(Spoiler: yes).
This Winter, we introduced you to an alternative to those mainstream face wipes found on your supermarket shelves - the very snazzy looking FACE Wipes by our friends over at JAK Organics.
We very openly & genuinely harp on about the all-natural, skin-loving ingredients in the wipes and the biodegradable bamboo fibre JAK FACE Wipes are made from, but we thought we’d spend some time having a look into how these compare to more mainstream wipes we find in our supermarkets or chemists.
***Warning: The below contains graphic information that might cause distress to serial face wipe users***
First of all, can any of us honestly say we haven’t relied on trusty face wipes at some stage in our lives? Like, a lot? Let’s be honest – I bet many still use face wipes nightly because 1) our laziness peaks after 8.30pm*, 2) no one likes the cold-water-running-down-your-arms issue.
*somewhat (or completely) unsubstantiated
Let’s first consider the ingredients.
Face wipes we find on the shelves very commonly include preservatives to stop micro-organisms forming to allow for a longer shelf life, surfactants to assist in removing dirt, or other nasties that we don’t even want to research including solubilizers and emulsifiers. These same ingredients can often be found in household cleansers, and quite simply, are bad for us and the environment.
What does that mean in layman’s terms? Higher chance of redness, breakouts or blocked pores, dryness or irritation.
So, unless you’re going to remove the chemicals with a follow-up face cleanse (which kinda defeats the purpose of using a wipe in the first place!) and are ok with the chemicals that have seeped into your pores in the meantime, we suggest avoiding altogether.
Another common ingredient is alcohol which is often designed to assist in evaporating the moisture created by the wipe quickly, but we’d prefer to save the dehydrating effects of alcohol for a real wine on a Saturday arvo. No thanks.
And let’s also stop to consider the effect we are having on the environment. Face wipes are made for convenience, not to minimize our stamp on the environment. The fibers used for the production of face wipes are often synthetic or not easily broken down once disposed of, and end up clogging our drains and adding to landfill.
Ok, ok – enough already!
So, what do we suggest at times when you just want to rely on a trusty face wipe (we’re looking at you late nights, weekends away, or simply evenings after a long day!)
- Get some extra help to remove stubborn eye make up to avoid excess rubbing around the eyes or to lift the initial layer of makeup
- Choose a natural & eco-conscious wipe such as JAK Organics FACE wipes to replace toxic nasties with skin-loving ingredients such as coconut oil & rosehip oil
- Thank JAK Organics for helping you consider the environment by swapping hard-to-break-down wipes for sustainable & eco-friendly bamboo fibre
You can check out JAK Organics FACE wipes here: https://www.jakorganics.com/products/face-wipes-with-coconut-rosehip-oil