Drugstore vs. Designer: Rimmel Gentle Eye Makeup Remover vs. Clinique Rinse-Off Eye Makeup Solvent

Today I'm bringing you another Drugstore vs. Designer "makeup-off" - and in this case, it truly is a makeup-off, because I'm comparing two makeup removers: Rimmel Just Let It Go Gentle Eye Makeup Remover vs. Clinique Rinse-Off  Eye Makeup Solvent!


I received the Clinique Rinse-Off Eye Makeup Solvent in a Clinique Bonus Gift when I purchased some Clinique items at Nordstrom. I purchased the Rimmel Just Let It Go Gentle Eye Makeup Remover at my local Ulta. I'm comparing them because they are very similar in the way they work - you're supposed to be able to just gently wipe away eye makeup. Both are fragrance-free, oil-free, no residue products that claim to be non-irritating.

Let's compare the ingredients:

 
Rimmel Just Let It Go Gentle Eye Makeup Remover:
Water, Poloxamer 184, Sodium PCA, BHT, Disodium Lauroamphoacetate, Hexylene Glycol, Isopropyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Sodium Trideceth Sulfate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Methylisothiazolinone, Sodium Benzoate


Clinique Rinse-Off  Eye Makeup Solvent: Water Purified, PEG 32, Butylene Glycol, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, PEG 6, Trisodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben

The Price:

• Rimmel Just Let It Go Gentle Eye Makeup Remover 4.2 oz. $4.99
• Clinique Rinse-Off Eye Makeup Solvent 4.2 oz. $18

And The Claims:

• The Rimmel product claims to "gently remove all eye makeup, including long lasting and waterproof makeup, with no oily residue."
• The Clinique product claims to "quickly remove all eye makeup, from lashes to brows. Perfect for quick makeup changes, touchups, and repairs, it cleans easily without disturbing other makeup."

My Review:
My usual eye makeup consists of an eyeshadow primer, powder shadow, brow mascara, pencil and powder eyeliner, eyelash primer, and waterproof mascara. I tested both eye makeup removers on numerous occasions by saturating two cotton pads - one with the Rimmel product and one with the Clinique product - placing a pad over each eye for about 60 seconds to dissolve makeup, then gently wiping to remove the dissolved makeup. This is what the pads usually looked like:


I realize that they look very similar in the photo, but in reality, the Clinique product was better at removing all of my makeup. Both products were able to remove the eyeshadow and brow mascara. Sometimes they removed the eyeliner, depending upon whether or not it was a long-lasting, waterproof liner or not. The waterproof mascara on my lashes was another story.


The Rimmel Just Let It Go Gentle Eye Makeup Remover , despite specifically stating it is for long-lasting and waterproof eye makeup, barely budged the mascara. Even with repeated soaking it just didn't want to come off. I even rubbed a little, but that didn't help. And I'm not going to rub my eyes daily to remove my makeup. I'm also more than a little worried that there is isopropyl alcohol in it. If I had noticed that before buying it, I wouldn't have purchased it at all. This one is probably going in the garbage because I'm not sure of Ulta's return policy and I know I don't have my receipt. Maybe Gus can think of a use for it in the garage. If you're going to sell a product that boldly displays "removes waterproof mascara" on the front of the bottle, then it should remove waterproof mascara quickly and easily. I'm disappointed in you, Rimmel, and I usually like your products.

The Clinique Rinse-Off Eye Makeup Solvent removed about half of the waterproof mascara. After a second soaking and a little rubbing, I was able to get the rest off, but I'm not doing that on a regular basis. I don't want to have to soak each eye for 2-3 minutes to dissolve my makeup, and I certainly don't want to tug on that area. This product probably works well as long as you're not using any waterproof products. For $19, an eye makeup "solvent" should remove any type of makeup, IMO.

I was highly disappointed in both products and wouldn't recommend either one if you use waterproof or long-lasting products! Save your money!

Note: My favorite eyemakeup remover is still Clinique Take The Day Off Makeup Remover (4.2 oz. $19).


I mentioned it here - but I need to do a better review. Basically, you just give it a little shake to mix the water and silicone, apply to a cotton pad, press to your eyes for a few seconds, and wipe away the makeup. It removes all of my waterproof mascara every time. Awesome product!

Do you have a favorite eye makeup remover?