Boots • Botanics Soothing Eye Makeup Remover • Eye Makeup Remover

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*TOP REVIEWER* Shazzer1976 on 1/13/2013 10:13:00 AM more reviews by Shazzer1976

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

I have only used this a few times but I was impressed from the outset. It is a reformulation and re-packaging of the Botanics gentle eye makeup remover which I never tried so I can't compare. All I can say is how pleased I am with this product.

It is excellent value, the packaging is lovely and, most importantly, it is very effective at removing eye makeup without dragging, stinging, drying or leaving an annoying film over your vision! It is partly oil based, partly water based with plant extracts claiming to contain natural AHAs. I can't comment on the AHAs, the concentration of them in the eyemakeup remover or their effect but it is a very reliable eyemakeup remover and suitable for my sensitive eyes.

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*TOP REVIEWER* LibertyRose on 10/1/2012 12:15:00 AM more reviews by LibertyRose

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Black, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

I never tried the old formula, but the new "All Bright Eye Soothing Eye Makeup Remover" is great, though it did not appear so immediately. Boots' whole Botanics line has revamped its packaging and looks a lot sleeker and expensive. That is just as well, since without the new image I had great doubts about this confusing blend of oil and water (and bubbles?) that I'm seeing through the bottle. But at this price point I was happy to take a gamble, and it paid off. It is effective at taking e/s and mascara off with just one swipe, and you don't even need to let it sit on the lids. No stings. This turned out much, much better than my last drugstore venture, the Simple eye makeup remover. My only complaint is that the bottle opening is too large for precision control and I tend to get either too much or too little product.

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*TOP REVIEWER* dizzielittlerascal on 7/14/2012 2:33:00 PM more reviews by dizzielittlerascal

Age: 36-43   Skin: Dry, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

This, to me, is the best eye make up remover I have used. It got all my make up off and didn't sting my eyes. But, for crying out loud, they have discontinued it and replaced it with an 'eye brightening make up remover'. Why reformulate a good product? This new one is compete garbage. I am hopping mad. This new one has made my eyes sting, eyelids burn and did not do its job well. I am sat here with red eyes and they are watering like mad. Now I have to hunt for another product - took me long enough to find this one as it is!

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watercute on 4/16/2012 11:56:00 AM more reviews by watercute

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Green    

Really wanted to like this because i'm fed up of makeup removers that either drag my skin or don't remove everything. This removed all my eye make up perfectly, but left a oily residue that was hard to wipe off. It also left the skin around my eyes a bit red and even though I had my eyes closed when applying it still made my eyes a bit blurry. Genuinely not a fan of the consistency.

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*TOP REVIEWER* rayoflight121 on 3/21/2012 11:29:00 AM more reviews by rayoflight121

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I picked this up from Target to remove my eye makeup. My HG is Clinique's Take the day off makeup remover, but it $18 for 4.2oz vs this $6 for 5oz. It works well with taking off my waterproof eyeliners and mascara with little rubbing. It is a tad oilier then Cliniques but its cheap and does the job with no irritation...no complaining there. The screw top is annoying, I might transfer it into another bottle.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Ancatje on 1/24/2012 8:14:00 PM more reviews by Ancatje

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Relaxed, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

Not too keen on this. It feels really greasy on my skin, and doesn't remove makeup properly either - for example, when I do use waterproof mascara, I use only a thin layer, and still this doesn't take it off. Also you have to wash your face really quickly afterwards or this will dry on your face and get into your skin. Not a good feeling!
Also the two parts separate very quickly, so you can't just leave the bottle open and use it for say a second time even in the space of 30 seconds or so. You have to close it and shake it again, and it's also a screw on cap, so I find the packaging rather annoying as well.
It doesn't irriate my sensitive skin though, which is good.

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*TOP REVIEWER* GriffithsGirl on 1/5/2012 6:43:00 AM more reviews by GriffithsGirl

Age: 30-35   Skin: Oily, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Hazel    

This is a very mediocre eye make up remover. It's very oily and I am not too keen on that. I also doesn't remove my make up that well! It takes at least four goes to remove even mascara and a makeup wipe does that alone. I like that it doesn't sting, but that's about it.

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wblassingame on 8/1/2011 11:31:00 PM more reviews by wblassingame

Age: 44-55   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

Nice product does not burn my eyes I like it better than the Almay eye make up remover, it is a bit oily but if you shake it well before use it is great and moisturizes the eye area. I will repurchase this again.

