This week’s Bionic Asks… How do you remove your eye, lip, and face makeup?

I still use my homemade eye makeup remover – just a few quick swipes over my eyes. I also use this homemade mixture if I’ve got one of those “long wear” lip colors on. Those can be tough to remove and rather than scrubbing my lips raw- the oils in my mix lift the color away easily.

Then I wash my face really well with plain water and a soft microfiber cloth. Next I follow with my normal face wash (my go-to standard is Lexli’s Cleansing Lotion).

So what’s your makeup removal technique?

It’s always interesting, and sometimes quite surprising, which articles become popular. And it’s not always the initial subject that makes the article “popular” but in many cases the comments section has taken on a life of its own! Fellow Bionic Beauties making their own suggestions, sharing tips, asking questions. That spontaneous conversation is one of my favorite aspects of blogging… even if we get a bit off topic.

And now, in no particular order, the Top 10 articles of 2009 from Bionic Beauty…

With the economic downturn, many beauties are looking for ways to save money while keeping their skin in tip-top shape. So I shared my favorite ultra-cheap and all-natural face mask- The Aztec Secret Green Clay Healing Mask.

15 Beautiful Uses for Jojoba Oil – When I first started using Jojoba Oil in my skin care routine, I couldn’t believe how versatile it was. Perfect for dry, combo and oily skin- Jojoba balances your skin and can also be used on your nails, hair and body!

Combing my love for Jojoba Oil and the Aztec Secret mask, Robyn from Purely Cosmetics came up with a brand new face mask recipe!

I titled the article “Acne Tips for Teens” but it’s actually the regimen I follow myself and recommend to family/friends of all ages. If you have acne, you might find some alternative therapies here. And be sure to share your best tips as well!

Most free samples that I post go super quickly. However, these Freebies from the Past have quite a few that are still active!

Make your own eye makeup remover and save some dough! After testing the typical favorites, I decided it was just as easy, and much cheaper, to whip up my own version.

On a whim, I picked up Clairol’s Perfect 10 hair color to review it on Bionic Beauty. Some women love it, but most don’t; however the comments section has spawned a whole discussion on at-home hair color tips, tricks, brands and techniques. At this point, it’s almost enough for a short book!

5 Tips for the Matte Nail Polish Trend – Some of us loved the matte nail trend, others didn’t think it was that great. Personally, I’m still rocking my matte nails as often as possible.

Applying fake eye lashes can be tricky… after trying several brands, sizes, and varieties, I came up with this list of Tips and Tricks for False Lashes. Share your own tips too!

“Clinical Strength” antiperspirants popped up everywhere in 2009. I tested two of the main brands and fellow Bionic Beauties weighed in with their personal experiences. The comments section also has loads of information on hyperhydrosis, when to see a doctor, and tips for teens.

Later this week I’ll be publishing the Bionic’s Best (and worst) of Beauty for 2009, so please stay tuned!

We’ve all discussed how the economic climate has affected our beauty routines, and I’ve tried to give you some affordable at-home alternatives (like mixing your own makeup remover, all-natural face masks, and salt scrubs). Total Beauty has come up with a list of 13 ways to turn your home into a spa. Some are cost-savers, other suggestions are a bit pricey.

Either way, it might spawn some of your own creative ideas for spa’ing at home. So have a look see, and let me know which tips you’ve tried, which you think are out of range for most women, and what you do to get some relaxation at home!

Easy Ways To Turn Your Home Into a Spa

Check out these cheap alternatives to fancy, professional services…

Can’t afford to splurge on laser treatments or a spray tan? These gadgets will give you all of the hottest spa treatments for much, much cheaper! See products

Here’s the latest from Bionic Bronnie… check out her thoughts on one of the newest makeup removers to hit the cosmetics world!

I commend any product that quickly tears through a serious mess of primer, shadow, liner, mascara and the rest of the “buildup” on my eyes by the end of the day. Simple’s new Kind to Eyes Makeup Remover is oil free and does not leave a greasy residue. Unfortunately, it burned my eyes like crazy every time I used it- whether in the shower or at the sink with a cloth. The bottle clearly states the remover does not sting or irritate the eyes, furthermore is dermatologist tested. Of course, your mileage may vary since we all have different levels of sensitivity. Something that works for me, may be the worst thing you’ve ever tried; and vice-versa. Individuality makes life exciting, and Bionic!

I was seriously bummed since I would love to find an affordable eye makeup remover that does not burn. Simple’s did stop burning once I rinsed my eye area thoroughly in the shower. It does quickly, easily and thoroughly remove every trace of eye makeup, even waterproof mascara. But I would suggest trying it carefully at first to judge your own results (as you should with any new product around your eye area!).

Kind to Eyes makeup remover ingredients: Aqua/Water, Poloxamer 184, Butylene Glycol, Ceteth-20, PEG-20 Glyceryl Laurate, Laureth-23, Panthenol (aka Pro-Vitamin B5), Disodium Phosphate, Calcium Disodium EDTA, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Sodium Methylparaben, Sodium Phosphate, Citric Acid (aka Vitamin C).

