This is an archived article and the information in the story may be outdated. Please check the time stamp on the story to see when it was updated last.
Makeup remover wipes are so convenient that you can keep a little package of them by your bedside and, one minute later, all of your mascara and foundation can be removed without requiring your bathroom or a sink. When you’re traveling, tossing a package of wipes in your luggage is way easier and less potentially messy that dealing with a bulky cleanser. Not to mention: there’s a certain satisfaction that comes from literally seeing your day’s makeup dissolve on a wipe and then throwing it away and starting fresh. But, as anyone who has experienced redness or dryness at the hands of a makeup remover wipe can tell you: they’re not 100% problem-free. Before you pick up another package of wipes at the drug store, this is the scary downside of using makeup remover wipes no one tell you about.
You may have heard that water can be drying to your skin and that one of the benefits of swapping a cleanser for makeup wipes is that you can avoid that last drying step. But the problem with this theory is that all of those ingredients and chemicals that you place on your face when you remove your makeup with a wipe sort of just sits there. Without water to remove them, you may not be a getting a proper cleanse, plus you could be exposing your skin to irritating ingredients that you aren’t removing.
The biggest issue with makeup remover wipes is that some of them contain ingredients you would not dream of otherwise putting on your face — including, in some cases, preservatives like formaldehyde-releasing chemicals, as well as surfactants and emulsifiers. You may think you are zapping up every last drop of makeup from your pores, but many times you’re simply moving it around your face, requiring more than one wipe to properly get your skin clean, which of course means you’re only adding more of these chemicals to the surface of your skin, where they will sit and can cause irritation.
Adding to the mix of not-good-for-your-skin ingredients you can find in many makeup remover wipes are drying alcohol and fragrances that are added to make it seem like you’re having a lovely, relaxing makeup-removing experience, but that can be torture to sensitive skin types. If you absolutely must use a makeup remover wipe, many experts recommend still trying to rinse your skin afterward in order to remove those chemicals (even though that might sound like it’s defeating the purpose of makeup remover wipes). Another helpful tip to keep in mind is to avoid rubbing your skin vigorously with wipes in an effort to remove all of your makeup on one pass. This will only lead to irritation.
The best thing of all to do is to use makeup remover wipes sparingly or not at all and replace them with a skincare routine that includes a mild, effective cleanser that you can rinse off or a convenient but non-irritating option like micellar water for sensitive skin. These products may take a few more passes to get rid of every stitch of waterproof mascara, but when you see how much calmer your skin feels it will all be worth the extra work.
