I Wore High-Coverage Wedding Makeup for 12+ Hours, and This Milky Cleanser Removed It in a Flash

Taking off heavy makeup is the bane of my existence. The process usually leads to one of two things — endless scrubbing and irritation that burns my face or makeup that isn’t effectively removed, causing breakouts the next day.

I recently had the chance to test out the new Origins Checks and Balances Milky Oil, a cleanser and makeup remover. To give it an honest review, I decided to put it to the ultimate test — taking off my 12-hour plus bridesmaid makeup from a recent wedding I was in. I’m happy to report it worked, and it worked well.

I have sensitive skin, so I tend to avoid makeup wipes — unless I’m in a pinch — which often result in painful burning and breakouts. I don’t wear high-coverage makeup on an everyday basis, so I made sure to test this on a full face of long-wear makeup that I had on from 9 a.m. until midnight. This also included touch-ups, false eyelashes, and glue, which is typically super stubborn to remove.

After the wedding (and in my groggy state), I began to rub the cleansing oil all over my face. What surprised me was that it didn’t take very long for it to successfully remove all of my makeup, plus the pesky eyelash glue. I was amazed. It felt hydrating and left my skin bouncy thanks to ingredients like rice oil, almond oil, and squalane without causing any breakouts or skin irritation the next morning.

To start, The Checks and Balances Milky Oil needs a good shake before use since the formula separates inside the bottle. I applied it with my hands and gave my skin a double-cleanse with the product to make sure I got every last bit of makeup off and followed up with my usual face wash. According to Origins, the product can be used alone or as the first step in a double-cleanse routine — I opted for the latter since my skin is acne-prone. At the end of my routine using the oil, my skin felt hydrated, soothed, and clean. It’s also worth noting that although the packaging for this product isn’t as travel-friendly as a pack of makeup wipes, it did fit in my wedding makeup bag. It now officially has a spot in my beauty lineup.

Be sure to try out the gentle Origins Checks and Balances Milky Oil for yourself, and keep scrolling for other cleansers and makeup-removing picks from Origins.