The Formulation Secret of "Refreshing and Non-Sticky": How to Avoid the Sticky Residue of Makeup Removers?

I. The "Invisible Film": Who Left It Behind?

Many people have had this experience: after wiping their face with a cotton pad soaked in makeup remover, the makeup is gone, but the skin feels as if it is wrapped in a thin film—not greasy, but sticky. When applying subsequent serums or lotions, it feels like they "won't spread," and there is a suffocating sensation all night that the skin "isn't breathing."

This experience is one of the biggest killers of makeup remover repurchase rates.

This sticky sensation is not just unpleasant; it interferes with the absorption of subsequent serums and moisturizers, clogs pores, and can even trigger acne breakouts in acne-prone populations. More importantly, 2024 skincare research data shows that over 75% of makeup remover products on retail shelves have highly similar ingredient compositions, leaving consumers facing severe choice fatigue. In the same year, surveys found that about 41% of buyers couldn't even recall the brand name of the makeup remover they were using.

In a landscape of homogenized competition, post-use skin feel is the most direct and perceptible dimension for brand differentiation. And "refreshing and non-sticky" is precisely a problem that formulation engineers can solve systematically—provided they first figure out where the stickiness comes from.

II. Three Formulation Roots of the Sticky Sensation

Root 1: Excessively High Glycerin Concentration

Glycerin is the most common humectant in makeup removers—inexpensive, widely available, and highly hygroscopic (can absorb about 10 times its weight in water). However, it is also the primary formulation culprit for stickiness.

When the addition of glycerin in a formula exceeds 5%, the product generally produces a sticky, tacky feeling after application, which is an unacceptable experience for consumers. While many high-performance moisturizing hand and body lotions contain 10–20% glycerin with extensive peer-reviewed literature proving their efficacy, the key drawback of glycerin is that it induces a tacky skin feel at effective usage levels, often requiring other humectants to improve the skin feel.

In makeup remover formulations, the recommended usage of glycerin is usually controlled at 2–4% to balance moisturizing efficacy and user experience.

Root 2: Use of High-Molecular-Weight Thickeners

Some brands add polymers or viscosity-builders (such as Carbomer) to improve product texture, which are also sources of post-use stickiness.

Acrylate polymers like Carbomer mainly act as thickeners and suspending agents in makeup removers, but their unique film-forming characteristics create a lightweight polymer network on the skin surface. Upon drying, this produces the typical "stringy" and "filmy" sticky sensation. For makeup removers pursuing a refreshing, lightweight experience, such thickeners should be used with caution, with dosages controlled below 0.05–0.1%, or replaced with low-viscosity, water-soluble natural colloids (such as ultra-dilute solutions of Sodium Hyaluronate).

Root 3: Incomplete Emulsification of the Surfactant System, Forming an "Oil-Water Mixed Residual Film"

When the HLB value of the makeup remover's surfactant system is poorly designed and its ability to emulsify makeup and sebum is insufficient, partially dissolved but incompletely emulsified oily substances remain on the skin surface. These mix with the water-soluble components in the formula, forming an indescribable "neither oil nor water" sticky sensation—this is the essential cause of the consumer complaint of "the more I wipe, the oilier it gets."

III. From "Glycerin Reliance" to "Polyol Combinations": Formulation Strategies to Non-Sticky

Strategy 1: Replace or Dilute Glycerin with Low-Viscosity Humectants

This is the core formulation strategy to solve stickiness. The industry mainstream practice is to use a "glycerin-based, polyol-compounded" approach to significantly improve skin feel while maintaining moisturizing efficacy.

A clinical study published in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science shows that 1,3-Propanediol (Propanediol), whether used alone or in combination with Butylene Glycol / Glycerin at various concentrations, continuously improves skin hydration and reduces TEWL values at 15 minutes, 2 hours, and 8 hours post-application. Notably, the combination of 1,3-Propanediol and Glycerin simultaneously improves skin hydration and barrier function, outperforming the use of 1,3-Propanediol alone or the 1,3-Propanediol + Butylene Glycol combination.

