How to Remove Magnetic Eyeliner Without Scrubbing
Water will not remove magnetic eyeliner, and scrubbing is the wrong answer. Use a micellar or oil based remover on a pad or your fingertips, hold it against the lash line for a few seconds to let it dissolve the liner, then wipe gently outwards. No rubbing needed.
Why is magnetic eyeliner harder to remove than normal eyeliner?
Two reasons, and both are the point of the product.
The first is iron oxide, the pigment that makes the liner magnetic. It is a standard cosmetic ingredient, already in foundations, mascaras, lipsticks, eyeshadows and cosmetic tattooing, but a magnetic liner carries a much higher concentration of it so the lash has something to hold.
The second is that the liner is built to stay put. Youthphoria's black and brown magnetic liners are waterproof, windproof and sweat proof, and hold for 16 to 24 hours. A liner designed to survive a hot day and a long night is not going to come off with a splash of water.
Will water remove magnetic eyeliner?
No. Water will not shift eyeshadow or foundation properly either, and magnetic liner is considerably more tenacious than both. Trying anyway is how people end up rubbing at their eyelids, which is the thing to avoid.
How do you remove magnetic eyeliner properly?
- Take the lashes off first. Peel gently from the outer corner. Never drag the band sideways and never pull it straight out.
- Let the remover do the work. Press a micellar or oil based remover against the lash line and hold for a few seconds. The liner needs a moment to dissolve before it will lift.
- Wipe outwards, gently. It should come away as a film rather than smearing. If it smears, you have not waited long enough.
- Repeat once if needed. A second pass is normal after a heavy application, and is still gentler than scrubbing.
A gel cleanser massaged into the lid for 30 to 60 seconds works too, and is what a lot of people already have in the shower.
What we made for it
Enough customers asked that we formulated our own: an Australian made All-in-1 Micellar Foam Cleanser and Makeup Remover. It uses a gentle, sulphate free surfactant that dissolves and lifts the liner at a molecular level, so the liner comes away instead of being scrubbed off.
It is fortified with glycerin and aloe vera water to soothe the skin, and it is soap free, ethoxylate free, alcohol free and paraben free, vegan and not tested on animals. It is made in Australia with 99.4% plant derived and Ecocert ingredients. The 50ml bottle gives around 200 uses, and it works on the rest of your makeup as well, so it is not a single purpose bottle.
It removes the Crystal Clear liner as well as the black and brown magnetic liners.
One thing not to do: micellar on the lash band
This catches people out because both halves of the advice are true and they sound contradictory. Micellar water, oil based remover and gel cleanser are exactly right for taking liner off your skin. They are the wrong thing entirely for the lash band, where the solvents break the band and the fibres down over time.
Clean the lashes with Isocol on a cotton bud instead. The lash cleaning routine is here.
Frequently asked questions
How do you remove magnetic eyeliner?
Take the lashes off first, then press a micellar or oil based remover against the lash line and hold it there for a few seconds so it can dissolve the liner. Wipe gently outwards and it lifts away as a film. A gel cleanser massaged in for 30 to 60 seconds does the same job. Do not scrub.
Why will water not remove magnetic eyeliner?
Because the liner is waterproof, windproof and sweat proof by design, and holds for 16 to 24 hours. Water does not properly shift eyeshadow or foundation either, and magnetic liner is more stubborn than both. It needs a remover that dissolves it.
What is in magnetic eyeliner that makes it hard to remove?
Iron oxide, at a higher concentration than in ordinary makeup, which is what gives the lash something magnetic to grip. Iron oxide itself is a common cosmetic pigment found in foundation, mascara, lipstick, eyeshadow and cosmetic tattooing.
Can you use micellar water on magnetic lashes?
On your eyelid, yes. On the lash band, no. Micellar water, oil based removers and cleansers contain solvents that break down the band and the fibres. Clean the lashes themselves with a cotton bud dipped in Isocol instead.
Does the same remover work on the Crystal Clear liner?
Yes. The All-in-1 Micellar Foam Cleanser and Makeup Remover is formulated to take off the clear liner as well as the black and brown magnetic liners, and it removes the rest of your makeup too.
