In what order should I take off my makeup?

This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.

The order in which you take off makeup is one of the steps that decides how much strain your skin takes. In Japan, makeup remover (クレンジング, kurenjingu) and face wash (洗顔料, senganryō) are sold as separate products, and the sequence below assumes that.

The basic sequence

1. Eyes and lips and other hard-to-remove areas, with a product made for them (look for ポイントメイクリムーバー, "point makeup remover") 2. Take off the whole face 3. Use a face wash (if the product says "W洗顔不要", no double cleansing needed, follow that label)

The Japanese Dermatological Association guideline gives twice a day as the guide for face washing and describes over-washing as a strain on the skin. The take-off step counts as the evening one of those two washes.

Why split it up

Makeup removers are designed to lift oil-based dirt (makeup, sunscreen). If you raise the strength for the whole face to match the hardest areas, the easy areas take more force than they need. Separate the parts from the whole and each gets the minimum it needs.

[Verify] The face-washing guide is from the Japanese Dermatological Association guideline. Check the primary source before publication.

Misunderstanding 1｜Taking it all off in one go is quicker

As above, splitting it up ends up being less of a strain.

Misunderstanding 2｜The longer you work it, the more comes off

The longer you move a product over the skin, the more friction. Keep to the time and amount on the product label.

Misunderstanding 3｜The same product is fine for the eyes

The skin around the eyes is generally described as thin. Use a product labelled for the eye area and do not rub.

Misunderstanding 4｜As long as it comes off, the method does not matter

No rubbing, and no residue left after rinsing — those are the practical points. The hairline, the chin and the sides of the nose are where residue tends to stay.

Misunderstanding 5｜Wipe-off sheets are easy and just as good

Wiping is a movement that involves friction. Whether to use them every day is a call to make on the state of your skin.

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Sources

• Japanese Dermatological Association (公益社団法人 日本皮膚科学会), "Dermatology Q&A" [皮膚科Q&A] / Guideline for the management of acne vulgaris [尋常性痤瘡治療ガイドライン]

https://www.dermatol.or.jp/qa/

• Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, "Revision of the scope of cosmetic efficacy claims" [化粧品の効能の範囲の改正について] (Notice Yakushoku-hatsu 0721 No. 1)

https://www.mhlw.go.jp/file/06-Seisakujouhou-11120000-Iyakushokuhinkyoku/kesyouhin_hanni_20111.pdf

• National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan (独立行政法人 国民生活センター)

https://www.kokusen.go.jp/

⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.

About this article

What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.

This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.

Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.

Cosmetics are not medicines and are not meant to diagnose, heal or prevent any condition. If your skin reacts, stop using the product and see a dermatologist.

If any product gets into your eyes, rinse them at once.

Sources

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