The Gentle Product That'll Remove Eye Makeup

Makeup looks good going on, but eye products, in particular, can be challenging to remove, which is why so many of us wake up in the morning with dark circles under our eyes. All the pre-treated cleansing wipes and facial washes in the world sometimes fall short of getting through the multiple layers of eyeliner, mascara, eyeshadow, primer, and more. Fortunately, a little bit of baby oil is all it takes to keep yesterday's makeup right where it should be — in the past.

It's not unusual for the first pass at makeup removal to prove inadequate. Although baby oil isn't the standard facial cleanser, per se, its oil-based status makes it an ace at tackling stubborn eye makeup. The only catch is that it can irritate the eyes if it gets in them, per Healthline, so when using baby oil to remove eye makeup, keep the eye you're cleansing closed until the work is complete. This does not differ from many cleansers and skin treatments that shouldn't get in the eye, so you're probably already used to the process.

Baby oil is one of the first products people are introduced to, as its name suggests, because it was originally made for babies! Manufacturer Johnson's says it makes its product from mineral oil or highly refined petroleum and is designed to be gentle enough to use on the most delicate skin. Baby oil doesn't contain parabens or phthalates, plus it's hypoallergenic (per Healthline). This makes it ideal for use on the eye area, where the skin is thinner and thus more susceptible to scrub-related irritation than other body parts.

Using baby oil to cleanse the eyes of stubborn makeup is straightforward. Just grab a cotton ball or makeup remover pad and add a bit of baby oil to it. A little bit goes a long way, so don't feel the need to douse it and waste a bunch of product. Then, carefully wipe the cotton ball across the eyelid until all makeup is gone. Repeat if desired with a freshly treated cotton pad to ensure it's all cleared away. Then, continue your nightly regimen as usual and enjoy waking up the next day sans dark circles.

Before using baby oil to remove eye makeup, there are a few caveats to consider. First, it's important to understand that there hasn't been a lot of scientific research on how baby oil affects the skin (via Healthline). So, while anecdotal evidence indicates that it can remove makeup and make skin softer, there's not a lot of hard evidence to back it up in the same way as there is with, say, retinoids. 

People with acne-prone skin may also want to refrain from using baby oil around the eyes and on their skin in general. This is because the oil, which is good at trapping moisture, can also lock in gunk such as dirt and other acne-causing culprits if they're not thoroughly washed away, Healthline states. This could worsen existing acne or trigger it altogether, which no one wants! And eyelid breakouts can be particularly unpleasant.

While most people aren't going to have a problem with irritation when using baby oil, that doesn't mean it's impossible. People with sensitive or breakout-prone skin should always do a patch test to ensure the product won't bother them. Choosing a brand that uses only highly purified baby oils is also essential. "If not adequately refined, baby oil may contain potentially carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)," dermatologist Dr. Blair Murphy-Rose explained to Martha Stewart, noting that the mineral oil that baby oil contains "is not necessarily well regulated," either. That may be enough reason for some people to steer clear.