Trying Some Korean Eye Makeup Removers

I wear a lot of waterproof and smudgeproof eye makeup, so I don’t know what I would do without a good eye makeup remover.  Micellar water usually stings my eyes and is not really as effective at removing waterproof makeup.  So I usually opt to use dual-phase eye makeup removers, that can easily remove waterproof eyeliner and mascara.  I used to love the cult Lancôme Bi-Facil Eye Makeup Remover, which I used for many years.  However, I found that it left my eyes pretty oily after removal.  Then, I moved on to the Clarins Instant Eye Make-Up Remover.  I enjoy this one because it removes eye makeup quickly and doesn’t leave as oily of a residue.  However, over the years, I have gotten more sensitive to scent, and the scent of this eye makeup remover seems to linger.

Now, to what I have decided to purchase to remedy the issue.  So instead of doing any research, I decided to go on a Korean online website, and randomly pick two to try.  The two in question are the Mizon Natural Grain Real Oatmeal Essential  Lip & Eye Remover and the innisfree Apple Juicy Lip & Eye Remover.

Description

Mizon Natural Grain Real Oatmeal Essential Lip & Eye Remover

• double-layered emulsion-type make-up remover
• removes waterproof makeup
• oil cleanses skin gently and completely
• other layer provides moisture
• oatmeal and various vegetable extracts protect skin around eyes and delivers moisture

innisfree Apple Juicy Lip & Eye Remover

• effectively removes longwearing point makeup
• polysaccharose and minerals from apples protect skin from dryness and irritation
• has the sweet and sour scent of apples
• 88% natural ingredients
• Kaolin powder’s controls excess sebum to give you a refreshed feeling

Like a previous blogpost comparison I did, I am going to through certain criteria I look for in a eye makeup remover and name a “best of” for each criteria.

Best Scent – innisfree

I know this criteria is counterintuitive because I prefer products without a scent.  However, it is often difficult to find scentless products until you actually have the product to smell it for sure.  If there is a scent I can tolerate, it would be citrus scents.  Therefore, innisfree wins is this category with its apple scent.  Honestly, it is so subtle, you barely smell it unless you put the soaked cotton pad right up to your nose.  The Mizon one has a strong scent and smells pretty strongly of alcohol

Best Packaging – innisfree

They both come in 100 mL bottles.  The innisfree bottle is taller and Mizon is more rounded.  I think they both are a great size for travel since they fit easily in the palm of your hand.  The twist off caps keeps the products from possibly leaking.  I think I would just pick the innisfree’s packaging because it has a bigger hole on the top to dispense product.  Just makes it quicker to get the product out and I can stick a small cotton swab inside the container to help me remove bits of makeup left in my eyelashes.

Best at Removing Makeup – tie

Drumroll to the most important criteria for a eye makeup remover.  This is going to be a little anticlimactic because they are both really good!  You only need to swipe once with a soaked cotton pad to remove most pencil liners, and maybe twice with a waterproof liquid liner.  Sometimes, I would just soak a couple seconds with either product and everything comes off.

Best at Leaving Eye Refreshed After Removal – Mizon

I don’t enjoy eye makeup removers that leave your eyes super oily after removal simply because I don’t like the feeling.  Moreover, sometimes, I want to remove the makeup to put something different and it is difficult to do that if lid is oily.  Since there is oil in both products, it will get a little oily no matter what especially if you use too much.  However, the Mizon one tends to leave the eyelid a bit drier after removal.  I mean, the innisfree one is not too oily after removal either if you don’t accidentally use too much.

Best at Removing Japanese Mascaras – innisfree

Japanese mascaras are notoriously difficult to remove.  They both remove the Heroine Make mascaras after a couple of soakings with a cotton pad.  The innisfree one just does it a little bit faster.  I wouldn’t say either is super quick at removing Japanese mascaras though.

VERDICT:  The winner is probably pretty obvious by now.  innisfree just wins on scent and packaging and is very good at removing eye makeup.  Plus, the ingredients are bit more natural which I appreciate.