The Skin Nerd: Why you should never use face wipes to cleanse your skin

Swiping skin with face wipes is never an alternative for proper cleansing and they are bad for the environment too

Face wipes do not properly cleanse the skin.

The culprit for congestion, redness and “drinkles” (aka dehydrated wrinkles)? Using face wipes to cleanse and remove makeup. Face wipes seem tempting when we’re desperate for our head to hit the pillow, and I can’t deny their convenience, but truth be told they’re doing more damage than good to your skin.

For starters, face wipes do not properly cleanse the skin. Unlike a thorough double cleanse, face wipes leave a film of residual makeup, excess sebum, SPF, dead skin cells, and physical pollution particles on the skin. Traces of debris make it much harder for active ingredients to penetrate the skin and work their magic. Using face wipes can also spread sebum, dead skin cells, and Cutibacterium acnes (acne-causing bacteria) across your face – a recipe for unwanted spots and blackheads.

They can’t compete with dedicated eye makeup removers in the cleansing stakes. Attempting to remove waterproof mascara and eyeliner with a face wipe involves plenty of pulling and tugging of the delicate eye area. The skin near our eyes is incredibly thin and too much manipulation can cause the skin to lose elasticity and develop fine lines.

You mightn’t be surprised to hear that some face wipes can be soaked in drying and irritating ingredients, too. Many contain surfactants, fragrance, botanical extracts, and alcohol which are common skin allergens. All of which are left to sit on the skin’s surface because they’re not rinsed away with tepid water like a traditional cleanser.

These harsh and stripping ingredients upset the acid mantle’s natural pH balance which can lead to skin sensitisation and inflammation. Put simply, skin can become red and dehydrated. It’s dehydration that causes fine lines or “drinkles” to appear – but don’t worry, replenishing moisture is the cure.

If not for your skin, ditch face wipes for the sake of the environment. In essence, the majority of face wipes on the market are single-use cloths made from unbiodegradable materials that often end up in landfill or getting flushed down the toilet (a big no-no, hoomans!).

I hope this serves as a face wipe wake up call. If so, hurrah! Instead, I would guide every hooman on the planet toward a pre-cleanser to remove daily grime and a gentle, non-stripping cleanser to complete your essential night-time double cleanse.

With many pre-cleansing tools being a reusable, environmentally-friendly alternative to single-use face wipes – which are kinder to your skin, too – it's a real no brainer to make the switch. The Skingredients Cleanse Off Mitt (€6.50, theskinnerd.com) is a microfibre tool that removes makeup, sebum, SPF, and pollution, including stubborn eye makeup. It’s tonnes better for your skin as it only requires tepid water to lift away grime and debris.

Naturally, the cleanser used afterwards should balance the skin and provide nourishment. The Gallinée La Culture Foaming Facial Cleanser (€16.50 theskinnerd.com) contains a biotic complex, which includes prebiotics, to care for the skin’s ecosystem of microbes, otherwise known as the microbiome. The gently foaming cleanser uses lactic acid to exfoliate dead skin cells and reveal smoother, brighter skin.

In my nerdie opinion, face wipes are totally undeserving of a spot in your coveted skincare routine. Only use them (if at all) when you’re in a pinch and a double cleanse can’t be performed.

The Nerdie Pick

This hydrating, soothing skin spritz packs a real punch with antioxidants galore

Free radical activity caused by pollutants could be the cause of dull, dry skin – a very common problem for city folk. If that’s the case, protective antioxidants should be your skin’s new best pal. The Environ Focus Care Comfort+ Anti-Pollution Spritz contains potent antioxidants such as vitamin C and niacinamide to neutralise the free radicals that damage skin cells and fortify the skin barrier. It also contains pollustop which forms a barrier protecting skin from UV, atmospheric and urban pollution. Clever, right?

Environ Focus Care Comfort+ Anti-Pollution Spritz (€45, theskinnerd.com)