Ever see your best friend show up to brunch on a Saturday morning with eyeliner practically running down her face? Did she give you the classic excuse - "I was too lazy to remove my eye makeup last night" - that has become so popular amongst so many? Not removing eye makeup can certainly do more damage than good, and while you might be able to get away with it a few times a year without much harm, it's seriously important to remove it before sleeping. Here are my top tips on removing eye makeup, and keeping it off ... for good!

Using a facial wipe first on your eyes and face is a great hack to getting most of that makeup off your mug before reaching for a professional removing solution. Simply wipe your eye makeup off with the cleansing wipe, and create a somewhat clean slate for your normal cleanser.

Investing a few more dollars in a quality eye makeup remover is key, as some solutions don't always clean efficiently. Soak a small cotton pad with remover and simply apply it to the eye area. This allows you to dissolve any eye makeup that wasn't taken care of by the facial wipes. Gently wipe your eyes until the cloth is clear, then proceed with your skincare routine.

Product Recommendations: Biotherm Biocils Gel, Giorgio Armani Perfection Eye Makeup Remover, Lancôme Bi-Facil Eye Makeup Remover

Face wash is for your face, not your eyes. Getting soapy cleansers around the eye area can cause some serious irritation and it's best to always avoid these things when trying to remove eye makeup.

Photo: thinkstock