Makeup wipes are a beauty lover’s best friend. They’re convenient and can efficiently remove every last trace of makeup. Not to mention, they offer the satisfying result of letting you see all the makeup, dirt and buildup you just swiped off. But we have some bad news: Makeup wipes are bad for the environment. Like, really bad.
Similar to plastic straws, shopping bags and coffee cups, makeup wipes are single-use, meaning they’re used just once and then thrown away. Constructed from plastic and other non-natural materials, they’re destined to sit in a landfill for up to 100 years, at which point they’ll finally start to break down. And if you flush them, it’s even worse, as they’re known to cause sewer blockages and can even end up among the fish in our waterways. That means every makeup wipe you’ve ever used is probably sitting in a landfill or floating in our oceans, fully intact.
Luckily, skin-care brands are catching on that this isn’t such a beautiful practice. Many popular brands have developed biodegradable wipes that will break down quickly and naturally, without leaving behind any plastic microparticles. With that in mind, here are ten of our favorite eco-friendly makeup wipes that get the job done, all without harming the environment.