I have fair skin that is prone to sensitivity and irritation;  so this doesn’t mean Simple’s Kind to Eyes Makeup Remover is not a good product. Since it’s ultra affordable, you can still pick it up without feeling too guilty. If it doesn’t work for you, I’m sure a friend or relative would love to give it a try. Simple’s Kind To Eye makeup remover is $7.99 for a 6.7 ounce bottle.

I do appreciate the opportunity to have reviewed Simple’s new Makeup Remover and when I have some serious makeup and dirt to remove, I may reach for this product. Then I’ll followup with my normal skincare routine, which doesn’t specialize in the removal of makeup, dirt and clogged pores). To me, this falls into a “pre-cleanse” skin care category.

~Bionic Bronnie

FTC Disclosure: This item was sent to me free of charge in return for an honest review. The opinion in this article is based on my personal experience and was not influenced by any source. I was not compensated for this article. Feel free to read my disclosure policy for more information.

This week’s Bionic Asks…
I’d venture to guess that we all have some product or item that we are SO proud that we save money on. What’s your best find for frugal beauty?

I have a tie for myself- my $8 tub of Aztec Secret clay makes me over 100 face masks. And then there’s my ultra-cheap home made eyemakeup remover (cost per 8 ounce bottle is around 50 cents).

Give it some thought, dig through your cabinets. What’s your trick, tip or favorite product that saves you beautiful money?

Mmmm. Jojoba Oil. One of my favorite beauty products of all time; it’s incredible versatility certainly helps its standings in Bionic-land. Here’s some tips I’ve found on getting the most out of your Jojoba Oil…

1. Cuticle Oil – rub a drop on your hands and cuticles at least once per day. Option: Add a drop of Tea Tree Oil to your jojoba for a quick, all-natural anti-fungal nail treatment.
2. Body Lotion – easy enough… just remember that a little goes a long way. You won’t need the dollop size you normally use with a traditional lotion. Jojoba sinks in super quickly and spreads across your skin easily. For even more fun or a special occasion, mix some cosmetic grade glitter with the oil and apply to your legs, arms and chest.
3. Face Moisturizer – 1 to 2 drops is perfect for your face. Use after moisturizing. And… it’s PERFECT to apply under mineral makeup. You’ll look radiant and your minerals will perform so much better!
4. Lip Oil – it’s light, natural and absorbs quickly removing all traces of flakes and the anti-oxidants will help keep aging at bay. Create your own unique lip oil in a small glass jar: add a few drops of your favorite flavoring (check the bakery aisle at your grocery) such as eucalyptus for minty freshness, strawberry or citrus oil for fruity flavor!
5. Tame Flyaways – When you finish rubbing the jojoba into your nails and cuticles, rub your palms across the top of your hair to tame hair frizz!
6. Makeup Remover – Mix half water and half jojoba in a small container (your free sample shampoo bottles will work perfectly for this). Shake before use, squeeze a bit onto a cotton pad and use to quickly and gently remove your eye makeup. As a bonus, the jojoba conditions eye lashes! (For an even cheaper alternative, check out my version of makeup remover).  …
7. Scalp Massage – or scalp treatment. Rub the oil into your scalp before bedtime and wash out in the morning.
8. Quick Hot Oil Hair Treatment – Rub about 1 teaspoon of warmed oil through your hair when you first get into the shower. Let it sit while you shower. Rinse at the end of your shower, shampoo and condition as usual.
9. Deep Hot Oil Treatment – Rub 1 tsp to 1 tablespoon of jojoba through your hair. Cover your head with a plastic shower cap or saran wrap. Let sit for 1-2 hours. Shampoo out and condition normally.
10. Carrier Oil – White jojoba oil has anti-oxidant properties on its own; but it can also be applied overtop your other skin care treatments to ‘carry’ their active ingredients deep into your pores and skin.
11. Split End Treatment – Add a drop or two of oil on ends of your hair as a split end treatment. Apply before blow drying or heat styling for protection.
12. Added Moisture – Need more moisture during the winter or in a dry climate? Mix a few drops of jojoba to your normal body or face lotion application.
13. Quick Hair Condition – Add 2-3 drops to your normal dose of hair conditioner. Mix in the palm of your hand, apply, and leave in while your shower. Rinse and you’ll have moisturized, shiny hair!
14. Before Sunless Tanner – Apply lightly to elbows, knees, soles of feet, heels and palms to prevent extra sunless tanner from soaking into these porous areas. (Be sure to check out the rest of Bionic’s sunless tanners tips.)
15. Before Swimming – Run 3-4 drops through your hair before diving in the pool or ocean. The oil will help close your hair cuticle and prevent harmful chemicals from stripping your color, and drying your locks.

