The Best Things for Removing Makeup Stains from Clothes, According to Makeup Artists

Photo: Brendan Smialowksi/AFP/Getty Images

It is a fact of life that if you wear makeup, you volition inevitably get some of it on your clothes. It is too a fact of life that removing makeup from your clothes can be a real pain — any makes your eyeliner smudge-proof on your lids makes it only as difficult to remove from your white shirt. Luckily, that white shirt is non a lost cause, considering with the correct tools, y'all can remove those stubborn stains from eyeliner — and foundation, mascara, loose powder, lipstick, and other makeup — for practiced. When it comes to what exactly to apply to remove makeup stains, "it all depends on what ingredients are in the product that stained the clothes," explains makeup artist Sofiia Strykova. "If the product is waterproof, you would need an oil-based remover to break it down first. If it is not waterproof, and so an booze-based cleaner is a good option. It's all almost the proper chemical science."

To find out the best products and techniques for getting makeup stains off all sorts of clothes, we spoke to seven makeup artists and cleaning professionals for their tried-and-truthful picks and tricks. Non surprisingly, many of them said the best all-purpose matter to apply to become makeup off your clothes would be the same thing you use to get it off your confront — makeup remover — whether in liquid or wipe form. Only there are less obvious solutions, also, including some things you might already take in your cleaning closet. Read on for every product the experts told us nigh, and how to employ it.

Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover
G2PLUS Disposable Mascara Wand Applicator 100 Pack

The best time to attack a makeup mishap is right away, according to the experts we spoke to. "Try to remove all stains as soon as you detect them," says Kadi Dulude, owner of New York Metropolis–based cleaning company Wizard of Homes. "Don't requite information technology time to really sink into fabric." Fortunately, the best product to use on a multifariousness of makeup stains is something y'all'll near likely already take on hand: makeup remover. For waterproof mascara and eyeliner stains, for instance, Dulude and makeup creative person Shara Strand recommend using an oil-free eye makeup remover to remove stains from garments. "Apply what you lot'd use to become information technology off your eyes," says Dulude. "Use make-upward remover to gently remove the stain. Only brand sure it'southward an oil-free remover, or you'll brand the stain even worse." She recommends Neutrogena's oil-gratis eye makeup remover, and Strand (who created her own oil-gratuitous makeup remover for her Shara cosmetics line) says eye-makeup removers like hers and Neutrogena's volition fifty-fifty work on stains beyond mascara: "An eye-makeup remover is the all-time mode to remove any makeup stains on vesture, including waterproof makeup. In my opinion, it's the surefire, tried-and-true, tested way to go." Makeup artist Kornelija Slunjski at Honey Artists agrees, saying she uses it on lipstick stains, too, considering of their oil-based formula.

To aid get stains out when using an oil-free, liquid heart-makeup remover, Strand as well arms herself with disposable mascara spoolies and a white towel. But before yous piece of work the stain, Strand stresses to first wash your hands: "When yous've been effectually makeup, the littlest bit will travel." Then, she suggests taking a dry mascara spooly and a small amount of the remover — "a little scrap travels a long way"— and utilize it to the stain either over a sink or a towel. "Gently, without too much strength, remove the stain using a dorsum-and-along motion for near 10 seconds at a time," she says. "I would await and let it dry out. See how information technology kind of dries out, then as needed, you can apply it again. You could even have a pilus dryer and dry information technology out then at that place's no water stain." Strykova besides employs a spooly for combatting stains. "I find that using a cotton pad wrapped around disposable mascara wand and soaked into the advisable cleaner is the best way to work with the stain," she says. "It helps to apply the perfect amount of pressure on the stain."

Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes

Makeup artist Melissa Bedi as well uses makeup remover in the grade of wipes to fight stains. "If I have information technology handy, I first accomplish for my Neutrogena makeup wipes," she says. "They accept a mild makeup remover in them, and if used right away, can eliminate the stain with piddling endeavour. Always use a dabbing motion in place of rubbing the stain." They're especially useful for powdered makeup stains, like those from eyeshadow. "Yous want to take your hand and merely dust information technology off," says Bedi, to prevent spreading and setting. "I find it best to blow off the excess, and then use a makeup wipe or makeup remover on a cotton pad to remove it." Slunjski agrees: "When it comes to stains caused by loose powders, I find that a makeup wipe does the trick, and a slice of scotch tape, if it'due south only sitting on the fabric."

Grandma's Secret Spot Remover

Dulude says that "one thing I ever effort first is to gently rub the stain with dry blistering soda," but if that doesn't work, she reaches for this all-purpose spot remover equally a first line of attack. "It'due south an like shooting fish in a barrel matter to endeavor and good to take at hand — not just for makeup stains on apparel but also on stains on rugs and material couches," she says. "And as with any stain-removing process, try it out on a modest hidden surface area first to make sure that it won't ruin or fade the fabric."