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Becca16 on 6/18/2011 2:58:00 AM more reviews by Becca16

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Blue    

I got this product off my nan because she saw how much makeup i wore, so i don't know where she bought it. It is AMAZING!!!! I can be wearing multiple mascaras, strong eyeliner, bold, thick eyeshadow, and it gets the majority off in one swipe. It doesn't leave my skin oily, and doesn't make me break out after use! It leaves your skin so smooth and clean :) I won't buy other makeup removers now because this one is so amazing, and i try to have two bottles at all times. BUY IT!!!!

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ohmyjessica on 4/25/2011 2:58:00 PM more reviews by ohmyjessica

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

this product is terrible! it's not only oily... but it's actually... GREASY! eww... - it's also terrible at removing eye make-up. regular (non waterproof) mascara's won't budge with this product (even when you soak your eyes with the cotton pad for 10+ seconds)... plain water does a better job. you're supposed to shake the solution up before use... but it tends to separate and settle ASAP -.- buy the target-brand make-up remover... it's so much better! and 1/3 the price~

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beisquared on 2/21/2011 1:50:00 AM more reviews by beisquared

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Black, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I am almost through with my second bottle and I think this just maybe my HG eye makeup remover. I rarely label a product HG because I think that there are just way too many products out on the market that there has to be a better one. However, for the price ($5!) and convenience (Target), it can't be beat. Like several of the reviewers before, this product is very similar to Lancome's Bi Facil; without the steeper price tag. You have to shake it up before you pour it onto a cotton pad and then I just place it over my eyes, let it soak in for a minute and then gently sweep my mascara away. I always use waterproof mascara (holds the curl) and it cleans off my Diorshow, Full 'N Soft, MUFE Aqua Smoky Lash, all with no problem. Until I can get my hands on the Bioderma Crealine/Sensibio (it is just way too much of a hassle to acquire that remover), it's Botanics all the way.

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piyo1717 on 2/11/2011 1:50:00 PM more reviews by piyo1717

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight   Eyes: Brown    

I have been a Lancome Bi Facil eye makeup remover fan for years. But it's getting to be a little expensive so I've been looking for a cheaper alternative for removing waterproof eye make up.

After trying Almay Moisturizing pads (which I still love, great for travel since it's not liquid!) and Body Shop Camomile Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover (hate it, it burned my eyes, and did not remove my mascara at all), I was about to give up on my search and just go back to Bi Facil.

Then I saw someone on Youtube rave about this product and I went to get this from my local Target (which is a plus, since I visit Target once a week). And this works just like the Bi Facil, and larger bottle (4.2 oz vs. 5 oz) and 1/5 of the price! ($26 vs. $5)... Cant get better than this, I will be repurchasing my HG for the rest of my life... now let's hope they won't discontinue this product!

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*TOP REVIEWER* staciarose22 on 2/1/2011 9:57:00 PM more reviews by staciarose22

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Green    

I just bought this today, so I used it once on my eye makeup. I usually need at least two cotton balls with remover to get my liner and shadow off. I used just one to test it, and it got most of it off. It didn't sting at all, and I don't notice very greasy skin. With a heavy oil remover you'll get it all over your lashes and cannot see, but this has a light weight oil and seems gentle. I think it's more gentle than my Lancome Bi-Facil.
The smell is light and just smells like plants to me. I think I paid about $6 for it at Target. Update: I know why this is so popular now. It's so gentle that it's like water on your face, but it removes everything. The light oil can get into every lash to remove makeup. It even took off mascara along with shadows in no time at all. I'm not going to write a whole page about it, like some have done, but keep in mind that most of the negative reviews are the minority or people who have other skin issues.

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*TOP REVIEWER* xDOLLFACEx on 10/2/2010 7:59:00 PM more reviews by xDOLLFACEx

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

Great make up remover. Effortlessly removes makeup, non irritating and is moisturizing. Love that its more on the natural side too.

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capucino911 on 9/28/2010 11:06:00 PM more reviews by capucino911

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Great product. Very gentle on your skin! Will clean up very niceI am very satisfied with this product since i have tried so many eye make up remover before and this is the best quality with the price under 10$!

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smilezw on 9/11/2010 11:14:00 PM more reviews by smilezw

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

It is effective of removing makeup on my face. It does not make my eyes unconfortable. I compared this with my other eye makeup removing products including MUF eye makeup, L'oreal make up remove. This is better than other two in terms of removing eye makeups.

