PRODUCT COMPARISON: Dual Phase Eye Makeup Removers

In order to have good makeup, it's important that you look after you skin! Taking your makeup off at the end of your day is important so that the day's grime does not sink into your skin overnight! (Though everyone is guilty of sleeping in it at some time... am I right? lol)

This product comparison is on dual phase eye makeup removers - an essential part of a makeup removal routine!

Why dual phase?

I will try not to get too chemistry nerdy here but hopefully this makes sense! Liquids can be either polar or non-polar. Like dissolves like (so polar substances dissolve polar substances but non-polar and polar won't dissolve each other). You know how oil and water don't mix? This is because water is polar and oil is non-polar - they sit together but don't interact (like two socially awkward peeps at a party! lol). This same theory is applied to these makeup removers! By having both polar and non-polar solutions, it means that there is a greater chance of dissolving all those different products that you've put on your eyes! (Think of it this way: water alone won't clean the grease off your stove! Same thing goes for makeup removers!)

I hope I haven't lost you with that chemistry ramble (the joys of being a chemistry major!).

Dual phase removers are good because they are super effective. In one swipe, 90% of my HEAVY eye makeup is removed! The only part that lingers is mascara - but it just takes a little more soaking and elbow grease to dissolve it! 

I have five different eye makeup removers (on various stages of rotation) that I have tested and they all get the PM's tick of approval! So it's up to you which you choose!

L-R: Maybelline, Napoleon Perdis, L'Oreal, Clinique, Clarins

Maybelline City Rescue Total Clean

70mL for AUD$6.95 (99c per 10mL)

Perks: Great travel size, also suitable for lips

Napoleon Perdis Auto Pilot Duet Makeup Remover

137mL for AUD$39 ($2.84 per 10mL)

Perks: Proudly paraben free, contains ingredients to soothe the eyes

L'Oreal Gentle Eye Makeup Remover for Eyes & Lips

125mL for AUD$12.95 ($1.03 per 10mL)

Perks: Suitable for sensitive eyes, suitable for lips, opthalmologically tested

Clinique Take The Day Off Makeup Remover

125mL for AUD$35 ($2.80 per 10mL)

Perks: Suitable for lips, fragrance free

Clarins Instant Eye Makeup Remover

125mL for AUD$42 ($3.36 per 10mL)

Perks: Suitable for sensitive eyes, non-stinging

If you are budget conscious, the Maybelline and the L'Oreal are the best options. If you are patient, you may even be able to snare them on sale! (Bargain!) However, the others you could pick up when that brand has a GWP or sale. (For example, I will often buy Clarins when they have a GWP as I also use their skincare!)

While these all work well, my star pick would be the L'Oreal for it's pricepoint and how well it works! (I bought it out of desperation when I had a lippy disaster and I was blown away!)

Hot tip: Make sure you rinse after cleansing - particularly if you want to reapply makeup! And shake them really well before use too!

Have you tried any of these removers? Do you have a favourite?

Love,

Your PM x

Limited Edition DUPE TEST: MAC's Ronnie Red

Hello,

Have you ever gawked over a soon-to-be released limited edition product only to miss out when it was released?

Well, lament no more! My series of "Limited Edition" dupe tests aim to help you get through your grief with some suitable (dupable) alternatives!

On the radar tonight is MAC's Ronnie Red from the Archie's Girls collection. This collection was much anticipated and sold out like HOTCAKES online! (the hottest hotcakes you could ever think of). I made a special trip (well, we made a day of it) down to my closest MAC Pro store where I had all my lustings on hold.

Ronnie Red is a bright matte red. Beauty blogger Temptalia (www.temptalia.com) gives it a big thumbs up and describes it as an "incredibly long-wearing red" (I would put my two cents in but naughty me hasn't worn it yet! Whoops).

I have chosen Ronnie Red as the focus for the dupe test, due to the popularity and hype of the collection. There are some other LE MAC's that I will be swatching for comparison (which I know isn't 100% helpful but they were in my tin and you might be lucky enough to have one!) but I feel Ronnie Red was the more suitable focal point for this test!

I have dug through my collection and found nine potentially suitable matches for Ronnie Red. So here we go:

(L-R: Luxembourg, Dragon Girl, Charmed I'm Sure, Aphrodite, Red Passion, Ronnie Red, S.T.O.P, Tramp, Retrofuturist, Absolute Power)

I will compare the following to Ronnie Red:

- NARS Luxembourg: Suprisingly, I would say this is the closest of the lot. It has the pinkish base like RR, but still plays red. It is a fraction more pink but you're really splitting hairs to tell them apart in majority of types of lighting! (I'm pretty sure the men in your life wouldn't notice!). The finishes, however, are a tad different. Luxembourg is glossier, but does dry off (if that's the right term) to a more matte finish. (P.S. I have put Luxembourg "Under the Microscope" here)

- NARS Dragon Girl: Also reasonably close but it's more matte and slightly less pink than RR.

- MAC Charmed I'm Sure: The finish is the same but CIS is darker, with a more a blue rather than pink in RR. This one was also a LE.

- Napoleon Perdis Aphrodite: Not that close. A deep, blue based red and no pinky undertone like RR.

- L'Oreal Colour Riche 297 Red Passion: Closer to NP Aphrodite than RR but a tad brighter than Aphrodite.

- Ka'oir S.T.O.P: Not even close. It was closer in the tube. I was expecting it to be much brighter bit it's kind of like a haemolysed blood red (there's the nerd in me coming out again!).

- Illamasqua Tramp: A more yellow based and deeper red than RR.

- Lime Crime Retrofuturist: Brighter and less pink than RR.

- MAC Absolute Power: Another LE. It's the same toning as RR but is a bit darker.

So which should you pick? In terms of closest to RR, Luxembourg is very close but throws more pink, Dragon Girl is also very close but is more matte and throws more red. Absolute Power (another MAC LE) is also similiar but is darker. Both Dragon Girl and Luxembourg would be suitable subsitutes if happened to miss out. If you find mattes too drying for your lips, I would lean more toward Luxembourg too!

I hope this helps if you happened to miss out on Ronnie Red.

Happy dupe spotting!

Love,

Your PM xx

p.s. I've now added labels to all my posts, so if you are in the web view you can find other posts in similar categories! x