This is a quick and simple recipe for making your own gentle eye make-up remover.

Why Choose a Homemade Eye Makeup Remover?

In a world of complex ingredient lists, returning to basics is often the kindest thing we can do for our skin. Many commercial removers contain harsh alcohols or synthetic fragrances that can strip the delicate eye area. By creating your own gentle solution, you control exactly what touches your skin—ensuring it remains hydrated and calm.

The 2-Ingredient Recipe (Rosewater & Oil)

The beauty of this tonic lies in its simplicity. I have found that a 50/50 split of pure rosewater and a light carrier oil (like almond or jojoba) creates a dual-phase remover that rivals any luxury brand. The rosewater soothes inflammation, while the oil effortlessly dissolves even stubborn pigments without the need for rubbing.”

All you need is some good quality oil, Rosewater and Glycerin.

Make it in small batches as the ingredients are all natural and there is no preservative so it is best to make it fresh every few days, 50ml should last between 3-4 days if you plan on using it every morning and night.

Ingredients:

20ml Rosewater

20ml Jojoba oil

10ml Vegetable Glycerin

How to make:

Pour the Rosewater, Jojoba Oil and the Glyercin in a small bottle. Shake vigorously to combine the ingredients. This recipe is very similar to the home made Micella Water recipe which I wrote about a while ago. You can see the post by clicking this link.

As you can see from the test below, I applied a very dark colour pallet of eye shadow, eye liner and mascara and used the home made version on one eye lid and compared this to the Clinique Eye Make-up remover that I occassionnally use.

I was surprised as the Clinqiue remover was good, I’ve always used this as it’s non-scented and wipes away Make-up with only a couple of swipes. But the home-made version took off much more make-up with just one swipe. Result!

Better still is that it cost considerably less and smells lovely because of the Rosewater.

I’ve been using Rosewater for many years now and I don’t think there is anything better than this gorgeous smelling scented liquid.

simple ingredients for eye make-up remover

Update (May 2026): 

It has been nearly a decade since I first shared this recipe, and its relevance has only grown for me. Following my recent cataract surgery, I had to be incredibly mindful of what I used around my eyes. After the initial recovery period where makeup was off-limits, returning to this gentle, 2-ingredient remover was a sensory joy—it provided the cleanliness I needed without any of the irritation of synthetic brands. While I have continued to experiment with high-end products since then (which I’ll be sharing soon in a dedicated post on eye care for mature skin), this homemade classic remains my trusted baseline for sensitive days.