The cons of this product is
1. shaking bottle before using it, so I have to keep shake it until I finish the cleaning.
2. very oil, I free it is so hard to wash off the oil residue.

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colormechic on 9/4/2010 9:57:00 PM more reviews by colormechic

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I just converted to this eye makeup remover and now I am a die hard fan. I have to say that this is by far, the easiest eye make up remover to use. There is no rubbing or tugging necessary to remove even the most heavily made up eyes. Waterproof mascara, liner, even highly pigmented blue, purple and teal melts under this.

You just need a few good swipe to get the job done. It does have some kind of weird oily residue but that doesn't bother me much as I normally follow up with my Ponds Cold Cream to clean the rest of my makeup. I can even use it to clean my waterline since it is so gentle.

It is soothing to the eyes, non irritating and most of all, you can also use it as an instant tired eye relief. I am not sure how many reviewers make use of that but just pop a bottle in the fridge and whenever you have tired eyes, wet a cotton round with it, set it on to of your eyes and relax for a few minutes. It works like magic.

I am not going back or experimenting with any other remover. This is my HG right there.

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*TOP REVIEWER* ClariceD on 7/11/2010 7:39:00 AM more reviews by ClariceD

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brown, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Green    

My skin/eye area: dry, very sensitive, prone to dermatitis, redness and clogs, retin A user (0.01%) due to use of a prescription drug that induces acne in chin/jaw area. Contact lens wearer, prone to milia from overly rich formulations, but also to irritation and flaking on the lids if products are too drying or harsh.


I wear makeup perhaps four days out of seven. When I do, I always use 1-2 coats of waterproof mascara and often a gel or long-lasting pencil liner, as well as concealer on the eye area (Lancome Effacernes or MAC Studio Sculpt at the moment). I keep a dual-phase remover on hand to remove it all. My method is pretty standard:
1. Shake the bottle vigorously in all directions.
2.. Lay a cotton pad saturated with remover over my closed eye for 10 seconds or so, pinched in the middle to capture the undersides of my top lashes.
3. Wipe downwards.
4. Occasionally follow with a cotton bud dipped in product for any pesky traces of mascara or liner on the lashline.
5. Continue with my usual cleansing routine, which gets rid of any oily residue.
A good remover takes most of the makeup off at stage 2, only requires gentle strokes and eliminates the need for rubbing and tugging at stages 3 and 4, which invariably causes me soreness and irritation.


I was attracted to this particular remover by its price rather than its soothing claims. Here in the UK there isn't a huge array of drugstore dual-phase eye makeup removers. This is among the cheapest. I was excited by the prospect of finding a staple product at such a low price. The ingredients are fairly typical of this type of product - silicones in water with a couple of humectants for hydration. The only supposedly calming addition seemed to be the Iceland moss extract that "hydrates and soothes", according to the packaging. Like a lot of sensitive-skinned people, I'm pretty wary of such claims and try to pay more attention to the total formula than one heavily emphasised ingredient.


This product is undeniably economical. A 150ml bottle lasted me around eight months - for someone who wears waterproof eye makeup every day without fail, that's at least four months of daily usage. As it didn't cause me any direct adverse reactions, I wanted to use it up. Eventually I found myself willing it to run out so that I could go on to something more effective. However I used it - large quantity, small quantity, extra time held over eye, different shaking techniques - it simply wasn't thorough or gentle enough for my liking. Firm wiping and rubbing for a decent length of time was required to get a satisfactory amount of mascara/liner off - I've had comparable results with products that aren't intended to remove waterproof makeup. I then followed with makeup/sunscreen remover for the rest of my face (Earth Science ADE Creamy Cleanser) and a mild Avene gel cleanser. Even then, there was often a slight grey shadow under my eyes after showering the next morning. If I spent as long as was necessary trying to remove my makeup, the usual result was dry, flaky lids.


I have no real complaints about the packaging, although a pump might be useful to reassure me that I'm not just pouring out the top layer of product, as it separates quickly from the top down after shaking. It's aesthetically pleasing and functional - dual-phase removers by nature can be awkward to dispense and I don't think the design of this one particularly adds to the challenge. I've had no issues with this product as a contact lens wearer, but I take my lenses out before removing eye makeup and don't usually put them in again until the next day.


