As a Millennial gal the thought of living without face wipes is pretty much horrifying, right? What do you mean you’re going to ban the only thing that makes me take my makeup off after a night out? Gah. Plz, it’s too much.

But, I’m pretty sure that none of us even had an inkling that our easy to use cleansing solutions contained up to 60% non-biodegradable plastic. And, were literally killing the environment one swipe at a time. Why did nobody tell me? According to the BBC, 93% of blocked sewers in the UK were caused by wet wipes. Over 5,000 washed up on the shores of the Thames last month and this needs to stop.

The good news is that it's been brought to our attention and we can collectively be a lot more woke about the situ. The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced last week that they’ll be banning all single-use plastics in their 25-year plan. This includes our beloved face wipes. Whilst 25 years seems like a super long time we all need to be taking action now and reducing the harm that our beauty habits have been having on the planet.

Feel like making the change? Here are three alternatives to face wipes that mean your skincare routine won’t suffer but your impact on the environment will be so much better. You go, hun, change the world.

1. Yes to facial wipes

As well as coming in at least 5 delicious ranges, Yes to’s face wipes are made from 100% plant cellulose. In simple terms this means that they’re renewable, compostable, vegan, 95% natural and they’ve earned Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification. This means they’re basically little angels in a recyclable packet. Yep, all of their packaging is recyclable too! Think being eco-friendly is pricey? These babies start from £1.99 for 10 wipes and £3.99 for 30 wipes and you can use your UNiDAYS discount on them! Grab them from Lookfantastic, Beauty Bay and Feelunique with at least 10% off. They’ve been featured on Vogue, Get The Gloss, Refinery 29 and Women’s Health so these little things are a godsend in the current climate.

Yes to’s facial wipes are pre-soaked which means they have enough ‘wetness’ to take off your makeup at the end of the day. And they have ranges to care for dry, blemish-prone skin and skin that needs a lil’ glow as well as so many other skin issues. My favourites are the Yes to Tomato range because they smell incredible and help calm blemished skin. Of course, as all face wipes go, I’d recommend a double cleanse afterwards to ensure all dirt and grime says buh-bye from your gorgeous face!

2. Micellar water & muslin cloths

If you’re trying to wean yourself away from face wipes as a whole anyway then a micellar water and muslin cloths are the way to go! Remove eye makeup and foundation with these before your big cleanse in the evening. Use them in the same ways as face wipes and chuck them in the wash when you’re done. Obviously, this is going to add to your washing a little bit but if you can reduce your plastic intake by one tiny change, you should! You’ll be doing the washing anyway...

3. Oil cleanser & water

An oil cleanser rinse is actually super effective at removing stubborn makeup and, if you use a gentle one, it can be fine for eye makeup too! Pump your cleansing oil onto your hands and rub into your full face of makeup when you want to remove it. Yep, you will look and feel insane. But, rinse it off, use a flannel if you really want to grab the grub and then carry on with your skincare routine. Easy, and actually can be quicker than face wipes sometimes! Plus you get the added nourishment of the oil if you have dry skin.

There we have it! Will you be making the switch from plastic-filled wipes to one of these three alternatives? Let me know on Twitter, @alliemayredmond.

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