Eye make-up remover formulation
Last update on Jan 15, 2015
This article was originally published on January 15, 2015 and revised in 2025.
This guide examines eye make-up remover formulations, from cleansing milks to cleansing waters. It highlights safety for sensitive eyes, cleansing power, tolerance, pH balance, isotonicity, and formulation tips that ensure gentle yet effective removal.
Ingredients and method
Eye make-up remover formulation difficulty
- Before starting
- Typical ingredients / usual method & tips
- Sample recipe
- To go further
Before starting: Eye make-up remover formulation requires specific precautions. Indeed eyes and eye contours are particularly sensitive to irritations. There are typically two types of eye make-up removers:
- Cleansing milks based on fluid oil/water emulsions
- Cleansing waters which are formulated in the form of an aqueous solution into which ultra-mild surfactants are dispersed
Required qualities:
- Perfect tolerance, non-irritant for the cornea
- Sufficient cleansing power to remove eye makeup without insisting too much
- Pleasant or neutral odor
- Non-greasy
- Non-tacky
Usual method:
Disperse all hydrophilic ingredients in water under slow stirring; some surfactants should be dispersed in hot water (40°C). Oil-soluble ingredients like perfume and some kinds of preservatives should be added in the aqueous solution by pre-mixing them with a small amount of solubilizers/surfactants, in order to obtain homogeneity and clarity. Adjust the pH of the solution.
Typical Ingredients (Cleansing water):
| Component | Usage |
|---|---|
| Must use | |
| Mild surfactants/cleansers | 1–5% |
| Deionized water | Q.S.* |
| Usual | |
| Humectants | 3–30% |
| Emollients | 1–5% |
| pH Buffers | Q.S. proper pH |
| Preservatives | 0–0.02% |
| Optional | |
| Surfactants/solubilizers | 0–1% |
| Perfume | 0.5–1% |
| Active agents | Q.S. |
| Coloring agents | Q.S. |
| Floral water | 1–5% |
Tips and a sample recipe
| Sample recipe: Mild eye make-up remover | ||
|---|---|---|
| Composition | Function | % (w/w) |
| Phase A | ||
| Deionized water | Q.S. | |
| Polyquaternium-10 | Active / Conditioning Agent | 0.02 |
| PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate | Mild Surfactant / Emollient | 1.70 |
| PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate | Mild Surfactant | 1.50 |
| PPG-10 Methyl Glucose Ether | Mild Surfactant / Emollient | 1.30 |
| Sodium Cocoamphopropionate | Mild Surfactant | 3.50 |
| Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Glycerin, Methylparaben, Benzoic Acid | Preservative / Blend | 0.70 |
| Triethanolamine | pH Buffer | Q.S. |
Method
Phase A: Disperse the polyquaternium in the water. Heat the mixture to 45°C to disperse PEG-120 methyl glucose dioleate and PEG-120 methyl glucose sesquistearate. Remove from heat and add the remaining ingredients. Adjust the pH to 7,4 with the TEA.
Properties: Clear solution, mildness, pH = 7,4
What are the two main requirements to be respected in order to prevent the irritations?
- pH of product must be equal to pH of tears. pH of tears is slightly alkaline:7.4 (7.0-7.8). So, product should contain agents for establishing the same pH as tears
- Isotonicity : Products should contain tonicity agents to establish isotonicity with tears (saline concentration of product should be equal to saline concentration of tears)
To go further
- Floral waters content: Rose water, chamomile and corn flower extracts can bring soothing and reduce puffiness that may occur during cleansing.
- Preservatives content: Irritations are often due to preservatives. Mono dose packaging allows a dramatic reduction of the required percentage of preservative in the product.
*Q.S. (quantum sufficit) = as much as suffices