Updated: Apr 17
I get it, I've done it, and now I'm going to tell you why you need to ditch IT.
Face wipes are everywhere, they are the ideal product for those lazy evenings when the last thing you want to do is hover over the bathroom sink and wash off your make-up. Or the feeling when you get in from a night out and roll into bed with your pack sat right next to you and within seconds your make-up is gone. Or so you think.
I don't know about you but when I have used face wipes they actually take about the same amount of time, or maybe even longer to focus on my skin and rub my face than if I was to quickly grab a cleanser, wash and rinse. Using facial wipes is NOT the same as cleansing your face. Most of the time the packaging describes the product as 'make-up remover wipes', so if anything, they would only remove your make-up and not the dirt or pollution into the further layers of the skin. Even if face wipes were good for your skin, one wipe isn't enough to remove all make-up and you'd end up needing about 2 or 3! Not t0 mention you should be using a toner afterwards to restore the skins ph balance and if you were to use a toner, then you would see how much make-up is still left on the skin!
I personally think at the end of the day spending some time pampering yourself is important. You've been around people all day, you can just take five minutes to have a moment to yourself, giving yourself a facial, and it barely takes any time at all!
We all have a cleanser or wash tucked away in the bathroom somewhere. There is no reason why you shouldn't drag yourself and get cleansing. You'll thank yourself the next day when you feel fresh as a daisy and haven't got any new breakouts too!
Face wipes are full of chemical components, other wise they'd dry out and wouldn't be as effective or keep them preserved. Methylisothiazolinone (MI), parabens, alcohol denat (ethanol or ethyl alcohol) and triclosan are just some of the nasty chemicals which you'll find in your wipes. This is why your skin can come up red and blotchy or with a burning sensation after using them, because the irritation is also due to preservatives that prevent micro-organisms from contaminating the wipes.
You probably feel like you are really smart for having a back up plan, by putting the cleansing wipes next to your bed you know you have something to fall back on if you can't be bothered to cleanse your face. But this is encouraging you to use them, and if you're willing to think this much about your skin care then you should just get up and cleanse your face, right? Why risk pigmentation, irritation, or breakouts? If you feel you still need to use a back up plan, try micellar water. Micellar water contains little molecules called micelles that help to pick up and remove dirt, oils and other debris. My favourite one is the 'La Roche-Posay Sensitive Micellar Water'. It has been through dermatological testing to ensure it is suitable for use on even the most sensitive skin. The minimalist formula contains no preservatives, no parabens, no colourants and no lanolin. It is 100% hypoallergenic and its unique hermetic packaging ensures that the product stays uncontaminated throughout its use. This formula is also non-comedogenic (won't block pores), and smells amazing! I bought mine in Boots and 100% recommend. I like using mine in the mornings when I am running out of time and need to cleanse my skin.
If I know i'm not going out again then once I get home, I head straight to the bathroom and wash it all off before I even get the chance to feel tired!
Another reason not to use face wipes is because it dehydrates your skin, and dehydrated skin ages quicker and produces more oil which means breakouts. Make-up wipes can also disrupt the skin's acid mantle, the skin's protective layer that protects it against acne-causing bacteria and moisture loss. You will also be using more pressure, especially around the eyes, which is a delicate area. This can produce inflammation which can eventually lead to skin pigmentation or even early signs of ageing!
If you haven't already been persuaded to ditch the dreadful face wipes then maybe cost will persuade you. By using face wipes correctly you should be using about 2-3 each time to actually remove all traces of make-up. So if you get 25 in a pack, using them just in the evening would last you between 7 days to 13 days. Not to mention you should be cleansing your face in the morning too so thats even more getting used. A cleanser lasts a lot longer, so you really would be getting your moneys worth whilst knowing you're caring for your skin. I find my cleansers can last up to 4 or 5 months depending on the size of bottle.
Face wipes are used for many things, and should always be thrown away instead of flushed down the toilet. It isn't just your skin you're damaging, but the environment too! They often contain plastic, meaning they do not disintegrate like toilet paper. The reason wet wipes are littering our coast line is due to people flushing them down the toilet rather than throwing them away. They're becoming an on going problem and one face wipe can take over 100 years to biodegrade. When they get released into the sea, they can wash up on beaches which isn't what you want to see when you head down for a relaxing day on the beach. Not to mention the harm it causes to animals as it gets tangled up.
Thank you for reading. If you have any questions regarding skin care then do not hesitate to contact me.