How to Remove Long-wearing Mascara

Here's how to remove your long-wearing mascara easily.

It’s an age-old question: If you were stuck on a desert island, which three beauty products would you want with you? Chances are, mascara is one of them. After all, it’s one of the quickest ways to liven up your look—just two coats and eyes look wide-awake.

Of course, you'd need a long-wearing mascara to withstand desert-island living (e.g. sweat, weather, etc.)—actually, that goes for daily life wherever you are. High Impact Lash Elevating Mascara would be our pick for the survives-anything situation. It curls and lifts your lashes, and keeps them that way for 12 hours, without smudging, flaking, or clumping . (And who knows, the sky-high lashes it creates might just get spotted from a rescue plane above.)

The staying power you love in a long-wearing mascara is also what can make it seem harder to take off at the end of the day—unless you have the right tools and techniques. “It’s not that long-wearing mascara is difficult to remove,” says John Miller, a makeup artist and Director of Clinique Global Education Development. “It just requires a specific removal process. When you do it right, it’s not hard at all.” His secret weapon: Take The Day Off Makeup Remover For Lids, Lashes & Lips makes it easy thanks to the tugless dual-phase formula that’s tough on makeup, yet gentle on the delicate eye area.

Here’s how to remove long-wearing mascara swiftly and safely:

How to Remove Long-Wearing Mascara | Clinique

Step 1: Shake it up.

Take The Day Off Makeup Remover For Lids, Lashes & Lips packs the perfect one-two punch: One part of the solution breaks down the makeup, while the other part acts as a rinse to whisk it all away. Shake up the bottle to combine the dual-phase formula, then saturate a cotton round.

Step 2: Press and hold for 10 seconds.

Don’t rub and tug at your lashes to get the mascara off, which can damage and irritate the delicate skin around your eye area. Instead, hold the saturated cotton over your eyes for at least 10 seconds to give the remover enough time to fully break down and dissolve the mascara.

Step 3: Sweep it all away.

One common mistake is to only apply the makeup remover over closed eyelids, which means you’re only getting the tops of your lashes. Don’t forget to also sweep the makeup remover up through the underside of your lashes too.

Step 4: Do a touch test.

To make sure you’ve removed all the mascara, gently run your fingers over your lashes. If you feel any roughness still on the lashes, you need to go back with more remover. Don’t be hesitant to use more than one cotton round to make sure you really get it all off.

Photos: Mosspark | Words: Julie Redfern

Shop the Story

Take The Day Off™ Makeup Remover For Lids, Lashes & Lips

4.2 fl. oz. / 125 ml

6.7 fl. oz. / 200 ml