Can You Use Baby Wipes to Remove Makeup?

As much fun it is to apply makeup, it is equally boring to take it off.

I personally do not look forward to it. Why? Because I have put so much effort into my makeup, it hurts to take it off. But we cannot ignore the fact that removing makeup before bed is immensely important.

In fact, makeup removal is a part of your skincare as well. It is a thorough process that involves taking care of your skin through cleansing.

Some of us like to take the shortcut, I know. I am not one of them, let it be very clear. A lot of people love to take their makeup off in one step. I have heard my friends ask me- can you use baby wipes to remove makeup?

I have told this to my friends before, and I will say this to you too.

You can visibly remove makeup with baby wipes. But the fact is that you should not do it. Baby wipes have not been designed for that purpose. So they lack the properties that can ensure a proper makeup removal.

You! I see you looking at that box of baby wipes from the corner of your eyes. Let it be where it is. Do not let it touch your face tonight, or ever. You heard me!

You do deserve an in depth answer to understand why I am saying this. And I will share all the details!

Why Should You Avoid Baby Wipes to Remove Makeup?

As I said before, makeup wipes are not designed for makeup removal purposes. And that is important in understanding why you must avoid using it on your face.

It Only Cleans the Surface

You know what that means? That even though it wipes away the visible layer of makeup, it leaves behind a lot of stuff. That includes the gunk from the products, dirt, and even your sunscreen! It does not deeply remove all the impurities and makeup.

This means that your pores are left with products that clog them. In fact, baby wipes do not properly do not even break down surface makeup!

It Disrupts the Natural Barrier of Your Skin

Ingredients in baby wipes are meant to sanitize and clean organic materials off the surface. Such ingredients can disrupt the natural barrier of your skin. The acid mantle specifically is meant to lock your skin’s moisture in. Baby wipes break it down.

Thus, with the natural barrier broken down, your skin becomes vulnerable to bacteria, germs, dirt, etc. This gradually leads to many skin concerns.

The Texture is too Harsh for your Skin

Baby wipes have a texture to them that is not suitable to wipe your face with. The texture, even though you cannot visibly see, or even feel, does more damage than you know.

Firstly, it over exfoliates your delicate skin. Physical exfoliation is not good for your skin anyway, and makes it worse. The wipes give you micro-tears that can lead to scarring over time.

They Have Added Fragrance in Them

Artificial fragrance, or fragrant products in general can irritate sensitive skin. Baby wipes, because they are intended for extreme sanitary purposes, have fragrance in them. This can terribly irritate sensitive skin, and even normal skin at times!

Plus, you do not want your face to smell like your niece’s butt, no matter how nice it is.

They are Terrible for the Environment

Baby wipes do not dissolve into thin air. They pass through the wastewater system, cause sewer blockages, and eventually reach the ocean. Suffice to say, they are demonic pollutants and affect marine life every second.

These are just a few of the many reasons why you must avoid baby wipes to remove your makeup! I hope you are terrified, because you should be!

Can Baby Wipes Dry Out Your Face?

Yes! Baby wipes can dry out your face badly. As I have mentioned, they break down your skin’s natural barrier, so your skin fails to lock moisture in. The exfoliation from the wipes can also strip your skin off moisture.

Many wipes may have alcohol in them, which can cause excessive drying.

Do Baby Wipes Remove Water-Proof Makeup?

I mean, why would you want to remove water-proof makeup with baby wipes? Do you hate yourself?

Baby wipes do a poor job of removing water-proof makeup. They barely can break down the wax and oil of normal makeup. So I would not try to remove my water-proof makeup with them.

Especially eye products! The rubbing and dragging- can you imagine? It will make you age faster and give you wrinkles!

Are Makeup Wipes an Alternative to Baby Wipes?

For wiping butts? No. For removing makeup? Um, if you must.

Makeup wipes are a better option over baby wipes to remove makeup. But they are in no way the best way to remove your makeup. They might break down makeup a little better. But at the end of the day, it will cause the same damage.

You cannot escape over exfoliation with makeup wipes. They too will strip your skin off moisture, and cause you to drag it around. In short, they are too harsh for the skin. And they do not do a good job of removing makeup properly.

What is the Correct way of Removing Makeup?

I thought you would never ask!

The correct way is doing double cleanse! Use an oil cleanser, or a cream or liquid makeup cleanser first. Once all the makeup has been broken down and all the dirt dissolved, go in with your usual cleanser!

Oil cleansers work like a miracle. And the process is quite therapeutic too! You can take your time to gently massage it on your skin, and let it do its job. It will dissolve the makeup and dirt thoroughly in seconds!

Cream, balm or liquid cleansers as such do the same job! And they do it all without breaking down your skin’s natural barrier. Some of them may even have skin care benefits, hydration being the most common one.

Many also use a reusable wash cloth. I would not recommend it, but there is no harm in using it once in a while!

Conclusion

I hope this article has been helpful to you!

My constant effort includes making sure your skin is safe. I try to be as informative as I can, especially for common concerns. I hope I do not hear “can you use baby wipes to remove makeup” from you again!