My sister tasked me with this latest low to luxe: eye makeup remover! Oh, and I have such strong opinions on the topic. I find it to be a very important step in my nighttime cleansing ritual. It’s my step one, always. But why is it that so many are filled with synthetic fragrance, dyes and other irritants? The last place I want to be rubbing something like that is near my eyeballs. I’m sure you all have experienced the painful eye stinging that usually follows. It’s the worst! But fear not, there are some great formulas out there that are gentle enough for your peepers.

You cannot deny the convenience of a wipe, and the Simple Eye Makeup Remover Pads are your best bet. Super convenient for travel and one pad remove even the heaviest of eye makeup, with ease – I’d add, on both eyes.

Brooklyn-based SW Basics uses just a few ingredients in all of their products, and they all serve a very important purpose. The Makeup Remover uses a blend of organic oils – olive, jojoba and sweet almond – and the tiniest bit removes everything. It’s very concentrated, so you don’t want to use it like you would a traditional liquid. I dip a Q-tip in the bottle and then drag it across my lashes. Then flip it to the other end to clean up and then repeat on the other eye. I used to use a cotton pad, but found it was too absorbent. The Q-tip method will ensure your sustainable glass bottle lasts months!

A legacy staple, I’ve been using Clinique Take the Day Off since I was a teenager. It’s one of those early discoveries that has stuck around! I like the oily texture because it removes everything easily.  If you have to tug or rub too hard, you’re just asking for stretched out skin and premature wrinkles. A bottle lasts forever, and I find that minis always come in the Clinique gift-with-purchases. Which, of course, was how I first tried this product as a teen!

I recently discovered MAKE Dual-Phase Eye Makeup Remover after getting a sample in my Birchbox, and am majorly impressed.  It’s equal parts oil and cucumber- and chamomile-infused water, without any fragrance or parabens. Shake it up and it quickly removes even this eyeliner, which may be the most stubborn (in a good way) I’ve used!