Makeup remover is a skincare product designed to remove makeup from the skin, eyes, and lips. Makeup removers are typically used as the first step of the cleansing routine to break down makeup on the skin’s surface. Makeup remover may be followed with a cleanser to draw out dirt and impurities deeper from the skin.
Looking for a vegan makeup remover? We have listed the best vegan makeup removers for every skin type and need. From vegan makeup removal balms to vegan eye makeup removers – see our tried and true favorites from Farmacy to Bliss.
All makeup removers below are vegan and cruelty-free, meaning they are free from animal-derived ingredients and have not been tested on animals. We only recommend vegan skincare products that are also cruelty-free.
See also: Best Vegan Cleansers
Best Vegan Makeup Removers
These are the best vegan makeup removers in 2024.
- Best overall: Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Meltaway Cleansing Balm
- Best for eyes: The Body Shop Camomile Gentle Eye Makeup Remover
- Best for waterproof makeup: Glossier Milky Oil Makeup Remover
- Best for dry skin: Tatcha The Camellia Cleansing Oil
- Best for oily skin: Fenty Skin Total Cleans’r Remove-It-All Cleanser
- Best for combination skin: Eadem Dew Dream Hydrating Cleansing Balm
- Best for sensitive skin: The Outset Gentle Micellar Antioxidant Cleanser
- Best wipes: Bliss Makeup Melt Oil-Free Makeup Remover Wipes
Best Vegan Makeup Remover Overall
1. Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Meltaway Cleansing Balm
Farmacy Green Clean Cleansing Balm is the best vegan makeup remover. It melts away all makeup, including waterproof makeup and eye makeup with complete ease. The skin feels clean and refreshed but not dry or tight at all. We also love that it leaves behind no residue on the skin and it smells great.
This bestselling vegan makeup-removing balm uses ginger root oil to nourish the skin and papaya enzymes to gently exfoliate the skin and purify pores. The balm is loved across all skin types from oily to dry and sensitive. The spatula for applying the balm is included in the package.
- What we like: melts away all makeup, skin feels hydrated
- What we don’t like: like all balms, it can linger on the lashes a bit and make the sight a bit foggy when removing eye makeup
Key ingredients: sunflower oil, ginger root oil, papaya enzymes, turmeric, moringa | Features: vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, phthalate-free, synthetic fragrance-free, mineral oil-free, GMO-free, recyclable packaging | Price: $36 (3.4 oz)
Other vegan makeup remover balms our team voted for:
– Juno & Co Clean 10 Cleansing Balm: best vegan cleansing balm runner-up
– IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Makeup Cleansing Balm: best anti-aging vegan makeup remover
– E.l.f. Holy Hydration Makeup Melting Balm: best affordable vegan makeup remover
– True Botanicals Ginger Turmeric Cleansing Balm: best organic vegan makeup remover
Best Vegan Makeup Remover For Eyes
2. The Body Shop Camomile Gentle Eye Makeup Remover
This vegan eye makeup remover from The Body Shop is fantastic. It’s super gentle on the eyes and doesn’t sting or burn or tug at eyelashes. It dissolves mascara, eyeliner, and eyeshadow without any effort. The natural vegan makeup remover also removes some waterproof mascaras but not all of them, so you can’t count on that.
- What we like: gentle and non-irritating, removes eye makeup and lip makeup
- What we don’t like: not the best for removing waterproof mascara
Key ingredients: camomile water, vegan glycerin | Features: vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, fragrance-free, ophthalmologist-tested, safe for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers, recycled and recyclable packaging | Price: $19 (8.4 oz)
Shop on: Amazon, Official site
Best Vegan Makeup Remover For Waterproof Makeup
3. Glossier Milky Oil Makeup Remover
If you are looking for a great vegan waterproof makeup remover, we recommend Glossier Milky Oil. It’s a very lightweight oil and micellar water blend that dissolves long-wearing and waterproof makeup, including heavy-duty waterproof mascara. Enriched with skin vitamins, the skin feels clean and nourished but not greasy.
- What we like: removes waterproof makeup quickly, doesn’t burn the eyes
- What we don’t like: the bottle runs out quite fast
Key ingredients: micelles, pro-vitamin B5, comfrey root extract | Features: vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, phthalate-free, sulfate-free, gluten-free, dermatologist-tested, ophthalmologist-tested, safe for contact lens wearers | Price: $14 (3.4 oz)
Shop on: Sephora, Official site
Best Vegan Makeup Remover For Dry Skin
4. Tatcha The Camellia Cleansing Oil
The luxurious Camellia Cleansing Oil is the best vegan makeup remover for dry skin. The vegan makeup removing oil gets rid of all makeup (even waterproof makeup) and SPF while not stripping the skin. Instead, it leaves dry skin moisturizer and nourishes the skin with vitamin-rich botanicals.
