Why you should never use makeup wipes again!
We have all been there: one too many wines on a Saturday night, or just exhausted by the end of the day and reaching for those convenient makeup wipes stashed in the makeup drawer. Skin experts are always talking about the importance of removing your makeup at night, so why are they saying ditch the makeup wipes?
So let's get into the real gossip, why are makeup wipes being canceled in 2022?
Well, they don't actually clean your skin! There are no secret formulas to makeup wipes. They are basically sheets of plastic or synthetic fibres sitting in a damp pool of chemicals and alcohol that just move the makeup on the surface of the skin around. To get any result, you need to use a lot of wipes with firm pressure. This can cause tiny micro tears in your skin, which causes the skin to become red and irritated. What do we do when our skin feels dry and irritated? Slap on something hydrating. Doing this straight after rubbing the harsh chemicals onto your skin, without removing your makeup completely, leads to breakouts and more skin irritation. You are basically trapping the bacteria and chemicals into your skin overnight.
The more you use this method of makeup removal, the higher the chance your skin has of creating pigmentation or scarring from micro tears, inflammation and breakouts. The excessive rubbing of the skin can also create premature aging. Although we know aging is inevitable, doing our part to slow this process down is important. Because of the high use of alcohol in these wipes, they also disrupt your skin's natural PH level. We need our skin's PH level to be balanced so that our skin does its job of protection. Disrupting the skin's natural pH can cause a range of problems, including breakouts, dehydration, inflammation and sensitivity. This stops the skin from fighting infections.
A huge percent of water blockages is due to baby or makeup remover wipes. This means a lot of these micro plastic wipes end up in our waterways and oceans. This is bad news for our sea creatures and the marine environment because along with other types of plastic pollution, they can cause long-term problems. Sea turtles are the most at risk when they think that the wipes in the ocean are jellyfish and attempt to eat them. This causes some pretty tragic results for our beautiful marine friends. Some studies by marine conservation show that wipes are becoming the fastest growing pollutants on beaches.
So if you don't flush the wipes, is it better for the environment? Well not exactly. It can typically take centuries for one wipe to decompose. They are not recyclable or reusable so they quickly build up in our landfill. So while it is convenient to remove your makeup with just a few wipes, this waste adds up incredibly quickly. We know that you usually have to use at least 2 to remove a small amount of makeup, which equals around a minimum of 720 wipes per year if used once a day. 720 wipes may not seem like a lot, but if you time that by how many women worldwide use wipes this number would be in the billions.
There are some companies that have taken the above research and tried to produce biodegradable plastic wipes. Even though these are a great alternative for these types of products, they need to be disposed of correctly. Biodegradable plastics break down at temperatures of 50 degrees Celsius or higher. Unfortunately, the oceans and waterways where the majority of these wipes end up do not regularly reach these temperatures.
If you still have a few packets lying around, don't throw them straight in the bin. They still have some use - just not on the skin. They are a quick and easy way to remove makeup stains from clothing or benches. Just make sure you dispose of the wipes in the correct way.
So what alternatives to makeup remover wipe are there?
When removing a full face of makeup, convenience is important, especially on those days when you want to skip the skin care routine and jump into bed. Luviri came up with an eco-friendly solution to removing your makeup before bed, and the main ingredient is water.
Microfiber reusable Sugar Puff Makeup Remover Pads!
If you love the convenience of makeup wipes, but are wanting to make the change, these are your new best friends. To activate the microfibre fabric, simply add water and wipe over your face for instant removal of face and eye makeup. They gently exfoliate your skin, removing every trace of makeup effortlessly. Luviri Sugar Puffs are non-toxic and reusable, meaning they are not only suitable for all skin types but also better for the environment.
Each Sugar Puff Makeup Remover Pad comes with two Reusable makeup remover pads that replace over 300 makeup wipes every 3 months. After use, you can pop them in the washing machine or hand wash with an antibacterial wash and leave to air dry in the sun.
Need a deeper clean? You can pair your favourite facial cleanser like our Foaming Lash & Brow Cleanser, for a no-fuss daily skin care routine.
A good daily skin care routine is important for glowing and healthy skin. Ditching the chemicals in makeup remover wipes and switching to eco-friendly, gentle and reusable makeup remover pads will have your skin and pocket thanking you.
Leave your comments below and let us know if you're making the change to ditch your makeup wipes too, and switching to the fabulous reusable makeup remover pads.
Luviri co-founders,Lis & Kirby x
