Almay Makeup Remover and Cream Cleanser review

After a long day of wearing makeup, the last thing someone wants to think about it struggling to remove their makeup late at night. Having a makeup remover that works quickly and removes all traces of makeup, even waterproof, would be an awesome addition to someone’s night time skincare routine (a girl can dream, can’t she?!) So, when I saw the new Almay Makeup Remover and Cream Cleanser, it looked like it could do double duty as both a makeup remover and cleanser. I picked it up at Ulta for $5.99, the price point made it worth giving the product a try.

The product claims:

Almay Makeup Remover + Cream Cleanser is a multitasking, lightweight cleansing cream effortlessly removes even the most stubborn waterproof and longwearing makeup and deep cleanses in one simple step. Formulated with a naturally derived hypoallergenic Rice Milk for a gentle, soft, and conditioned clean face. Your skin feels hydrated, soft and conditioned. Great for normal/dry skin types.

Directions: Gently massage cream all over damp eyes, face and neck. Wipe with wet washcloth and rinse with water if desired. Pat dry.

Safe for sensitive skin and won't clog pores. Dermatologist tested. Almay - Quality ingredients. Hypoallergenic. American science

I was very excited to try this product, a cleanser and makeup remover in one...sign me up! Having acne prone, dry skin with early signs of aging is a mini-curse of its own, so to have a cleanser formulated to be is non-comedogenic and moisturizing, especially with the winter months upon us, is a big plus for me.

The product scent is light, slightly sweet, not overpowering or chemical smelling in any way. The texture of the product is smooth and creamy, with no abrasive quality whatsoever. Application is pleasant, and the product rinses cleanly off of the face. As a cleanser, this product did leave my skin feeling smooth and hydrated. As a makeup remover, well, let us discuss that. I admit it, I fell asleep in my makeup (cardinal skin sin #1, do not fall asleep in your makeup - oops) and needed to get off the smeared makeup off from all over the side of my face. The cleanser washed away all my face products, brow product and remaining eyeshadow. Now, here is where my problem with this cleanser as a makeup remover lies - it did not remove the liquid eyeliner from my lid or mascara very well, if at all. After using the product and removing it per the directions (wipe with a wet washcloth, do this very gently and try not to tug on your skin) I thought maybe I did something wrong and didn't apply enough to my eyes, so I re-wet my face and tried again. I applied slightly more product and gently rubbed it into the lash line and eyelashes and removed it again per directions. Still, second time, it left about 50% of my eye makeup behind. The worst part about it not removing the makeup, the product burns when it got into my eye! Yes, I opened one eye slightly to find my washcloth to remove it, and when I did that, the product got right in there and burned my poor, unsuspecting eyeball. Damn.

While I do like this product as a basic makeup remover/cleanser, I will not reach for this as my only product to cleanse and remove my makeup. I may start using this product as a primary means of removing strictly face makeup, but I will continue to use a makeup remover wipe for eye makeup and then follow it with one of my regular face washes. (I am a fan of double cleansing, what can I say? haha)  

What do you like to use to remove your makeup? Any favorite makeup remover? Share your favorites with us and let us know, we would love to hear from you!

XOXO