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Original poster

Are face wipes really so bad?

76 replies

TheUrbaneFox · 22/09/2015 20:49

I only use cheap ones as well! They take the tiny bit of make up that I wear off. How bad can they be for me? I keep reading how bad they are but maybe that's because they aren't very expensive and the beauty industry could sell you more expensive ways of taking off make up.

OP posts:
Cerseirys · 26/09/2015 20:40

Face wipes are no more full of chemicals as any cleanser and there are plenty which are alcohol free. I wear makeup maybe once or twice a month so use a wipe to get it off and then wash my face with cleanser. I've found wipes are better for eye makeup anyway. And they always go in the bin - can't believe some people actually flush them!

MitzyLeFroof · 26/09/2015 20:41

Some of my flannels are ancient. Seven small cloths thrown in with a 40 degree wash that will be going on anyway is definitely more environmentally friendly than wipes.

I'm not contributing to fatbergs or landfill when I clean my face.

louloubelle2 · 26/09/2015 20:45

OMG are you guys for real?? A few face flannels (which you don't have to wash EVERY time you use if you rinse them in hot water) equate to about a t shirt a week extra in your weekly laundry. They take up the same space to dry on an airer as a few pairs of socks. You wouldn't be adding anything to your water bill adding a few flannels to your wash or heating the water to wash your face.

You are spending loads more adding face wipes to your weekly shop. They are not biodegradable and are full of chemicals that your face and the world don't need.

There is no comparison, you've just be sucked into the marketing hype.

Tarzanlovesgaby · 26/09/2015 21:31

flannels just go into whatever wash is next on.
bar of soap here, so not much extra packaging here.

Gwenhwyfar · 27/09/2015 00:58

"You wouldn't be adding anything to your water bill adding a few flannels to your wash or heating the water to wash your face. "

Of course you would. Any extra item in the washing machine equals more loads in the long term. using hot water is expensive. As I've explained, in my case I also have to waste quite a bit of cold water for the hot water to come through.

Gwenhwyfar · 27/09/2015 00:58

"
You are spending loads more adding face wipes to your weekly shop."

They're no more expensive than a bottle of cleanser.

Gwenhwyfar · 27/09/2015 01:01

"Face cloths get thrown in with regular white wash."

Living on my own I only do a white wash every once in a while (less than once a month) so I'd need LOADS of white cloths and they'd need to be washed at a very high temperature.

MitzyLeFroof · 27/09/2015 01:03

Few of my cloths are white. They get chucked in with whatever wash.

MitzyLeFroof · 27/09/2015 01:04

Environmental issues aside face wipes don't actually clean your face properly.

Yuck.

goodasitgets · 27/09/2015 01:07

I use the water out the kettle - after I have made a brew and it's cooled
Starting doing it when I had no hot water and as I make a drink to take to bed I just tip the water in the sink

Otherwise cotton wool and a cream cleanser are still better than wipes

goodasitgets · 27/09/2015 01:08

And my cleanser is a balm one in a glass pot so I can recycle that. Flannel goes in the wash with towels, I live alone too

Want2bSupermum · 27/09/2015 01:21

I want to laugh when I read about others laundry on MN. Family of 4 and its 10 loads a week. It's like the famous Mn chicken!

I audited a company that operates here in the us and the UK making wipes (face, baby and cleaning). Most of their facial wipes for cleansing were water based with eye makeup remover ones being oil based. Auditing the inventory I got to see the water based ones were far cheaper to make. The most expensive part is what they call the applicator which is the actual sheet. A cheap applicator will rip your face to shreds no matter what the chemical mix.

CherylTunt · 27/09/2015 01:38

Mine comes in a glass jar too. It lasts aaaaaaages and then the pot gets recycled. In a pinch you can just use olive oil, it was good enough for the Romans Grin

I don't care about keeping my white cloths snow white so they certainly don't get any special treatment / hot washes, they just get washed along with everything else. I have about 10, of different colours, and won't need to buy any more for, well, I don't know, years I guess.

I just do it because it feels like a much more thorough clean and my skin feels great. Don't really have an environmental drum to beat. But if we're going to compare greenness there's also the energy used to manufacture wipes and transport them, and the non-recyclable packaging to factor in. I guess probably there are emissions and byproducts of the manufacturing process too.

