{Review} Mary Kay Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover

So a while ago I ran out of my eye makeup remover. I was using the Moisturizing Liquid Eye Makeup Remover from Almay. And while I really liked it, it lasted so long that when I finally finished it I was itching to try something new, so I got the Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover from Mary Kay.

Now, Mary Kay isn't a brand that I've tried very much, only a handful of products over the past few years because my aunt was in love with their stuff. I think one of the main reasons I never really got into it is availability. I really dislike that I can't just got to the store and see/feel/swatch the products myself. Relying on catalog pictures really puts a damper on the shopping experience. That and I think the picture people get when they think Mary Kay is of the older woman. I don't know many people my age that use Mary Kay, but I know my mom and my aunts love the stuff. However, a friend of mine sells Mary Kay now and I finally gave into the urge and tried out a few things from them, the biggie being the eye makeup remover.

Now the unique thing about this bi phased eye makeup removers is that it doesn't contain oil. Usually, one layer is a water (with preservatives, scents, etc) and the other is an oil. With this eye makeup remover one layer is still the water but the other contains silicone. Now, this does make a difference. While the oil actually melts away and dissolves oil/wax based mascaras and eyeliners, etc, silicone products, I think, make it easier to rub them off. The way I realized this was when I noticed that if I just soaked a pad with this remover and placed it over my eye for a minute and then tried to gently slide it off, my eyeliner and mascara were pretty much still there. If I put it on a q-tip and tubbed, voila it was gone! With my Almay oil based remover, I didn't have to rub if I didn't want to.

IMPORTANT: This is a silicone based product. If you have allergies/reactions to silicone based foundations, PRIMERS, etc, this will not be the product for you!

What it actually looks like:

It looks pink in the container, but I think that's the plastic it comes in. The actual remover is clear. I like this new chic packaging much better than the older packaging which looked a bit dated.

You can clearly see the two layers in this pic.

The way this bi phased product works is that you have to shake it up before using it every time. If you don't shake it you'll only get one of the layers and it doesn't work as well.

Shake just a little=pretty!

If you shake it just a little you get this pretty, shimmery bubbly effect!

Pretty, right?

Before shaking:

It's clear.

After shaking:

It's no longer transparent, more milky looking.

The dispenser:

I actually don't like this mode of dispensing. With my Almay one I could just dip a q-tip in, one per eye, and be done. With this, you actually have to pour the product out. Whenever I tried aiming at the q-tip I would end up wasting a lot so now I just pour some on a makeup wipe and rub all over my eyes. I have found that I still use a lot more that I did with my Almay remover.

A comparison:

Almay is on the left, Mary Kay is on the right. Now, you may say that it protects against spillage, but I'm not much of a klutz. I had the Almay remover for close to a year, but never spilled it. I tried removing the stopper with the hole in it (idk what you call it lol) but then when I would close the remover it would leak out of the container, so I stuck it back in.

As a makeup remover, this product works. It will remove the makeup. It removes waterproof mascara, eyeliner and the like. The issue I have with it is how it removes it. I don't like having to rub my eyes a lot. It's different with a q-tip because I'm mostly rubbing the lash line, not the actual skin. I wear contacts and since I've started wearing them my eyes (and the skin around them) have been very very sensitive to things like sunlight, sudden changes in light, glitter, powder, and of course rubbing. I've also read in other peoples reviews that a lot of people have had reactions to this remover. I don't know if it's just the silicone in it or what, but if you have sensitive skin or eyes I would do a patch test before using it because I've heard a lot of people having issues with itching, burning, hives like bumps, etc.

In addition, I hate how much product I end up wasting with each use. If I was able to use this on a q-tip I would not be using any where near as much. Because I have to pour it on a towelette or a cotton pad or ball, I end up using more product for the same result. Since it's not exactly cheap, this becomes a problem real fast for me.

If you don't mind rubbing, this makeup remover will work for you. However, even then there are several oil-free makeup removers at the drugstore which will work just as well and for a fraction of the cost.

Pros:

-Removes waterproof makeup.

-Isn't greasy.

-Doesn't leave a residue.

-Pretty! The packaging and the bubbles lol!

-No strong smell.

Cons:

-Silicone based.

-Requires rubbing to be effective.

-Have to shake every single time before using.

-Inefficient dispenser for those who like to use q-tips to remove makeup.

-Expensive (not as much as Lancome's Bi-Facil, but Lancome's works better too).

Info:

Price: $15

Ingredients: WATER, CYCLOTETRASILOXANE, ISOHEXADECANE, HEXYLENE GLYCOL, SODIUM CHLORIDE, BENZYL ALCOHOL, IMIDAZOLIDINYL UREA, POTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, DISODIUM EDTA, POLOXAMER 184, BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE.

Disclosure: The product featured in this post was purchased by me for the purpose of my personal use. If you have any further questions about disclosure, don't hesitate to ask in comments.