Ever patted your eyes with a cotton pad soaked with makeup remover, only to get this burning sensation in your eyes like your cornea is on fire? The worst! Or when you have to scrub your hard that, by the time the makeup is off, it looks like you've been punched in the eye? Well, Jane Iredale offers a much gentler — not to mention convenient — alternative with her "Dot the i" Makeup Remover Swabs.
Each tube packs 50 double-sided cotton swabs that resemble Q-tips, but here's the twist: there's a liquid swirling inside each swab's thin stem. The liquid is, in fact, the makeup remover, a botanical formula that incorporates such soothing ingredients as lavender flower extract, hydrating algae extract a skin conditioning algae leaf extract. In order to "activate" each swab, you need to bend the one end of the swab with a striped tip (it's literally a thin blue line running along the swab tip) until it breaks. The liquid will then flow to the opposite end of the swab and you can simply swipe the moist cotton tip along your eyelids to remove eyeshadow, liner and mascara.
If you've piled on the makeup, do expect to use 4-5 cotton swabs since, while they're quite absorbent each swab tip is limited by its sheer size. That being said, the makeup removal experience will be a breeze, especially since you can deftly love through every crease or apply to the lower lash line without fear of spilling excess liquid into your eye. Also, the makeup remover formula leaves the delicate skin around your eyes feeling replenished and hydrated, as if you'd applied a conditioning toner or eye treatment.
The only minus? Snapping the striped tip of each swab isn't always as easy as it sounds — sometimes, it'll break off with just a bit of pressure whereas, other times, you'll be bending the swab back and forth as if playing with one of those crazy flexible straws, without any rupturing.
Overall, however, this is a convenient and effective alternative, especially if you want to avoid clutter or you have sensitive skin that reacts to the harsh chemicals often found in other makeup removers. Also, the tube that houses these swabs is a convenient, travel-ready size, making this a great buy for women on the move.
Jane Iredale "Dot the i" Makeup Remover Swabs, $22. Visit Dermstore.com or, for a full list of retailers, log on to JaneIredale.com