AsTimeGoesBy · 27/09/2015 07:42

I'd never really thought about the envirnmental impact, just the fact thst wipes sting my face and smear the make-up around instead of taking it off. However thinking about it my flannels are over 10 years old and are half size washable wipes from when the DCs were in nappies, they go in with the regular washing, dry on a sock hanger, the DCs use them too and my cleanser is one from Lush who take back the pots for re-use. Definitely better all round than wipes.

CuttedUpPear · 27/09/2015 07:54

Ha ha to the poster trying to convince us that a few flannels in the wash will increase our household bills and wreck the environment. Get real.

Anyway you wipers, what are you thinking? Wipes drag the delicate skin round your eyes.
I'm a lifelong cotton wool and cream cleanser user. Everyone thinks I'm about 8 years younger than I am (50) and I haven't had breakouts for decades.

BrendaandEddie · 27/09/2015 07:56

I have a Family of five. Sporty. Often three loads a day

BrandNewAndImproved · 27/09/2015 08:32

I do at least a load a day and a couple each day on a weekend and there's only 3 of us. My uniform has to be washed everyday and I've only got two sets, dc are sporty and go to football, athletics, martial arts and basketball everyweek. It's a lot of washing and one of the club's is on 2/3 times a week.

3 flannels a day chucked into the washing machine is nothing. The using leftover kettle water is a really good idea, I personally wash my face when I'm in the bath before I go to bed but if I had to use a flannel last thing I would run it under the cold tap to get wet. You wring it out its not like slapping cold water on your face.

Gwenhwyfar · 27/09/2015 19:05

"if we're going to compare greenness there's also the energy used to manufacture wipes and transport them, and the non-recyclable packaging to factor in. I guess probably there are emissions and byproducts of the manufacturing process too."

Same thing for cleanser.

Gwenhwyfar · 27/09/2015 19:07

"Ha ha to the poster trying to convince us that a few flannels in the wash will increase our household bills and wreck the environment. Get real."

Of course it does. Extra things in the wash means more washes overall. How can you not agree with that?

Artandco · 27/09/2015 19:12

Gwen- here I would do one towel wash a week. It can either fit 4 towels alone, or 4 towels and 10 faceclothes. It would still all fit in one wash. The face clothes are thin and tiny. So wouldn't be any more washing or any less. I wouldn't add clothing in that wash as wash towels at a higher temperature

DrHarleenFrancesQuinzel · 27/09/2015 19:23

Anyway you wipers, what are you thinking? Wipes drag the delicate skin round your eyes

That I was getting my make-up off Blush I didn't think about it not really taking it all off properly.

So now I need to change so will from tomorrow (I only wear make-up to work or special occasions). I have some cleanser and cotton wool in for now, but What do I need to get in for the flannels? I have flannels in, but someone upthread said something about having to be thin. Mine are all the square thick type. Will any face wash do? Confused

Tarzanlovesgaby · 27/09/2015 19:27

any flannel will do. no special purchase required.

AsTimeGoesBy · 27/09/2015 19:42

Extra things in the wash means more washes overall. How can you not agree with that?

Adding a flannel to a wash is similar to adding a sock. No extra detergent, negligible water or energy increase. No extra loads. So no, I don't agree with that.

mrslebon · 28/09/2015 09:43

Just side-stepping the environmental stuff, I used to have redness and dryness, particularly around my eyes and nose, when I used Simple face wipes. Seeing information on here about the benefits of hot cloth cleansing encouraged me to switch and I've never looked back. I use an Aromatherapy Associates cleansing balm with bog standard white flannels from Superdrug rinsed in warm water. Bingo, my skin has never looked better!

Aquamarine70 · 28/09/2015 10:07

A tip to save water. I wet a flannel & then out in the microwave for 50 secs on high. The cloth is just right temperature & it saves running the hot tap to get the water to the right temperature & wasting the water. I am in Australia & we have to be careful with water & it's so expensive.
I am a beauty therapist & wipes definitely dry out the skin. They are OK for quickness now & then but long term they do cause dryness & eyelashes to feel stiff. Always rinse after as they do leave a residue.
I use eye makeup remover then massage milk cleanser on my face & remove with hot cloth. I use both sides of the cloth. I then tone & use serum, eye cream & moisturiser. My skin has been much better & has a glow as the flannel gently exfoliates. I tried the Garnier micellar water & Simple but you still need to rinse afterwards as it leaves a residue. My skin broke out & I had dry patches around my nose.