Do you want Aloe in your Makeup Remover?

As some of you may know (or not), like your liver and kidneys, your skin is an “organ” of the body. In fact, “skin” is the largest organ of your body and, the only organ exposed to the outside world. Because of this, your skin is subject to elements that can be harmful to its structure. The skin around your eyes is not as durable or forgiving as the skin on the rest of your body. Therefore this skin can be considerably more sensitive.

Because of the tender nature of the skin around your eyes it requires some extra attention and care. While makeup removal products may work fine on the rest of your face they may be quite irritating in the eye area particularly for those with sensitive skin. Damage from the sun and harsh makeup removal products can cause damage to the skin and speed the look of aging. So, how to remove makeup from your eyes and avoid the premature appearance of those lovely little lines and wrinkles we ladies look so much forward to? Two words, Aloe… Vera.

You might recognize the name, Aloe Vera. Much like a cactus, it is a plant in the succulent family. It’s leaves are long and plump with tiny toothy thorns lining each side and the thick base tapers to a very sharp tip. While a cactus can grow to be very tall, the Aloe Vera is more of a ground dweller, not aspiring to reach too high but to remain close at hand so we can take advantage of the benefits if offers. The transparent pulp inside those meaty leaves has been used topically to treat wounds, skin infections, burns, and other other dermatologic conditions for thousands of years. There is promising preliminary support from laboratory studies that topical aloe gel improves the skin’s ability to ward off and fight infection and may speed the healing process of wounds and skin inflammation.

Aloe Vera is very effective in treating acne and can be found in a variety of skincare products including eye makeup removers. Known also for its regenerative properties to damaged skin, it helps the skin stay younger looking and even aids in fading scars. Furthermore, aloe acts as a natural astringent and can even reducing under-eye puffiness and dark circles.

Aloe Vera contains almost 20 essential amino acids as well as minerals like calcium, magnesium, sodium. Its antibacterial properties also help fight eye infections. This immune-boosting quality can be of particular benefit to contact lens users. Aloe also tightens the skin and helps balance the skin’s pH level.

Aloe Vera’s beneficial properties come from its natural ingredients. Because of these qualities aloe Vera is making its way into many skin care products, including a makeup remover specifically designed for the eye area. When the harmful free radicals created by rays of ultra violet light come in contact with skin they cause irreversible damage that eventually produces wrinkles, blemishes and age spots. But because aloe vera is also rich in antioxidants, it fights these free radicals and rejuvenates the skin. In other words, aloe vera is a natural sun screen.

Almay offers their Moisturizing Eye Makeup Remover with Aloe, Cucumber & Green Tea. While reviews vary, most agree it is effective at removing even stubborn, waterproof mascara and the best accolade was the product doesn’t sting. One negative mentioned repeatedly it the product is “very oily”. This product also comes in pre-moistened wipes.

Users of Supermodel Iman’s Eye Makeup Remover with Aloe Vera say this is a very gentle eye makeup remover effective in removing pigments, powders, and creams in the eye area. The tall tube contains a lot of product which makes this brand a great buy.

Neutrogena Eye Makeup Remover has “no oils” and a high content of aloe making it very effective for removing eye makeup. However, where most users say it is highly effective and easy to use, there is still a “slight quasi-oily residue left behind but it wipes off easily”.

Created by a dermatologist, Neutrogena Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover is said to be very gentle and effective for removing eye makeup, including waterproof mascara, with no oily residue.

Sephora Express Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover with Vitamin E is said to be very effective in removing stubborn eye makeup like waterproof mascara and eye-liners “in seconds”.

If you do decide to experiment with a few aloe-bearing eye makeup products, read the labels. When you locate the “Ingredients” recepie, the sooner the ingredient is mentioned the more of that ingredient there is in the product. So, if you are buying the product FOR its beneficial aloe content, make sure “aloe vera” isn’t at the bottom of the ingredients list. With many brands (even though the words “ALOE VERA” are printed prominently on the package), the product inside only contains diluted aloe vera “juice”, which has significantly fewer beneficial properties than straight-up aloe vera “gel” or “pulp”. Also, check the ingredients list for any harmful chemicals such as chemical additives or perfumes.

Now, what about all of you ladies who don’t like or want to spend a lot of money on something that might exist for pennies… or even free? Try using aloe vera “straight up”. Maybe there’s an aloe vera plant out in your garden just waiting for you to discover its usefulness and benefits.

Handle aloe vera leaves carefully. Those toothy edges and pointy tips can prove quite a challenge when trying to extract that beneficial pulp from inside. A serrated knife works best… and leather garden gloves. Cut the leaves from the plant at their base. Split the leaf full length down one side. Pry it open and there it is. Scoop out the gel with a spoon and apply to eye area. Not only is that gel nature’s answer to safely removing your eye makeup, it leaves behind so many beneficial properties.

So, do you want aloe in your makeup remover?

Well, only if you want to look younger longer.