The Best Things for Removing Makeup Stains from Clothes, According to Makeup Artists

Makeup artist Melissa Bedi also uses makeup remover in the form of wipes to fight stains. “If I have it handy, I first reach for my Neutrogena makeup wipes,” she says. “They have a mild makeup remover in them, and if used right away, can eliminate the stain with little effort. Always use a dabbing motion in place of rubbing the stain.” They’re especially useful for powdered makeup stains, like those from eyeshadow. “You want to take your hand and just dust it off,” says Bedi, to prevent spreading and setting. “I find it best to blow off the excess, and then use a makeup wipe or makeup remover on a cotton pad to remove it.” Slunjski agrees: “When it comes to stains caused by loose powders, I find that a makeup wipe does the trick, and a piece of scotch tape, if it’s only sitting on the fabric.”

Dulude says that “one thing I always try first is to gently rub the stain with dry baking soda,” but if that doesn’t work, she reaches for this all-purpose spot remover as a first line of attack. “It’s an easy thing to try and good to have at hand — not only for makeup stains on clothes but also on stains on rugs and fabric couches,” she says. “And as with any stain-removing process, try it out on a small hidden area first to make sure that it won’t ruin or fade the fabric.”

Beauty and grooming products are also great for removing makeup stains, according to our experts, three of whom recommended shaving cream for combatting pesky foundation stains. “The best product I have found for removing foundation stains is shaving cream — especially once a stain is set into the material,” says Bedi, who keeps Barbasol shaving cream in her kit at all times. Dulude agrees: “The ingredients in shaving cream should help loosen up the stain before the wash.” Makeup artist Vanessa Ungaro also uses shaving cream on foundation stains. To get them out, she says to “dampen the area with cold water and apply shaving cream directly onto the stain. Rub gently with your fingers or a soft toothbrush.” If you need a little extra potency, Ungaro recommends adding a drop of rubbing alcohol into the mixture and to continue rubbing gently. Then launder the item of clothing in warm water. If you don’t have shaving cream handy, Dulude says shampoo is another product she uses to get foundation stains — as well as those from powders and concealers — out of clothes. She recommends this natural shampoo from Puracy.

Hair spray also came up a lot among our panel of experts as another makeup-stain remover that works particularly well on lipstick stains. Dulude uses Boldify hair spray: “Spray a little hair spray onto the lipstick stain, leave it on for ten minutes, then lightly tap and scrub the stain and then wash in the machine as usual.” Bedi turns to hair spray, too, as an “in-the-moment solution” that will lock the stain in place and prevent it from spreading. “Just wait for the hair spray to dry, then take a cold, wet face cloth and spot treat by doing pressing motions,” she explains. “This will help loosen the stain and remove the hair spray gently. The hair spray I have been using in my kit is Moroccanoil Luminous Hairspray Extra Strong, but any strong-hold, alcohol-based hairspray will do.” Ungaro agrees, saying that an alcohol-based hair spray is another of her favorite makeup-stain removers.

“The most universal cleaning product is any type of rubbing alcohol,” says Bedi. Like an alcohol-based hairspray, it’s particularly useful in removing lipstick. “Lipstick is waxy and stains, [but] an alcohol-based product, or just straight rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball will take it right off,” says Bedi, who uses alcohol on stains caused by eyeliners and lip liners, too. Our other experts agree. According to Theresa Williams, co-founder of Williamsburg laundromat Celsious, “lipsticks and pencils are usually wax-based and lift well by blotting with a cloth or paper towel soaked in rubbing alcohol.” Strykova also turns to alcohol in removing non-waterproof makeup stains.

In the absence of alcohol, hairspray, or eye-makeup remover, Slunjski says you can also remove lipstick stains using a grease-fighting household cleaner like Lysol. “Spray it on the stain and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes,” she says. “If I feel the stain will easily come out, I’d hand wash it. Or I’ll put it in the washer if it’s more ‘hard-core’ and let my washing machine take over.”

Because of its grease-cutting properties, it’s not surprising that many of our experts say dish soap will also work like a charm on a range of makeup stains. “Using a degreasing soap works just as well to remove lipstick, lipgloss, and eyeliner,” says Ungaro, who says it will work on oil-based foundation stains, too, although it may require a little more effort due to dish soap’s heavier consistency. She recommends starting with a prewash spot cleaner (more on that below), but “if you do not see the stain lifting, apply a liquid dish soap with a degreasing agent directly onto it,” she says. Dulude recommended Biokleen dish soap (which she uses on stains from self-tanning lotions), but Bedi and other dish-soap advocates say most standard dish soaps, like Dawn, will work. “Just apply detergent to the stain and scrub away,” says Bedi. “This is definitely a later move if other techniques are not available. If the stain is still being stubborn, you can sponge the area with some white vinegar, then repeat previous steps.” Strykova agrees: “With old stains, you’ve got to clean first with the appropriate brush cleaner, then follow up with dishwashing liquid, then throw it into the washing machine and add a stain remover liquid for best results.”

Williams agrees that soap makes a good a makeup-stain remover, and recommends using this vegetable-oil-based soap stick that — like other vegetable-oil-based soaps — “is extremely potent at lifting grease stains,” she says. Williams told us that Meliora’s ecofriendly Laundry Stain Removal Soap Stick is the go-to makeup-stain remover at Celsious, where they aim to “tackle even the toughest stains with all natural and non-toxic products that are also easy to use at home.” To use it, she suggests lightly wetting the stain with water, then rubbing in the soap with a clean cloth or toothbrush. “Let it sit for five to 10 minutes and then dab the stain with a clean piece of cloth, transferring as much of the lifted product as possible from your garment to the rag,” she says. “Repeat and occasionally flip the garment inside out to work the stain from both sides. Once the stain has significantly lifted, rinse the spot under running water. Once the stain is fully removed launder as per garment care instructions.”