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Jun 11, 2025

Makeup Removing Mistakes That Are Aging Your Skin

These are the worst makeup removing blunders you can make. Emily Peterson is an experienced fact-checker and editor with Bachelor's degrees in English Literature and French. Makeup removal isn't the

These are the worst makeup removing blunders you can make.

Emily Peterson is an experienced fact-checker and editor with Bachelor's degrees in English Literature and French.

Makeup removal isn't the most fun part of your beauty routine, especially when it's late and you're tired. While it's tempting to cut corners, improper makeup removal—or worse, not removing at all—is one of the worst things you can do for your face when it comes to aging, acne, and overall skin health.

To better understand how you should be removing makeup, it's more helpful to know what you should not be doing first. We asked two dermatologists and an esthetician for their advice on makeup removal. See below for the most egregious makeup removing mistakes—and why you shouldn't be making them.

Eye makeup removers aren't just a marketing ploy; these formulas are typically much more heavy-duty than your normal face makeup remover (laden with oils and other emollients). They need to be in order to remove long-wearing liquid eyeliners and waterproof mascara.

While this is a good thing if you're trying to remove stubborn waterproof mascara, it can clog pores and trigger breakouts when applied to the rest of your skin. Use it on your eye area only.

Skincare products don't sink in well if the skin is marred with impurities—and that includes makeup. Your regular cleanser probably isn't strong enough to break away all the makeup on your face, and you won't get all the hydrating, skin-good benefits in the formula you're meant to alongside washing (i.e., hyaluronic acid, ceramides, etc.).

The result: a dry, stripped face with makeup leftovers. Instead, look for a facial cleanser that is specifically formulated to remove heavy makeup, including liquid foundations.

We're fans of cleansing wipes, but they shouldn't be relied on for makeup removal alone. Not only do wipes tug on the skin, but they don't do the best job of removing all of your makeup effectively.

"If you have very oily or acne-prone skin, using a wipe could contribute to clogged pores and acne breakouts," adds board-certified dermatologist Hadley King, MD. "And for those with sensitive or rosacea-prone skin, some wipes can leave an irritating residue of chemicals."

Your face skin is much more delicate than your body's skin. This means that while you can scrub your body with an exfoliating loofah, using that same pressure on your face is not OK. Scouring it with cotton pads and makeup-removing wipes or rubbing vigorously with your hands is damaging and completely unnecessary.

Invest a couple of extra minutes to remove makeup gently in circular motions, and pat dry with a soft, clean cotton towel. For eye makeup, don't rub back and forth because it could irritate the eye; use sweeping motions instead, lifting up before you wipe again.

After your makeup is off, consider the cleanliness of the towel you're using to dry your skin. Kylee Kintis, in-house esthetician for FarmHouse Fresh, says that reusing the same face towel repeatedly can lead to breakouts.

"The longer a towel stays damp, the more bacteria can grow, especially in the warm climate of your bathroom," says Kintis. "The bacteria and oil from your body are then transferred onto the face, causing breakouts."

She recommends trying disposable, clean face towels to gently pat dry your skin after removing your makeup. "These single-use towels provide a safer way to dry the skin as they are free of bacteria and chemicals," she says, adding that it's a great option for those with sensitive skin or a compromised skin barrier.

If you want to keep using traditional towels, wash your face towel every two days or after every use because impurities and bacteria can quickly accumulate.

Struggling with jawline acne and/or hairline pimples? This makeup-removing mistake might be to blame. King says skipping these areas is one of the most common occurrences she sees in her patients.

"While many people apply makeup to their neck and jawline in the morning, they overlook it when it's time to take it off," she says. But these areas are essential, especially because the neck is an area most prone to showing signs of premature aging.

Be conscious of the components in the makeup-removing products you are using, too. "Harsh ingredients can disrupt the ideal pH of our skin, removing much of the protective oil barrier and even shifting normal bacterial flora that keep our skin healthy," says dermatologist Rachel Nazarian, MD. You'll know it's too harsh if your skin feels stripped, red, or excessively dry after using it.

She adds that skincare regimens never need to be harsh because gentle ingredients can be incredibly effective without causing damage to the skin barrier. "Over time, chronic damage [from harsh products] can flare underlying skin conditions, such as rosacea and eczema, and increase inflammation while weakening skin," she says.

Although it may feel nice, using hot water anywhere on your skin can cause a lot of damage, especially on your face and near delicate areas. "Using cold water isn’t egregious, but with chronic exposure to hot water, blood vessels in the skin start to dilate and break, leading many skin types to have an uneven and ruddy skin tone," says Nazarian, adding that the best temperature is tepid, or lukewarm.

If you wet your face before applying an oil-based makeup remover and notice that it doesn't seem to be effective in taking off your mascara, there's a reason for that. According to Nazarian, water acts as a repellent.

"Makeup removers often work through the process of tiny micelles—oil in water suspensions. They work best by applying to dry skin and allowing the micelles to grab oil and dirt," she says. "The purpose of the water is to wash the micelles and oil off." You can rinse with water afterward to get all the residue off.

It's always best to double cleanse if you're wearing makeup to ensure that you remove every last bit of product. The first part of a double cleanse is something to remove your makeup. A cleansing balm, for example, has makeup-melting abilities that come without the pore-clogging side effects.

Start with a small scoop of the cleansing balm and gently massage it in circular motions—taking extra care around the eyes—all over your face. Once the makeup starts to break down, rinse away the milky texture with warm water.

After rinsing everything off, come in for a second cleanse with your regular, go-to cleanser. This step ensures any leftover makeup is removed, as well as cleansing the skin of dirt, oil, and other impurities that can clog pores.

Applying moisturizer is a crucial part of protecting your skin after removing makeup. Even with a gentle cleanser, skin's natural oils and hydrators also get removed with bacteria and dirt, so it's important to replenish them.

"Every single time you wash your face, including after you remove your makeup, you should be applying a moisturizer to replace hydration and keep the skin barrier strong and healthy," says Nazarian. Without this step, skin continues to weaken and can slowly dry out, especially as we get older and lose the ability to make our own natural hydrators effectively."