The Best Way to Remove Prom Makeup

Let’s be honest, when you’ve had a successful prom night and made it through the after party, the last thing you’ll be thinking about is taking all your prom makeup off. You may even be tempted to leave your dress crumpled on the floor and slip into bed with a full face of makeup on—but you shouldn’t. Just think how proud you’ll be in the morning if you wake up to a cleansed face—rather than raccoon eyes from smudged mascara. That’s why you’ll want to prepare ahead of time, and have a plan in place for how to remove your prom makeup. It may seem like you could wing it, but your typical removal method might not cut it. Chances are you’ll be wearing more makeup than your used to, in honor of the special occasion, and it may call for a different type of makeup remover. To that end, we’re sharing six affordable makeup removers that are perfect for prom makeup, below. Pick whichever one is right for you, then you’re free to get back to daydreaming about your promposal or scouring the web for prom hairstyle ideas.

Prom Makeup Remover #1: Garnier SkinActive Micellar Foaming Gel Cleanser  

Can we interest you in an all-in-one cleanser? If you answered in the affirmative—recognizing that you may not want to deal with double cleansing on prom night—you’ll want to consider using the Garnier SkinActive Micellar Foaming Gel Cleanser to remove your prom makeup look. The gentle cleanser allows you to hop on the micellar water bandwagon without losing out on lather. Apply the gel to wet skin and massage to watch it foam, then rinse off for skin that’s cleansed and refreshed. 

Prom Makeup Remover #2: NYX Professional Makeup Stripped Off Cleansing Balm

If you’ve been staying abreast of skin care trends amid finals and prom preparations, you’ll likely have noticed that cleansing balms have been steadily gaining traction as a makeup remover option. And thankfully, you don’t have to break the bank to give the trend a try. You can head to the drugstore before prom and pick up the NYX Professional Makeup Stripped Off Cleansing Balm. The balm, which is formulated with green tea extract, grape seed oil, and vitamin E, allows you to remove your makeup—just like you’ll be dying to do with your heels by the end of the night. 

Prom Makeup Remover #3: Vichy Pureté Thermale Cleansing Milk

You’re familiar with cleansers of the gel, cream, and clay variety, but what about a cleansing milk? You may not associate milk with getting clean, but as it turns out, cleansing milks are actually ideal for removing makeup—while providing your complexion with a dose of moisture. The Vichy Pureté Thermale Cleansing Milk does just that, leaving skin feeling hydrated, wrapped in softness and soothed. 

Prom Makeup Remover #4: L’Oréal Paris Eye Makeup Remover

In the event that you’ve loaded your lashes with layer upon layer of mascara and lined your lids with lots of liquid eyeliner, taking off your eye makeup may require a makeup remover that’s meant specifically for your eyes. Remember, you shouldn’t have to get overly rough with your skin, especially around your eyes, to remove your makeup. And that’s exactly what reaching for the L’Oréal Paris Eye Makeup Remover will prevent you from needing to do, as it instantly and gently removes eye makeup. Plus, it doesn’t leave behind a greasy residue—win, win.

Prom Makeup Remover #5: Maybelline SuperStay Eraser Lip Color Remover

In the same vein, the liquid lipstick that lasted you through the night may necessitate using a makeup remover that’s designed specfically for removing long-lasting lip color. After all, if your lipstick didn’t budge during dinner, you can’t expect it to wipe right off with no effort. If you aren’t interested in waiting for your lipstick to finally wear away, use the Maybelline SuperStay Eraser Lip Color Remover. All you need to do is swipe the remover—which looks like a clear lipstick—onto your lips, rub your lips together and then wipe off with a tissue. It’s that easy.

Prom Makeup Remover #6: CeraVe Makeup Removing Cleansing Cloths

It’s completely understandable if you make it home after the after party and want to immediately get some shut-eye. You may not even be able to gather the energy to take a few minutes and wash off all your makeup at the sink. What you can manage to do, however, is grab a makeup remover wipe from your nightstand and quickly cleanse before you start catching z’s. Keep the CeraVe Makeup Removing Cleansing Cloths by your bed in case your tiredness hits you as soon as you get home, that way you can remove your makeup with minimal effort.