Boots Botanics Soothing Eye Makeup Remover v Boots Botanics Organic Face Nourishing Eye Makeup Remover

I bought both Boots Botanics eye makeup removers recently as a weak justification for spending £30 on a night cream.  A night cream which is now currently retailing for £20.

I wore a full eye of makeup a few Sundays ago when I first tried both of these out.  A full eye of makeup for me is primer, shadow one, shadow two, shadow three, mascara (two coats), clear mascara, liquid/gel liner and pencil liner.  I fully utilise the lower lashline when it comes to application so there was makeup wherever my eye could take it.

My eyes are notoriously sensitive to any liquid that isn't water.  I get along with cream cleansers just fine but I'm yet to find a liquid remover that doesn't sting me.  I wear contact lens to work most of the time so I don't want something that will aggravate my eyes moreso when I get home.

I've tested both Boots Botanics removers solidly for three weeks, varying my eye makeup from full on to bare minimum (mascara) and this is my verdict.

Boots Botanics Soothing Eye Makeup Remover

I tend to gauge whether a liquid remover will sting me by having a smell.  If it smells sharp then I assume it will sting...and I've been proved right in the past.  This smells of nothing so I was placated on that front.

I always thought this was just a standard liquid remover but it's actually made up of two parts, a green oily part and a clear liquidy part.  You shake the bottle to mix them and then you're good to go.

The first time I used it, I found the neck of the bottle was a bit oily..that's to be expected as the bottle is really full and some of the remover comes out after you've shaken it.

There are a lot of bubbles in this product..that's not a negative but it is something I wasn't expecting.

You don't need to soak your cotton wool pad, just tip some of the product out, hold it on your eye for a few minutes and swipe to remove.

I find that it doesn't penetrate the cotton wool so don't be alarmed if you've tipped some out but the pad still feels dry, it is definitely on there and ready for business.

When I've got time, I put the pads over my eyes, relax and let the remover do its work.  Most of the time however, I just soak the pad, put it on my closed eye and tap my fingers over my eyes and lashes.  This removes the makeup effortlessly.  I don't need to tug or swipe, it just slips off. 

I've read a lot concerns about this product finishing too quickly and I don't agree. I am on week 3 of using this and I've used up about two inches or so (I'm just under where it says "All Skin Types" on the bottle).  I have used it seven days a week and I've been removing a fair bit of makeup each day.

It removes every tiny bit of makeup from my eyes.  I've never had to go back over to get some shimmer or some mascara residue.

The contents settle back into two halves very quickly so if you're wearing a super heavy smokey eye then it might be worth it to pre-soak the pads and then get to work.  I find that this is easier than reshaking and applying to pads as you go.  I know this sounds a bit stupid but when you're tired the last thing you want to do is extra faff.  Plus, if they're pre-soaked, you know exactly where to put the next pad.  Try it yourself when you're tired and you'll see what I mean.

Boots Botanics Organic Face Nourishing Eye Makeup Remover

I think the name for this is too long.  But then I can only see one word you could really remove (face)..and does that make so much of a difference?

I don't really lean towards organic products as I feel if it it works, it works.  Tomorrow's another day and all that jazz and I'll deal with those problems then..which might be short sighted but that's the kind of person I am.

The consistency of this is like a thick-ish gel.  It is yellow in colour as it contains olive oil.  It also smells a bit like olive oil.

I don't feel that this is a "luxurious eye makeup remover", I get a a greater sense of luxury from the Soothing alternative.

I find the directions a bit odd, it clearly states to avoid direct contact with eyes..a bit difficult if it's an eye makeup remover? I'm sure a lot of people wear colour on their waterline so they'd be unable to use it..

You need to massage this into your eyelids, add water to turn it into a gel and then remove everything with a wet cotton wool pad.  Bit of a faff compared to the Soothing Eye Makeup Remover.

As you massage this in, it moves your makeup around and I find that I often have bits of eyeshadow left around my eyes when I've washed it all away.  Not massive amounts but slight sparkle from my eyeshadows?  So in that respect, it doesn't really remove well..

As it contains olive oil and is nourishing, it leaves behind a film which you need to wash off.  That alone is no problem for me, I always wash my face after the makeup removal process.

This was sadly, a letdown.  It has a tendency to sting me whenever I use it.  I tested it out over a week just in case it was me and every single time I used it, it stung me.  The odd thing is that it always stung alternative eyes.

It also gave me clouded vision for a while which is quite inconvenient.  I build up how much I use and sadly, the amount I need to use makes my eyes sting.  Thus, I'm stuck in a Catch 22, if I don't use enough, I get some makeup left on my eyes and if I use as much as is needed, my eyes sting.

Which is better?
The Soothing Eye Makeup Remover is now my HG remover, it gets rid of everything, is cheap and doesn't sting.  Plus you don't need a lot to get a full eye of makeup off.  It makes my skin feel slightly oily but I wash my face after makeup remover anyway so that's not an issue.

It's quite an aboutface for me..I thought the gel one would be fantastic and the liquid one would sting..  This is why it pays to have an open mind!

Price wise, the Boots Botanics Soothing Eye Makeup Remover is £3.05 whereas the Face Nourishing Eye Makeup Remover is £4.07 (the price point for a lot of their organic products).  Skincare in Boots is currently on 3 for 2 which goes part way to explaining why I've had to move a lot of my old face washes to the shower.