Why are face wipes so bad anyway ?

We all know that we shouldn’t be using face wipes. However, wet wipes are behind 93% of sewer blockages most of them are being flushed down toilets every day. As well as filling up the oceans, lining beaches, clogging up our sewers and generally causing environmental destruction, they’re also really bad news for your skin.  Yet global sales of wipes are set to increase even further as the need for convenience takes over.

The trouble is, face wipes are very convenient. With the ability to remove make up and ‘cleanse’ a face in seconds, it’s really no wonder they’re hard to give up.

However, if people really knew the truth about the horrors that face wipes are causing to their skin, they might think again before they pick up more on the next supermarket trip.

If the environmental damage isn’t enough to stop you, you should see what face wipes are really capable of when it comes to your complexion. And believe me it is shocking !

They don’t actually clean your face !

If you’ve spent your life thinking a face wipe is all you need to remove your makeup, here’s your wake up call. “Face wipes do not clean as thoroughly as a dedicated facial cleanser and water, often leaving behind grime and oil which may over time lead to clogged pores, breakouts and even irritation from residual product on the skin,” warns Dr Alexis Granite, Consulting Dermatologist at Kiehl’s Yep, that’s right, they’re barely cleaning your face at all.

Skincare Expert and Celebrity Facialist Emma Brown says: “Face wipes will do nothing for your skin. They’re not able to actually clean your skin. They will remove part of your makeup or surface bacteria but they’re not able to effectively breakdown the makeup, oil and dirt you just end up smearing the day’s grime around your face.” Gross.

They’re causing daily skin trauma !

You should never exfoliate everyday so why would you happily scrub your face with a wipe morning and night? Using wipes could lead to increased breakouts as well as sensitivity and irritation from residual grime, sebum and cleansing product on the skin, those with sensitive skin and rosacea may also experience irritation from the rubbing action of facial wipes with prolonged use. So it turns out that lasting redness isn’t just annoying, it’s seriously bad news.

Expect inflammation and irritation !

Speaking of redness, have you ever noticed that your skin starts flushing immediately after you’ve used a wipe? It’s not just from rubbing. The chemicals used in wipes aren’t particularly friendly. Beauty Expert jane scriver explains: “Face wipes are harsh on the skin because they contain strong, drying chemicals that strip the skin of its natural oils, altering the delicate pH of your acid mantle, which can cause inflammation and irritation.”

They also contain mould inhibitors to stop grime growing in the pack every time we touch them with dirty hands, so imagine what that’s doing to the skin.

They age your skin A LOT quicker

If your skin looks great and gives you no reason to look for an alternative cleansing method, don’t be so quick to think that you’re an exception to the ‘face wipe’ rule. Prolonged face wipe usage can lead to accelerated dehydration, stripping the skin’s natural oil content and challenging the pH of the skin’s acid mantle – this is actually one of the main reasons people think they have sensitive skin!

In the short term skin will become irritated, red, inflamed and spotty with prolonged use of face wipes. However, without having an effective cleansing routine in place, over time, skin will become more lined, wrinkled, slack and dull.

If this information has been enough to finally convince you that face wipes aren’t the way forward, check out our Amnesty Campaign.

We invite you to come and bring your wipes to The Powder Room Birstall and drop them into our amnesty bin. We will then give you a FREE sample and a personalised skin consultation to show you a healthier way to get cleansed skin. Drop us a message to find out more.

Author Natalie Tai

Award Winning Skin Specialist

The Powder Room Birstall

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