Let’s face it – none of us daily makeup-wearers are diligent when it comes to makeup removal. At the end of a long day, the last thing on my mind is wiping the gunk off my face. If anything, I’m guilty of thinking that wearing my makeup overnight will save me time reapplying in the morning! (A higher power will judge me for my indecencies). I put this down to laziness at the end of a long day but the reality is that my skin isn’t getting the kind of attention it craves. That’s where makeup wipes come in! They’re the underdogs of skin care.

Skin care specialists highly advise that you wash your face daily. It will come as no surprise that not cleaning your face after a long day – let alone not removing your makeup – is detrimental to your skin. Products clog your pores, collect dirt and pollutants stick to the skin and are absorbed into the bloodstream. You don’t need me to tell you that using a makeup wipe nightly is an essential addition to your beauty regime. Ease of use is important in the cosmetic industry. The last thing you want is to be slowed down. Especially when it comes to removing your makeup. Wipes contain an all-in-one cleansing solution. That being said, we have to be careful with some of the aggressive formulas we use to clean our skin.  

The Importance Of Safely Removing Makeup Explained

It’s difficult to remember to wash your face at the end of the day.

All those guilty of leaving their makeup on overnight say “I”. (A chorus of “I”’s sweep across the globe). Now your second thought is probably “I know its bad but, like, how bad?” I’m the kind of lazy that automatically goes to the a-few-times-can’t-hurt strategy but in this case I’m wrong. It’s important to safely remove your makeup every night. Think about it this way: if you wouldn’t leave your house without makeup, why would you enter your bed with makeup? (I know it’s not the same thing, but you get my drift). Get yourself to start thinking this way and you’ll see how removing your makeup will become a habit just like putting it on in the morning.

Sleeping in your makeup can result in unwanted exposure to free-radicals. You may not know what I’m talking about. Antioxidants fight against free-radicals. Free radicals break down natural collagen in the skin. Collagen is the protein that gives our skin strength and elasticity, as well as restoring dead skin cells. In a nutshell, wearing makeup overnight stops your skin from renewing while you sleep as the pores are not only blocked but weakened. The clogging of the pores can also lead to the appearance of acne or blackheads. Overall, your skin looks duller and fatigued. Dr. David Bank, director and founder of The Center for Dermatology, Cosmetic and Laser Surgery, claims that sleeping with makeup can even “accelerate the aging process.”Now I have your attention, don’t I? Let me show you why Neutrogena’s Makeup Remover Wipes might be the solution you didn’t know you needed.

Neutrogena Makeup Remover Wipes Explained

Neutrogena is probably best known as being the number one dermatologist-recommended skincare brand. The brand is committed to creating mild but quality products. One feature of Neutrogena’s Makeup Remover Wipes is the fact that they are alcohol-free. Alcohol-based formulas are stronger and quicker ways to remove makeup, but they’re particularly irritating to the skin. Alcohol is put into wipes to encourage the skin to dry faster, but this can lead to the drying and tightening of your skin. This means that the fact Neutrogena’s wipes are alcohol-free automatically puts them at the top of my makeup removing list. Your skin is guaranteed from the get-go to not be stripped of its natural protective oils. This means it won’t feel tight or irritated.

One of the main ingredients in these makeup removers is Benzoic acid. This substance is renowned for treating skin irritations and inflammations. This means your skin is being treated with sensitivity rather than just attacking your face with harsh chemicals to remove your makeup. It also has moisturizing and anti-aging properties. Remember when Dr. Bank said that sleeping with makeup on could cause you to age quicker? Well, Neutrogena’s put something in their makeup wipes that actually cause you to look younger. I’m sold.

Neutrogena Makeup Remover Wipes Review

Makeup wiped free.

When a formula boasts that it dissolves 99.3% of your most stubborn makeup, but uses such mild ingredients, you know you have to try it out for yourself. Admittedly I rarely wear a full face of makeup (a mixture of laziness and time constraints) but I figured I’d see how harshly these wipes were on my skin. One pack contains 25 pre-moistened wipes which if you’re using them every day should last just under a month. I think that’s rather reasonable – although bottled makeup removing formulas that use with a cotton ball last longer. I used one wipe for my face and one for my eye makeup as I don’t like to feel as if I’m just re-rubbing product onto my face. Truthfully though, I could totally get away with using one wipe for my whole face.

It completely melted all the makeup from my skin. You’ll notice that they won’t sting your eyes. This is partly due to Neutrogena’s alcohol-free formula. I hate the aggressiveness of some makeup wipes that make me feel as though I’m removing every ounce of natural oils from my face. I didn’t have to scrub at my face at all! My skin felt clean with no heavy residue – just a semi-oily feel (this didn’t particularly bother me, but I would definitely go ahead and wash my face off after use).

Conclusion

If you’re anything like me you’ve probably been reading this and thinking “But I already have a perfectly good makeup remover that does the job”, or worse “People actually remove their makeup every night?”. If you wear makeup every day, which most of us do (even the lazy and the time-pressed), then the need to invest in a quality makeup remover is crucial. Neutrogena’s gentle yet effective Makeup Remover Wipes are nourishing and non-aggressive to your skin. This pretty much makes them a perfect choice when it comes to mild yet functional makeup removal.

I say “pretty much perfect” because the only downside with these products is that they’re not cruelty-free. The brand itself does not conduct animal testing on its products. However, their cosmetics are subject to animal testing in countries where government regulations require it. Having said that, I would still go for these over other harsher makeup wipes. They’re not only an easy go-to, but they’re a refreshing alternative for those of you who swear by your entire evening skincare routine. Ended up crashing at a friend for the night? Just wipe away your makeup with one of these! Had a late night at the office? Use one of these! Basically, you can’t go wrong with Neutrogena’s Makeup Removing Wipes.