- What we like: great makeup remover, skin feels hydrated
- What we don’t like: includes fragrance, quite expensive
Key ingredients: camellia flower, rice, green tea, and algae extract | Features: vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, phthalate-free, silicone-free, gluten-free | Price: $50 (5 oz)
Other vegan makeup remover oils we like include Boscia MakeUp-BreakUp Cool Cleansing Oil, Dermalogica Precleanse Cleansing Oil, and Mara Algae Enzyme Cleansing Oil.
Best Vegan Makeup Remover For Oily Skin
5. Fenty Skin Total Cleans’r Remove-It-All Cleanser
For oily skin, we recommend Fenty’s Total Cleans’r – a multitasking cleanser and vegan makeup remover in one. This oil-free vegan makeup remover gets rid of all kinds of makeup and also draws out excess oil from the skin and pores.
The texture of this vegan makeup removal cream is truly nice and creamy and we love how soft and clean the skin feels after using this. Being non-comedogenic, it’s also the best vegan makeup remover for acne-prone skin.
- What we like: leaves oily skin clean and clear
- What we don’t like: includes fragrance
Key ingredients: barbados cherry, green tea, ginkgo bilboa | Features: vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, oil-free, gluten-free, non-comedogenic, black-owned business | Price: $28 (4.9 oz)
Shop on: Sephora, Official site
Best Vegan Makeup Remover For Combination Skin
6. Eadem Dew Dream Hydrating Cleansing Balm
Eadem Dew Dream is the best vegan makeup remover for combination skin. It melts makeup like a dream without leaving the oily T-zone greasy or stripping the drier areas from moisture. Combo skin looks and feels clean and balanced. It has a unique light jelly texture that turns to oil. Plus, it smells so fresh.
- What we like: great lightweight texture, melts all makeup
- What we don’t like: can leave some residue
Key ingredients: tiger grass, allantoin, moringa, Kalahari melon | Features: vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, phthalate-free, sulfate-free, synthetic fragrance-free, synthetic dye-free, gluten-free, non-comedogenic | Price: $30 (3.4 oz)
Shop on: Sephora, Official site
Best Vegan Makeup Remover For Sensitive skin
7. The Outset Gentle Micellar Antioxidant Cleanser
Scarlet Johansson’s skincare brand The Outset offers the best vegan makeup remover for sensitive skin. This vegan micellar water does a great job of removing makeup and SPF without irritating or drying out the skin. It’s chemical-free, fragrance-free, gluten-free, and allergy-tested. It’s also safe for removing eye makeup.
- What we like:
- What we don’t like:
Key ingredients: micelles, botanical hyaluronic acid, amino acids, fruit extracts | Features: vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, phthalate-free, sulfate-free, fragrance-free, gluten-free, nut allergen-free, silicone-free, allergy-tested, safe for sensitive skin, recycled and refillable packaging | Price: $32 (5 oz)
Shop on: Sephora, Cult Beauty
Other vegan micellar waters we like include Milk Makeup Hydro Ungrip Makeup Remover, Ere Perez Natural Ginkgo Micellar Water, and Drunk Elephant E-Rase Milki Micellar Water.
Best Vegan Makeup Remover Wipes
8. Bliss Makeup Melt Oil-Free Makeup Remover Wipes
Looking for vegan makeup-removing wipes? We love these from Bliss. The bestselling oil-free wipes get rid of makeup and grime and leave the skin hydrated and refreshed. They’re also very affordable and perfect to take with you when traveling. Made from natural ingredients, the wipes are safe for sensitive skin.
- What we like: refreshing scent, great for traveling
- What we don’t like:
Key ingredients: chamomile, marshmallow root, cucumber, aloe | Features: vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, phthalate-free, mineral oil-free, petrolatum-free, sulfate-free, oil-free, safe for sensitive skin and contact lens wearers | Price: $7 (30 wipes)
Best Vegan Makeup Remover Pads
Jenny Patinkin Pure Luxury Organic Reusable Rounds
Looking for vegan makeup remover pads? We love these reusable organic cotton rounds from Jenny Patinkin. This brand offers a beautiful set of 14 cotton rounds that come in a vegan leather purse and a mesh drawstring bag to wash them in. These rounds also make for a lovely eco-friendly gift.
Key ingredients: organic cotton | Features: reusable, hypoallergenic, antibacterial, antimicrobial, eco-friendly, zero waste | Price: $38 (14 rounds)
Shop on: Credo Beauty, Official site
Are Makeup Removers Vegan?
