reusablecottonpads

This makes sense: makeup wipe are suitable, and they look effective. Baby wipes are made for literal babies, so they seem tender. Powerful + gentle = joyful epidermis, right...? Not this time. I'm so sorry to be the bearer of terrible news, but makeup wipes are not your friend. They're good for occasional use (camping, travel, illness, etc) but if you are using a makeup wipe, baby wash, or water wipe as your primary mechanism for eliminating your makeup or cleansing your face, you're doing long-term harm for your face. You're also not doing the environment any favors--that's a whole lot of unnecessary waste! There are environmentally friendly options available that are just as easy and much more favorable to your face.

Yesterday on instagram I shared that a meme from among my favorite skincare experts, Caroline Hirons, beseeching every person to quit using makeup wipes, and you were not having it. And I found that an alarming amount of you sweet baby angels are using baby wipes to remove your makeup.

1. Makeup wipes destroy your acid mantle, and it is a delicate and significant layer on the surface of the skin which keeps moisture in and junk out. Your acid mantle is the way your skin protects itself from viruses, bacteria, and other horrible things that want in. Your acid mantle deserves protection and love.
2. 
   The texture of 99.9percent of makeup wipes is harsh enough to be regarded as a mechanical exfoliant. Many men and women use some kind of exfoliating product in their skincare routine, so for most people this is just a bit too much to your skin to handle. Over exfoliating will ruin your acid mantle.
   The majority of the men and women who responded to my story about makeup wipes expressed dismay because they use makeup wipes to eliminate their lashes, and ya'll, you do NOT wish to exfoliate your delicate eye tissue. Reusable Cotton Pads can cause micro-tears in your skin which may advance the aging process (this is why skin pros don't need you to use harsh facial scrubs like St. Ives Apricot Scrub--palms and feet just!) So using them on your delicate eye tissue is basically enticing fine lines and wrinkles to combine the party much earlier than they would otherwise.
3. 
   Baby wipes aren't formulated to keep pores clear or break down waxes or oils (makeup), they are formulated to eliminate organic material from the surface of the epidermis. Using a baby wipe to clean your face means you are leaving a LOT of makeup and environmental debris behind.
4. 
   Makeup wipes are not formulated to really wash your skin. They're formulated to break down cosmetics. Your face may look makeup free once you're done, however, these wipes do not really cleanse your skin and have a tendency to leave behind a residue that is not doing skin any favors. They simply suck.