Barbasol Original Shaving Cream

Beauty and grooming products are besides not bad for removing makeup stains, according to our experts, three of whom recommended shaving cream for combatting pesky foundation stains. "The best product I accept found for removing foundation stains is shaving foam — peculiarly in one case a stain is prepare into the cloth," says Bedi, who keeps Barbasol shaving cream in her kit at all times. Dulude agrees: "The ingredients in shaving cream should help loosen upwards the stain earlier the wash." Makeup artist Vanessa Ungaro also uses shaving foam on foundation stains. To get them out, she says to "dampen the area with cold water and apply shaving cream straight onto the stain. Rub gently with your fingers or a soft toothbrush." If yous need a little actress potency, Ungaro recommends calculation a drop of rubbing alcohol into the mixture and to continue rubbing gently. Then launder the item of habiliment in warm water. If you don't have shaving cream handy, Dulude says shampoo is some other product she uses to go foundation stains — as well as those from powders and concealers — out of clothes. She recommends this natural shampoo from Puracy.

Boldify Hair-Thickening Spray

Hair spray also came up a lot among our panel of experts as another makeup-stain remover that works particularly well on lipstick stains. Dulude uses Boldify hair spray: "Spray a little pilus spray onto the lipstick stain, leave it on for x minutes, then lightly tap and scrub the stain and and so wash in the machine as usual." Bedi turns to hair spray, too, every bit an "in-the-moment solution" that volition lock the stain in identify and forestall it from spreading. "Merely wait for the hair spray to dry, then accept a cold, wet face cloth and spot treat past doing pressing motions," she explains. "This will help loosen the stain and remove the hair spray gently. The hair spray I have been using in my kit is Moroccanoil Luminous Hairspray Extra Strong, but any strong-agree, alcohol-based hairspray will do." Ungaro agrees, saying that an alcohol-based hair spray is another of her favorite makeup-stain removers.

Swan Isopropyl Alcohol, 2-Pack

"The most universal cleaning production is whatever type of rubbing alcohol," says Bedi. Similar an alcohol-based hairspray, it's peculiarly useful in removing lipstick. "Lipstick is waxy and stains, [but] an alcohol-based product, or merely direct rubbing booze on a cotton ball will take it correct off," says Bedi, who uses booze on stains caused by eyeliners and lip liners, too. Our other experts agree. According to Theresa Williams, co-founder of Williamsburg laundromat Celsious, "lipsticks and pencils are ordinarily wax-based and elevator well by blotting with a fabric or paper towel soaked in rubbing alcohol." Strykova also turns to alcohol in removing non-waterproof makeup stains.

Lysol Disinfectant Spray

In the absence of alcohol, hairspray, or eye-makeup remover, Slunjski says you can too remove lipstick stains using a grease-fighting household cleaner like Lysol. "Spray information technology on the stain and let it sit for 15 to twenty minutes," she says. "If I experience the stain will hands come out, I'd hand wash it. Or I'll put it in the washer if information technology's more 'hard-core' and permit my washing machine take over."

Biokleen Free and Clean Dish Liquid Soap

Because of its grease-cut backdrop, it's not surprising that many of our experts say dish lather will also work like a amuse on a range of makeup stains. "Using a degreasing soap works just likewise to remove lipstick, lipgloss, and eyeliner," says Ungaro, who says it will piece of work on oil-based foundation stains, too, although information technology may require a piddling more than endeavour due to dish soap's heavier consistency. She recommends starting with a prewash spot cleaner (more than on that below), but "if you practice not see the stain lifting, apply a liquid dish soap with a degreasing amanuensis directly onto information technology," she says. Dulude recommended Biokleen dish lather (which she uses on stains from self-tanning lotions), but Bedi and other dish-soap advocates say virtually standard dish soaps, like Dawn, will work. "But utilize detergent to the stain and scrub away," says Bedi. "This is definitely a afterward move if other techniques are non available. If the stain is still existence stubborn, yous tin sponge the expanse with some white vinegar, then repeat previous steps." Strykova agrees: "With old stains, you lot've got to clean first with the appropriate brush cleaner, and so follow upwards with dishwashing liquid, then throw it into the washing machine and add a stain remover liquid for best results."

Meliora Cleaning Products Laundry Stain-Removal Soap Stick

Williams agrees that lather makes a good a makeup-stain remover, and recommends using this vegetable-oil-based soap stick that — like other vegetable-oil-based soaps — "is extremely potent at lifting grease stains," she says. Williams told us that Meliora's ecofriendly Laundry Stain Removal Soap Stick is the go-to makeup-stain remover at Celsious, where they aim to "tackle even the toughest stains with all natural and non-toxic products that are also like shooting fish in a barrel to use at home." To utilise it, she suggests lightly wetting the stain with h2o, then rubbing in the soap with a clean cloth or toothbrush. "Let it sit for five to ten minutes and so dab the stain with a clean piece of cloth, transferring equally much of the lifted production as possible from your garment to the rag," she says. "Repeat and occasionally flip the garment inside out to work the stain from both sides. One time the stain has significantly lifted, rinse the spot under running water. Once the stain is fully removed launder as per garment intendance instructions."

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The Best Things for Removing Makeup Stains from Clothes