Makeup removers are not always vegan. Makeup removers, especially the more nourishing kinds, can include a variety of animal-derived ingredients such as beeswax, honey, collagen, lanolin, or animal-derived glycerin. Makeup removers can also be tested on animals which makes them not suitable for vegans.
To make sure the makeup remover you are buying is truly vegan, prefer products with a certified cruelty-free or vegan label from outside organizations such as PETA or Leaping Bunny. You can also pick a vegan makeup remover from our verified list.
What To Look For In Vegan Makeup Removers
When looking for the right vegan makeup remover for your skin, it’s important to consider two things: your skin type and your makeup-wearing habits. Do you just wear face makeup or also eye makeup? Is your makeup long-wearing and waterproof?
With lighter daily makeup, light vegan micellar water will help get rid of it just fine. With heavier makeup and especially waterproof eye makeup, we recommend going for oil-based vegan makeup removers. Vegan cleansing balms are especially effective in breaking down all types of makeup from your skin.
With oily skin, go for makeup removers that are either oil-free or non-comedogenic, meaning not made with heavy pore-clogging oils. When you use a vegan cleansing balm, make sure to follow with a water-based cleanser to get rid of all the grease and makeup residue. Double-cleaning is a must to avoid congestion.
Our recommended vegan double-cleansing routine: start with Dermalogica Precleanse Cleansing Oil and follow with their Special Cleansing Gel. This pair will get rid of all makeup and impurities from oily skin types and leaves the skin squeaky clean.
If you have dry skin, make sure the makeup remover is hydrating and does not strip the skin of moisture. You want to also avoid skin-drying fragrances and alcohol in your makeup remover. With sensitive skin, also avoid vegan makeup removers that include harsh chemicals and major allergens.
How We Review Vegan Makeup Removers
Here is how we rate and review vegan makeup removers:
- Effectiveness – The first criterion in reviewing vegan makeup removers is how well do they remove makeup. This may seem self-evident at first but some products on the market still fail at that basic task. An additional question is whether the makeup remover is good for removing waterproof makeup.
- Ingredients – The leading makeup removers today are balms, oils, and micellar waters that primarily use natural plant-based ingredients. A good vegan makeup remover should be as clean and skin-friendly as possible and not loaded with endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
- Irritation – Some vegan makeup removers sting when they get to the eyes. In our list, we try to keep the irritation to the minimum and prefer makeup removers that can also be used for removing eye makeup.
- Texture – Texture is important in vegan makeup removers. It should melt or emulsify easily and make the makeup removal process as painless as possible.
- Residue – The less residue the makeup remover leaves behind, the better. A quality makeup remover should leave the skin hydrated but not linger on the skin making it greasy or oily.
Why Trust Us
Vegan Avenue has been reviewing vegan skincare products for over 3 years. We list the top vegan products by relying on independent trials and research. None of our reviews have been incentivized by the brand or any retailer. Though earning commission through affiliate links, we are 100% independent in forming our selection.
FAQ About Vegan Makeup Removers
A makeup remover is vegan if it’s free from animal-derived ingredients such as beeswax, honey, or collagen. Vegan makeup removers are also not tested on animals.
The best vegan makeup remover is the Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Meltaway Cleansing Balm. The best vegan eye makeup remover is The Body Shop Camomile Gentle Eye Makeup Remover.
The best selection of vegan makeup removers is available on Amazon, Ulta, and Sephora.
No. Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water is not considered vegan because Bioderma tests products on animals.
No. While Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm contains no animal-derived ingredients, this product cannot be considered vegan because Clinique still uses animal testing.
No. Neutrogena’s Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover is not vegan since the company is not cruelty-free and tests on animals.
No, Cerave’s Cleanser Balm is not vegan. Currently, no products from CeraVe can be considered vegan as the company has not given up animal testing.
Yes. Garnier SkinActive Micellar Water is vegan. Garnier is also certified cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny.
Summary
Did you find your new favorite vegan makeup remover? We sure hope you did. These 8 vegan-friendly makeup removers on this list all deserve much praise for helping us break down makeup in a cruelty-free way. Our favorite vegan makeup remover to this day is still the Farmacy Green Clean Balm.
For the good of the planet, try removing makeup with reusable vegan makeup removal pads (e.g. from Jenny Patinkin) instead of one-time-use pads. You can also opt for a vegan makeup removal cloth (such as this one from Earth Therapeutics).
See also: Best Vegan Cleanser
Disclaimer: The prices listed next to each product are taken from the companies’ websites at the time of publishing.
