For years, I have religiously removed my makeup every night. Granted, sometimes (especially after I’ve fallen asleep on the sofa) the idea is as appealing as sticking pins in my eyes. However, I am very aware that skipping it results in clogged pores, breakouts, mucky pillows and eventually can lead to prematurely aged skin.
The key is to make cleansing at night as easy as possible…
My favourite go-to cleansers right now are the gels/oils that you apply directly to dry skin before rinsing off. Somehow removing that ‘wet your face first’ step makes a massive psychological difference for me. However, I was really curious and hopeful, when a product arrived claiming to remove my makeup without need for cleanser only water required!
Introducing the Afterspa makeup remover cloth!
Priced at only £5.50 and claiming to work for up to 1000 washes – if this worked – my bank balance and I were about to get very happy.
To ignite the magic, I just had to wash the Afterspa makeup remover cloth in the washing machine before first use. Given that my washing machine is constantly on the go, this wasn’t a big ask. Once dry, the cloth was gloriously fluffy and soft.
That night, I wet the cloth with warm water and massaged over my face. The massaging is required to help break down impurities and remove all types of makeup. I did question for a moment whether I was just being fooled into washing my face with a fancy flannel and water, but if this was going to work, I was ready to be deceived.
To give the Afterspa makeup remover cloth a good chance, I did massage for a good while. Possibly even slightly longer than I would do with my regular cleanser. After a pat dry of the face, I was ready for my own (if I might add – cleverly devised) micellar test.
I always want to be confident that I have removed all traces of make-up after cleansing…
To accomplish this I sweep over – on a cotton pad – either a Micellar cleansing water or a toner. The cleaner the cotton pad (and the less pads required) – in my opinion – the better the result.
As you will see from the picture above, I required 2 cotton pads, with still a good trace of makeup appearing on them. However I was pleased to note no trace of any eye-makeup. Unfortunately, my skin didn’t feel particularly refreshed and nourished, despite the application of my night-cream.
I did the same test with my current cleanser the next evening and you can see only one pad was required, with hardly any trace of makeup on it.
Would I recommend the Afterspa makeup remover cloth?
I would suggest the Afterspa makeup remover cloth would be more suited to people who don’t wear any (or hardly any) makeup. It’s a reasonable ‘wash the day’ off solution.
The Afterspa makeup remover cloth is very travel friendly (think light, small and not liquid!). I would consider taking it on my next overnight flight.
On a positive note…
My belief in the value of cleansers has definitely been reaffirmed and the benefits derived from the slightly extra effort of using them.
Whilst the Afterpa makeup remover cloth definitely has its uses, I can hear cleansing product manufacturers breathing a collective sigh of relief (for now).
You can find out more about Afterspa here
Want to discover some great cleansers? Read: Recommended Facial Cleansers (For all skin types)
Have you used a makeup remover cloth before? Do you believe I’m right in my assessment or do you feel these are the future of cleansing? Have you discovered any good beauty hacks that a makeup remover can be used for? If you have any questions about the Afterspa makeup remover cloth (or any of the other products I’ve mentioned) just ask! I’m happy to help and I always love to hear from you!