Comparison of Common "Low-Viscosity Humectants" in Makeup Remover Formulations:

Ingredient	INCI Name	Recommended Dosage	Hydration Ability	Skin Feel
Glycerin	Glycerin	2–4%	Extremely Strong	Sticky (Obvious if >5%)
Propanediol	Propanediol (1,3-PDO)	3–8%	Strong	Lightweight, refreshing
Butylene Glycol	Butylene Glycol	2–6%	Moderate	Usually less sticky than glycerin; compatible with many ingredients; adds preservative boosting (lowers water activity)
Pentylene Glycol	Pentylene Glycol	1–3%	Moderate	No stickiness; excellent preservative boosting. At 2–3%, significantly reduces the need for traditional preservatives
Sorbitol	Sorbitol	2–4%	Strong	More hygroscopic than glycerin without the stickiness, but relatively higher cost

Practical Advice for Formulators: Compounding glycerin and propanediol at a 1:1 ratio can achieve moisturizing effects similar to full-dose glycerin while significantly reducing stickiness. Additionally, compounding pentylene glycol with glycerin can further reduce preservative usage while enhancing skin feel.

Strategy 2: Select a Surfactant System with Rapid Micellar Breakdown

Another key to "refreshing and non-sticky" lies in the skin behavior of the surfactant system after water evaporates. Ideal makeup remover surfactants should meet:

• Moderate micellar structure stability: Stable enough to dissolve makeup, but capable of rapid disintegration upon contact with large amounts of water (i.e., when the liquid on the cotton pad evaporates or is lightly rinsed with water), without forming residual aggregates on the skin surface.

• High HLB value (≥12): High hydrophilicity means the molecules are more easily "washed away" by moisture on the skin rather than continuously adhering to the stratum corneum.

The compound system of PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides and Polysorbate 20 combines high-efficiency emulsification with rapid water solubility and is currently the most common surfactant choice for achieving a "refreshing feel" in high-end makeup removers.

Strategy 3: Reduce or Optimize Thickeners, Opting for a "Lightweight" System

If brand positioning requires the makeup remover to have a certain flowing texture, consider the following alternative thickening strategies:

• Low-concentration Xanthan Gum (0.05–0.1%): High thickening efficiency, extremely low dosage, minimal skin residue.

• Sodium Hyaluronate (Ultra-low molecular weight, ≤50 kDa, 0.05%): Balances hydration and slip without forming a sticky film.

• Sodium Chloride (0.3–0.5%): Fine-tunes system viscosity through the electrolyte effect without introducing any additional residue.

IV. Post-Use Skin Feel is a Brand Asset and a Reflection of Supplier Capability

The global makeup remover market was valued at approximately $3.6 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $6.5 billion by 2035, with a CAGR of about 6.2% from 2026 to 2035. The market continues to expand, but consumers' discernment is simultaneously improving.

2024 skincare research data shows that over 50% of surveyed consumers list "dermatologist-tested" and "fragrance-free formulations" as core considerations when purchasing makeup removers. In terms of product evaluation dimensions, "post-use skin feel" is increasingly appearing in buyer rating systems—it is no longer just a question of "whether the makeup is clean," but "how the skin feels after cleansing."

This places higher demands on brand owners' formulations and sets higher standards for the technical capabilities of OEM/ODM factories. An OEM/ODM factory equipped with a complete sensory evaluation system can not only help brand owners design low-residue, refreshing formulations but also collect skin feel data through standardized Consumer Use Panels, providing quantifiable evidence for "refreshing and non-sticky" claims.

Who takes a brief like this all the way to a repeatable, shelf-ready line?

Bringing a brief from concept to a shelf-ready, repeatable formula takes more than a formulator. We work from barrier science and validated delivery systems, not ingredient claims.

Every project runs through a defined stability, compatibility and sensory protocol before it reaches pilot batch — so what you approve in the sample is what the line produces.

By collaborating with Explore our formulation and R&D capability you gain access to industry-leading expertise and innovative formulations that set your brand apart in the competitive global market. Send your target profile, market and volume; we will return a feasibility assessment with indicative cost and timeline.