I believe bare hands are best.....seems gentler. To me, a washcloth is like a bacteria/fungas trap plus abrasive to the skin too. I can't comment about the makeup question.... am a guy and don't wear it.

Agree with the above poster. A wash cloth is definitely more abrasive than your hand and who knows what has settled in there (unless you change it everyday). Your hands are probably best. As for makeup, you should probably remove your makeup first before washing as a simple facial cleanser may not get it all off.