Overall the annoyances about this product outweigh any positives, the major one of which remains the price. I much prefer Boots No7 Cleanse & Care (£7.50), which, when Boots issue their £5 off No7 vouchers, works out marginally cheaper than the Botanics version. I'll neither repurchase nor recommend this. The search continues...
Ingredients (added to box at top of page): Aqua, cyclopentasiloxane, isohexadecane, cyclohexasiloxane, butylene glycol, cetraria islandica (Iceland moss) extract, propylene glycol, methylparaben, sodium citrate, benzophenone-4, 2-bromo-2-nitroprophane-1, 3-diol, sorbitol, phenoxyethanol, butylparaben, ethylparaben, isobutylparaben, propylparaben, CI 19140, CI 42090.
UK RRP: £2.99/150ml, from Boots nationwide.

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MichelleLS on 7/10/2010 7:51:00 AM more reviews by MichelleLS

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

I used to use Cliniques Take The Day Off emu remover but bought this because I was short of pennies. I would say its just as good! I really like it, it removes all my mascara and eyeliner clean away without rubbing and leaves my eyes feeling fresh.
I don't like the residue on my skin though so I just remove my eyemakeup after cleansing then tone after to remove the residue oil.
Will be buying again.

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*TOP REVIEWER* ashleyanders on 6/22/2010 7:18:00 PM more reviews by ashleyanders

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

- Skip down to 'Final Consensus' for short summary of overall thoughts on product -


What it Claims:
"Botanics Soothing Eye Make Up Remover effortlessly removes eye make up even waterproof mascara while also comforting and soothing the eye area, containing soothing Iceland Moss with high sugar content which helps to hydrate and calm skin as well as cleanse . Plant extracts at levels that really work, combined and formulated for unbeatable product performance. Naturally."


Claims - True or False?
1) Effortlessly removes eye makeup: False.
2) Comforts and soothes the eye area: False.
3) Hydrates and calms the skin: False.


Packaging:
The remover comes in a slender clear plastic bottle with a screw off cap. Aesthetically, it's very nice and simple, and allows you to easily see how much product is left. In terms of its practicality, well.. The design is simply not well-suited toward this remover. I don't mind the fact that you have to unscrew the top to use it, but with this remover it is a definite issue, which will be discussed further down. The labeling lists the ingredients and method of use. Another minor flaw with the packaging is that it can easily topple over if you do not store it carefully while using it. I wound up spilling some down the sink due to the bottom of the packaging.


Smell:
I haven't noticed any strong scent when using. I don't think any fragrance was added, but i could be mistaken. If anything, it may just smell somewhat plant-y.


Consistency:
Being a dual-phase, this remover has two layers: oil and emulsifier. Shake the bottle and it creates a light green oily liquid. The combined consistency is quite oily on the lids, and if left to dry does take a good 5-10 minutes to do so. It does have a mild soapiness to it as well. Unlike Lancome's dual-phase however, this one separates almost instantly.


Ease of Use:
Somewhat of a pain to use, but not difficult. Shake the bottle to combine the layers, moisten a cotton round and apply to the eye area and gently wipe away makeup. The reason it becomes a pain to use is because it separates so fast. Shaking it multiple times isn't an issue, but after replacing the lid, shaking and unscrewing the lid, it starts to separate. I tried placing a cotton ball on the opening while shaking, but it soaked the ball far too much. I found that the best way to use it to ensure the formula combined and stayed combined for a decent amount of time was to shake the bottle while it's upside-down, then unscrew the lid and dispense the product.


Bang for your Buck:
The remover cost about $9.00CAD for 150ml. Price-wise, it's a good deal, as I can see it lasting a good 4+ months with daily use.


Final Consensus:
If you are looking for a cheaper alternative to the infamous Lancome Bi-Facil remover, this may work for you. It's definitely a different product than Bi-Facil, and thus produces a different result with makeup removal as well as on the skin itself. I'd recommend it to those who are not sensitive to natural plant-based ingredients and if oily residues do not turn you off, give this remover a try.
- Pros: Minimal blurred vision when used, removes eyeshadow very easily, well priced for the amount you are given, aesthetically pleasing, not too difficult to find locally.
- Cons: Somewhat difficult to use, can be irritating and drying to the eye and the skin, very oily consistency, does not remain combined for long enough, possibly caused excess lash fallout, does not remove non-waterproof mascara very easily, does not remove glitter or shimmer particles, leaves obvious flakes on the eye area, the packaging does not work well for the product itself.


Overall Rating: 3/5
Price: 2/5
Packaging Quality: 2/5
Would you buy this product again: No.

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