Beauty Myth Debunking: Facial Wipes Are Tearing Up Your Face

There are a few beauty products we desperately cling to. One of these essentials are facial wipes, the Holy Grail of skin cleansers when you're on the go or about to fall face first into your pillow after a long night of 99-cent margaritas. You would have to pry the wipes from our cold, dead hands, which is why this Daily Mail story stating that they could be damaging our skin caused us to — how do we say this gently? Freak the hell out.

The article goes in depth about how using wipes can exacerbate some skin concerns while creating a new host of issues, not the least of which are premature wrinkles, dryness, acne, and allergic reactions. (Granted, regular cleansers and improper cleansing techniques can also cause these same issues.) And, though we know using cleansing wipes in place of washing your face isn't the best substitute, we're here to argue that making any attempt to get grime and dirt off your face before you force it in with a pillowcase is a good one. We'll take our points for effort, thanks.

Ultimately, you should use gentle pressure, and yes, if you have a specific skin condition, please use the respective wipes for that concern (i.e. Use wipes that contain salicylic acid if you have acne or go for an eye-makeup-specific wipe if you're trying to remove a waterproof smoky eye, etc.). But, to say that the wipes are to blame for a host of issues is wrong. Just be smart about the formula you're using and how you're using it, and your relationship with your facial wipes should be fine. And, with that, we're taking our pack of wipes to the gym. Because between having perspiration-clogged pores or the fear that gravity will inevitably take its course (which it will), we'll take the sweat wipes, thanks. (Daily Mail)