"Stuff I Like" Sunday: Un-Smeary Eyes

When I think of my mom, several things immediately come to mind:

- The phrase "Just look, don't touch," which I heard everysingleday of my childhood and, while annoying as hell back then, I find myself using with my children.

- Jergens lotion and cherry Chap-Stick, which is what she smelled like when I was little.

- Her relentless and unwavering campaign to make damn sure that I never, ever went to bed with makeup on my face. Especially my eyes.

I'm sure that last one is a big part of the reason that my mom, though in her early sixties, still has beautiful skin with minimal signs of aging. She looks way younger than she really is, so I can't help but take her advice because I don't want to look like a crocodile handbag when I'm her age. Therefore I ALWAYS remove my eye makeup before I go to bed, no matter how tired and zombiefied I am. If I don't, my eyes feel gritty and irritated when I wake up - not to mention I've got smudges underneath them to rival those little black smears a football player puts on. (What the hell are those for, anyway?)

Needless to say, I am a total eye makeup remover SNOB. I've cycled through many different brands and have actually ended up throwing some away without even using the whole thing. They're either too oily or too ineffective, removing the mascara from my lashes but leaving a residue underneath my eyes (or deceiving, where it looks like I've gotten all the makeup off until after I shower). But then I found the "holy grail" of eye makeup removers, and I swear to you I will never ever ever use ANYTHING except this:

Photo from MaryKay.com

Mary Kay Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover. (There's a reason why this is a Mary Kay Bestseller, folks.) Trust me when I say that my loyalty to this product is unprecedented - because I'm a total beauty product whore sampler. I jump from brand to brand with everything else I use. In fact, I can't think of any other item I consistently buy one brand of. But this stuff is just that good. It removes makeup easily and completely, without that surprise post-shower smudging. And it isn't all gross and greasy - no "I just dipped my eyes in an oil slick" feeling.
The only way I'd like it better is if it came in pre-moistened pads, because I'm lazy like that, but oh well.

I wish I could say that the peeps over at Mary Kay Cosmetics hooked me up with, like, a truckload of remover for pimping out their product. But alas, it is - as is EVERY edition of "Stuff I Like" Sunday - just an un-sponsored unprompted plug for, you know, stuff I like.

If you've ever had trouble with undereye smears, you'll like it too. I promise.

Incoherently babbled by Rita Templeton on Sunday, November 22, 2009

11 comments:

  1. I think the black marks under football players eyes are to combat light reflection making it difficult to see while they're playing. But you could probably google it.
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  2. I have that in my arsenal of beauty products too.
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  3. I am totally with you on this one! This is actually the only MK product I use, but I will never cheat on it with another. It has been the only eye-makeup remover I've found that can tackle waterproof mascara without an awful lot of scrubbing. . .and like you said, it isn't greasy and yuck. 3 cheers for MK!!!
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  4. This is my favorite too! I think I started talking my Mom into selling Mary Kay just so I would have access to a totally endless stock of it. It's really good for people like me who have contacts too. Love it!
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  5. Yay for me! Thanks to my constant nagging, I raised daughters who don't sleep in their makeup! LOL
    Actually, I can't take all the credit. My mom was a remove-your-makeup-before-bedtime freak as well. The statistics are quite convincing.....for every night you sleep in your makeup, you age your face 5 days! (Also, always moisturize your neck because it ages 3 times faster than your face.)
    If you're younger than 30 this might not seem important,but believe me, when you get to be 62 it will make a heck of a lot of difference. I recently went to a dermatologist (sans makeup...EEEEKKKKK!!!) who asked me what I was using on my face. I told her I'd used Mary Kay since 1978 and she said, "Well keep it up!"
    I suggest going to the link in Rita's blog and investing in some quality stuff for yourself......but just look, don't touch! ;o)
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  6. Oh, I am with you on taking off the make up before bed. No matter how dropping dead tired I am. Can't bear the thought of sleeping with it on... a bit of my OCD showing! :-)
    ***Ally
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  7. I just use soap and water to take my make-up off. I do like Mary Kay's microdermabrasion--not the after-cream, but just the scrub. It's made a huge difference in my skin.
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  8. I am SO good about taking all mascara off before bed. But I despise waterproof mascara because even with eye makeup remover...it sucks. LOL.
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  9. I am pretty good about getting my eye make up off, however my daughter who is allowed to wear mascara on special occasions, but is about to lose that priviledge since she ALWAYS forgets to wash it off!
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  10. As a sucker who sold Mary Kay (aka, I have a truckload in my basement that I never sold) the only thing I refuse to sell at cost is the Eye Makeup Remover. I've horded that all to myself and will cry the day that I actually have to find a rep to purchase some through...

    Anyone want some half priced MK makeup?
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  11. I got hooked on Paula Begoun's (www.cosmeticscop.com) gentle touch makeup remover because it is fragrance & color free, less expensive, more product.

    My mom told me when I was in my 20's and bemoaning my inability to tan to be patient because when I was in my 30's all my tanning friends would have alligator skin. She was right; it is sad. I still don't like my pearly white skin but I do like looking much younger than my years! No sun on my face (w/o sunscreen) in years!!
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