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Though a staple for many, face wipes are one of the beauty industry’s more controversial products. Using the wrong wipe can cause irritation, since you're, well, wiping them across your face. But as long as you're using face wipes that are made with gentle, non-stripping ingredients and following up with a cleanser, you should be in good shape. Ahead, a guide to the best face wipes on the market — but first, a few tips on how to use face wipes properly.
Face wipes mainly get a bad rap when they're used in place of cleanser, because they don't adequately remove makeup and oil on their own. Think about it: When using a wipe as your primary cleansing method, you're not only leaving leftover makeup behind — you're literally spreading it around the rest of your face. Plus, the face wipes themselves might contain ingredients, like fragrance and preservatives, that can cause irritation if not rinsed off (especially if you have sensitive skin). Therefore, face wipes should only be used as the first step in your cleansing process. If you don't follow up with a proper cleanser, you risk leaving a lot of those pore-clogging debris and potential irritants on your face.
You also want to make sure you're using a wipe made with gentle, non-irritating ingredients, though it’s worth noting that potential allergens vary from person to person. If you have sensitive skin, avoid fragranced face wipes, and look for wipes that contain moisturizing or soothing ingredients to counteract any dryness or irritation. And since face wipes, like any other beauty product, aren't one-size-fits-all, make sure you're picking a wipe that was formulated for your skin type.
Below, five of the best cleansing wipes you can trust.
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The Best Face Wipes For Most
Knours. is a relatively new brand that makes a curated selection of staple skin care products, all of which are formulated with hormonal women's skin in mind. That means they're gentle and made without ingredients that might trigger breakouts or irritation. In addition to cleansing skin of makeup, dirt, oil, and bacteria, the In-bed Cleansing Wipes work to hydrate, soothe, and calm skin, whether it's dry, irritated, or experiencing a breakout.
Included in the formula is tea tree extract, which is known to help treat breakouts; borage extract, a moisturizing botanical oil; and antioxidant-rich lotus flower and licorice root extracts, which having soothing and calming properties. But even more important is what the formula doesn't contain: oil, alcohol, SLS, parabens, and phthalates. Basically, these wipes — which are also cruelty-free, vegan, and EWG green-grade — are as close to perfect as can be.
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Best Exfoliating Face Wipes
URSA Major's Essential Face Wipes are another great, clean option — however, they get docked a few points for their hefty price tag and wasteful packaging (the face wipes themselves, however, are biodegradable). Like the Knours. wipes, these are made with gentle, plant-based ingredients and formulated without questionable chemicals and potential irritants (fragrance, glycols, sulfates, etc.). But what sets them apart is their unique exfoliating complex. Using a blend of AHAs and BHAs, these wipes work to tone, brighten, and refine skin. But they also contain soothing and hydrating ingredients to counteract any effects of the exfoliating acids (so basically, they do it all).
While these wipes are definitely recommended for all skin types, those with oily and acne-prone skin will find them especially beneficial due to their exfoliating abilities.
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A Less Expensive Natural Alternative
If you're invested in using clean beauty products, but find the first two options too expensive, there are Honest Beauty's Makeup Remover Wipes. Infused with nourishing oils, like grape seed and olive, these gentle, no-fuss wipes remove makeup and leave skin soft. In addition to being hypoallergenic, they're also free of parabens, phthalates, and synthetic fragrance — though many reviewers report an unpleasant "taste" if you use them on your mouth, so be forewarned.
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Best Face Wipes For A Deeper Clean
For wipes that provide a deeper clean, you might want to try Olay's Daily Facials. Though they don't boast clean formula like the first three options on this list, these wipes are unique in that they're dry, and work into a foamy lather when exposed to water (which makes them perfect for travel). Not only do they provide a cleanser-like clean, but they also refine skin and gently exfoliate, thanks to their dual-sided texture and the salicylic acid in the formula.
Since these wipes are intended to be used with water, you can probably don't need to follow up with a cleanser — though reviewers note that they aren't as adept as removing makeup on your eyes, so you might want to use some micellar water or eye makeup remover first. Another tip: fans suggest cutting them in two on days when you don't wear heavy makeup.
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Best Value
You can't go wrong with these classic Simple Kind To Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes. For under $10, you get two packs of 25: one to throw in your gym bag and one to keep on your bathroom counter. As their name suggests, these wipes are simple (in a good way). Made without alcohol, oil, and synthetic fragrances and dyes, they cleanse skin of makeup and oil without leaving it feeling dry or stripped.
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Also Great: These Reusable Makeup-Removing Cloths That Are Activated By Water
For a more eco-friendly option, consider these reusable cleansing cloths by DANIELLE. The Erase Your Face cloths seemingly work like magic: once dampened with warm water, they'll fully cleanse your skin — even of thick foundation and waterproof mascara. Made of super soft polyester, you can reuse them over and over again: reviewers say one lasts for up to a few months (which means this four-pack could last you an entire year).
"I'm not kidding when I say that this is the best make up remover I've ever owned," one reviewer writes. Another fan says, "This is the only makeup remover that has ever taken all of my mascara off in one setting."
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