A quick and convenient fix for 'cleansing' late at night, face wipes are often too tempting to reach for.⁠ 
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But the truth is that they are not good for your skin or the environment. They don't properly cleanse and lift the dirt from your skin, which can lead to clogged pores. Many face wipes also have chemical preservatives and fragrances in them that can irritate the skin.⁠ 
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Wipes are often flushed down the toilet which means they end up in our seas, and if going to landfill they can take over 100 years to decompose.⁠ 

Harmful ingredients 

Face wipes can contain multiple chemical components, many of these can also be found in other beauty and skincare products. These help to keep the wipes moist and from degrading. 

• Methylisothiazolinone (MI) and parabens act as preservatives. 
• Denatured alcohol (ethanol with additives) works as an astringent, shrinking the tissues and removing oils from the skin, but it has a very drying effect on the skin and so skin can feel very tight afterwards. 
• Triclosan can be found in detergents, soaps and toothpastes. Used for its antibacterial and antifungal properties. 

These chemicals will help to lift any surface make up that is on your skin, but will not penetrate deep enough to give your skin a proper clean. The face wipe will leave traces of chemicals sitting on your skin while you sleep. 

How can it affect my skin? 

• Wipes will not clean your skin, no matter how many you use. They will break down the makeup on your skin's surface but will not thoroughly cleanse it. 
• Using wipes can destroy the delicate layer of skin called the acid mantle. This layer acts as a barrier helping to keep out harmful contaminants like bacteria, toxins and pollutants. An important layer that we need to look after! 
• Wipes are especially bad for the eye area. The skin around our eyes is very delicate, the rubbing motion used when using a face wipes, combined with the alcohol ingredients can lead to dryness and premature ageing. 
• The harsh ingredients can disrupt the skin's natural pH balance leading to your skin becoming inflamed and dehydrated. That dehydration can cause fine lines to appear. 

Double cleanse is the way to go 

We have talked about the importance of double cleansing before and with good reason! 

Tips 

• Purchase reusable bamboo pads or a face cloth that will be gentle on your skin. Purchase one for each day of the week (even if you aren't wearing makeup we still need to cleanse!) so that you can use them daily and still have some to use while you wash the others. Keep them clean to avoid bacteria build up. 
• Apply your cleanser whilst in the shower or bath. This not only saves time, but the steam will open up your pores and make it easier for the formula to penetrate deeply and work its magic! 

Double cleanse routine 

Start by warming ourMarine Cleansing Balm in between your hands, to activate the oils. Then apply to your face and neck in circular motions. Massage into skin for a couple of minutes. Then take one of your reusable cloths and use warm water to remove the balm. Your skin may feel like it has an oily residue afterwards, this is normal. 

Apply someActive Cleansing Lotion and gently massage into your face and neck. It is also gentle enough to be used on the delicate eye area. Use your cloth and some warm water to remove the lotion. 

You can then apply someHebridean Marine Toner to refresh your skin before applying bothNourishing Face Oil andAnti-oxidant Marine Cream (or just one). You will go to bed with clean, nourished and hydrated skin, ready for those hours of beauty sleep to do their work! 

Is a double cleanse really beneficial? 

Yes! Double cleansing your skin is gentle on your skin, the oils included in our cleansing balm clean your face without stripping it of its natural oils. We use natural, organic ingredients that won’t inflame or irritate your skin. While you massage the balm into your face and neck you encourage circulation, stimulating your lymphatic system which can then help to reduce puffiness in your face. 

Harmful for the environment 

We have all heard how our oceans have become littered with plastics, endangering wildlife and the ecosystems in which they live. Face wipes are a problem for our environment, many people flush them down toilets or they end up in landfills. Neither is a good option. 

The Marine Conversation Society conducted a report that stated that the number of wet wipes that were washing up on British beaches has increased by a staggering 50% since 2013. That is a huge number, but we could significantly reduce by choosing to switch them out with reusable face cloths. 

Bin those face wipes and start your journey to better skincare today.