Bionic’s Best all-around Jojoba Oil: Herbaria Soaps’ Organic Cold Pressed Jojoba Oil: Nature’s best moisturizer absorbs quickly into your skin for a soft silky finish. The Jojoba Oil is available in Unscented, Patchouli, Lavender, and Coriander-May Chang (pictured above). 8 ounce bottles are $19.95 and 4 ounce bottles are $11.95. Available at Herbaria Soaps.com.

Bionic’s runner up: Drugstore.com has Desert Essence Organic Jojoba Oil for $14.99.

Bionic’s Best speciality Jojoba: Herbaria’s Jojoba Healthy Hair. Get a 2 ounce bottle for $9 at HerbariaSoaps.com; organic jojoba oil and essential oils of rosemary, lavender, cedarwood, thyme and basil. I use this Jojoba for my hair, body, nails… pretty much everything except my face. The scent is absolutely incredible. It makes my skin glow and makes me smell nice without being a heavy scent. My bottle lasts FOREVER!

Do you use Jojoba? If so, how do you work it into your beauty routine?

The freebies are just rolling in lately!! Request ‘em now before they run out…

• Nelson’s Pure and Clear anti-acne & blemish face wash. This one’s open to USA and UK residents. You’ll need to complete a quick questionnaire and only 5000 samples are available, so be quick! Hint: You’ll find the answer to the last question here (Aren’t I super helpful today?!?).
• Selsun Blue shampoo. Even if you don’t have dandruff these samples are excellent for weekend trips! Or use it as a body wash to prevent back or body breakouts (the sulfur Selsun Blue contains helps clear and prevent acne!). Open to USA residents only. And you get to choose from classic Itchy Dry Scalp or the Naturals Itchy Dry Scalp formula. (I’ve tried the Naturals range before through sampling and LOVED it!)
• Huggies Soft Skin baby wipes. Why am I posting about Baby Wipes on a beauty website? Well, because they make amazing makeup removers! Pack this sample pack in your next overnight bag when you don’t want to take your homemade makeup remover with you. (USA residents only.)
• Become Beauty’s Weekender Beauty Sample Kit. While I’m not sure what this “kit” will contain… it’s free, and could be fun! What the hay, right? Open to USA and Australia residents.

Isn’t it fun to open your mail box to a bunch of samples? It makes checking the mail fun again!

Looking to save some money? Create your own batch of eye makeup remover! It’s easy, healthy, cheap and works oh SO well.

I started doing this about 2 months ago, so I could test it fully before posting on Bionic Beauty. Take a small CLEAN squeeze bottle (or cleaned out shampoo sample bottle, etc)- fill it half full with mineral or spring water, and fill the other half with sunflower or safflower oil. I use organic oil to make sure it’s the most natural and pure available.

Shake well before using, squeeze some onto a cotton ball and swipe gently at your eye makeup.

You can experiment with the oils. I use sunflower or safflower since they are super light and relatively scent free. The oil also seems to help keep my lashes in condition- another bonus. And the price per ounce it a teensy fraction of what you’d pay for drugstore and luxury brand makeup removers.

In order to promote Pond’s as the official skincare of the new movie Mamma Mia!, Costco and Pond’s have teamed up and brought us all a free sample of their new Clean Sweep Towlettes- perfect for your purse or traveling this summer! Request yours now at the Costco website. Supplies are limited and this free sample offer is open only to those in the USA.

Here’s a little information on Pond’s Clean Sweep Towlettes direct from Ponds:

• No other leading towelette is better at removing make-up!
• Removes waterproof mascara
• Infused with triple tea antioxidant complex, Vitamin E and chamomile, wet towelettes nourish, soothe and paper, leaving skin perfectly clean and make-up free
• Ophthalmologist tested
• Dermatologist tested

In all honesty, most eye makeup removers do their job sufficiently well. Heck, I never bothered with eye makeup remover until recently. I just used my normal facial cleanser, twice, to ensure I got all the goop off.

With those facts in mind, we will look beyond the “Does it remove makeup? Yes or No.” in this review.

Lancome’s Bi-Facil Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover is packaged in a clear blue plastic bottle with a twist on (and leak-proof top). The dispenser is a small hole that you can dab the product onto a cotton ball/pad for application. The small hole keeps even a klutz like me from dumping too much remover or spilling it across my bathroom counter.

Shake Bi-Facil well before application. Get some on the cotton pad and then swipe onto your eye makeup. I found it removes my eye makeup pretty well, and most important- gently. There was no drying action and no pulling on sensitive eye skin. I found best results with one cotton pad for each eye, a few swipes (don’t scrub, ladies), and then leave the remnants of the product on your eye. Wash the Bi-Facil left-overs off during your normal face wash. Ta-da, eye makeup removed!

If you’ve done a smokey eye, or have quite a bit of eye makeup on that day, you may need a second pad, but I found this to be the exception and the Bi-Facil remover even removed my CoverGirl waterproof mascara easily.

Lancome’s Bi-Facil can be purchased online at Lancome.com, $26 USD for a 4.2 ounce bottle (it will last you quite awhile!).