When you feel lazy about washing your face, or need a refresher when you’re on the go, face wipes can come in clutch. But you have to choose them carefully because not every face wipe has the same benefits. In fact, some can be very drying to the skin and some don’t even do that good of a job at actually cleansing your skin of dirt, bacteria, and makeup. Not to mention, face wipes are disposable, so they’re not exactly sustainable.
While you’re probably better off doing it the “old-fashioned” way with your face cleanser of choice and a bathroom sink, there are some times when you just need to use a wipe. For those times, check the package for ingredients that are both cleansing and nourishing—stay away from anything that contains alcohol and look for things like refreshing and hydrating things like aloe vera and micellar water.
And when it comes to using the face wipe itself, be gentle with it. I know I’ve been guilty of scrubbing my face almost raw with a wipe and then immediately regretting it the next day when I woke up to a dry and irritated face.
Take a look at some editor-recommended face wipes below if you need some suggestions to keep on hand.
Designed for sensitive skin, these wipes are made with cotton, rice extracts, and aloe. They’ll get rid of makeup and dirt, while also toning the skin.
Cetaphil wipes are also made from gentle skin and don’t contain soap, so they won’t strip the skin of its natural oil and moisture.
These are basically Ursa Major’s 4-in-1 Essential Face Toner in a pocket-sized face wipe. They contain a 3% natural AHA/BHA complex to exfoliate and unclog pores, plus aloe vera to soothe and hydrate; witch hazel to tighten and shrink pores; and green tea for free radical protection.
The micellar water in these wipes cleanses the skin gently, while the gingko biloba leaf extract soothes and boosts hydration.
You really don’t have to worry about these wipes drying out your skin at all. They’re enriched with hyaluronic acid and a micellar-infused, triple emollient. And while they’re gentle, they’re powerful enough to remove all the things—dirt, bacteria, oil, makeup, sweat, sunscreen, and even pollution.
If you have oily or acne-prone skin these will be your go-to. One of the key ingredients here is salicylic acid, which is a known acne-fighter—and there’s 2% of it in this formula. Other ingredients include witch hazel to remove excess oil; aloe to moisturize and soothe, and broccoli extract and citrus bioflavonoids to target free radicals.
Aveeno’s face wipes feature calming feverfew extract, which is an ingredient related to chamomile, so you know they’ll give sensitive skin some TLC.
These contain vitamin E and a moisturizing blend to completely nourish the skin. You can use it daily even if you have sensitive or dry skin.
Patchology’s wipes are packed with good-for-the-skin ingredients: vitamin B5 for intense moisture; biotin for healthy, glowy skin; and folic acid to detoxify the skin and purify pores.
I don’t use face wipes that often, but when I do I use these ones from Simple. They’re kind to my skin and do a good job of getting all the makeup and grime off my face.
CeraVe’s wipes are just as good as its hydrating cleanser—they have the usual ceramides and glycerin that you’d expect from the brand. The face cloth is also 100% biodegradable so you can compost it.
If you like Bioré’s pore strips, I think you’re going to like these cleansing cloths from the brand. They feature dirt-grabbing fibers to really lift all that oil and grime, while also providing some exfoliation.
These are like a trip to a spa in wipe form—yes, really. First, they contain mineral-rich cleansing spa water. And next, they’re infused with six nourishing and replenishing essential herbs: Rosemary leaf, sage leaf, lavender, artemisia princeps leaf, perilla ocymoides leaf, and ginger root.
Honest Beauty’s daily facial wipes contain grape seed and olive oils, which are both nourishing and moisturizing. They don’t contain parabens, phthalates, silicones, and synthetic fragrances.
The main ingredient in these cleansing cloths is witch hazel, which works to tone the skin and refine pores. In addition to that powerful and natural ingredient, there’s also aloe and botanical extracts to condition the skin and leave it feeling smooth.
This hydrating cleanser is especially helpful for normal to dry and sensitive skin types. The creamy product gently removes dirt and makeup and maintains the skin’s natural barrier and pH levels.
My skin normally gets dried out easily so I’ve been very into cleansing balms recently to remove makeup. This moisturizing formula just melts the makeup away while also exfoliating the pores and clearing other dirt.
A dermatologist favorite, SkinMedica’s exfoliating cleanser is both a chemical and mechanical exfoliant. It has AHAs (lactic, glycolic, citric, malic acids) and a BHA (salicylic acid), plus jojoba oil spheres to smooth the skin and enhance its texture.
Sometimes it can be tough to remove eye makeup, and not to mention the skin around your eyes is just so sensitive. This bestselling eye makeup remover easily erases makeup and is suitable for sensitive skin and contact lens wearers.
Some people might think that cleansing oils are greasy, but that’s far from the case with this one. It’s a water-soluble formula that can remove excess oil, makeup, dirt, and other things that can clog pores. It’s packed with olive oil and vitamin E for a nourishing effect.
