re gentle on skin and leave it softer than before.

Honest Beauty Makeup Remover Wipes

Bliss Makeup Melt Oil-Free Makeup Remover Wipes

These soothing wipes use chamomile, marshmallow root and aloe extracts to help remove stubborn makeup when it refuses to budge — yes, that includes waterproof mascara. Some makeup requires two to three wipes to get the job done, but these can remove everything in one.

Bliss Makeup Melt Oil-Free Makeup Remover Wipes

Pixi Hydrating Milky Makeup Remover

This bi-phase makeup remover (that means you need to shake it to mix it together before you use it) has a milky consistency infused with coconut extracts to moisturize and willow bark extracts to subtly exfoliate.

Pixi Hydrating Milky Makeup Remover

e.l.f. Cosmetics Holy Hydration Cleansing Balm

Scoop up a nickel-sized dollop of this balm and massage it onto your skin to see it transform into a silky oil that sweeps away makeup, dirt and impurities. It’s made with hyaluronic acid and ceramides so your skin is left hydrated and soft after you rinse away the makeup residue.

e.l.f. Cosmetics Holy Hydration Cleansing Balm

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil

Don’t have a waterproof makeup remover handy? Reach for an oil-based cleanser like the famed DHC Deep Cleansing Oil. It’s perfect for lifting budge-proof eyeliner and mascara up and off your skin.

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil
Photographer: Chaunte Vaughn

Read more

Loading
Back to top