Review: Johnson's Baby Wipes (As used as a makeup remover)

Product: Johnson's Baby Wipes - as used as a makeup remover
Area of Use: Face
Product Claim: "As mild as pure water to skin and eyes."
Response: If water was really this "mild" I'm pretty sure we would all be dead.

Overall Rating: 0/10
Recommended? Definitely not

Note: I was going to try to break down my rating system - or rather, create an actual rating system and structure - but I think that will come later. On this particular product, it wouldn't work. Because while I could give this product maybe a 4/10 for packaging and a 6/10 for value for money... I would still have to give it an overall ZILCH, which wouldn't really balance out. So, look for a new rating system in the near future!

So, here's the story all about how... I decided to buy these wipes in the first place! (Had you going there for a second, hey? ;]) I've been in the market for a new makeup remover for a while. Or I really should say, ANY makeup remover. I didn't use removers for a long, long, LONG time. First, I was one of those who used to just go to bed with a full face of makeup, all the while knowing how damned bad it is for you. (Sidenote: the turning point for me was learning all about the wonderful world of milia. Click the link, you'll never go without washing off your makeup again) After I got through that phase, I would just use whatever cleanser I was using at the time to take my makeup off. And as I'm sure most of you know, the majority of cleansers on the market are not forumated to take off makeup AND clean your skin at the same time. So I can be honest and say it was a half-assed job.

When I finally did start using makeup removers, it was because of a little bottle of Take The Day Off makeup remover that came with the Clinique 3-Step Skincare System my grandmother bought me for Christmas 2007. I used it, and I have to say it really did the job, and I continued to use it. Because of two Gift With Purchases (otherwise known as Bonus Time! at Clinique) I wound up with two more little bottles of the stuff and have continued using it since. But, this isn't a review on the Clinique remover (which I may do later, but I'm digressing).

I decided that I wanted to try a different makeup remover, because the Clinique one always left my skin feeling oily, and the oil would stop my facial soap/cleanser from lathering properly, so I always felt like I had to wash my face twice - which to me, defeated the purpose of taking off my makeup first. First, I bought a L'Oreal one at Tesco, a "milk-to-toner" remover. Of course, most toners are alcohol-based and you can therefore imagine what the process of trying to take off eye makeup with that stuff was like. So, back on the market.

About a week ago I went to Tesco, and while wandering down the baby/beauty/etc aisle, I remembered: baby wipes! I'd read all over the internet how baby wipes are supposed to be amazing for makeup removal. The rumours all said that baby wipes were "just as good as MAC wipes, but a hell of a lot cheaper". And, because they're formulated to be used on a baby's skin, they're meant to be super-gentle, and everyone said it left their skin feeling super soft. (I'm not going to go for the obvious pun here, but you know what it is and I'm sure you were expecting it!)

The first night I tried them, the skin underneath my eyes felt rather raw and after a while there was a quazi-severe burning sensation. I splashed my face with some water to cool it down and then put on some more moisturizer, and it soon went away. I thought maybe I had over-wiped or had been too aggressive, and soon forgot all about it. I used the wipes every night after that, trying to be careful but still coming out with some unpleasant tingling under my eyes.

Really, I should have learned then and there, but they were on sale and I bought TWO packages, and yeah, it was taking my makeup off and the raw feeling was totally endurable. In other words, I'm dumb.

Tuesday night, however, was the turning point, and I will never, ever, use these on my face again. On Tuesday I was wearing the following makeup: Liquid and kohl eyeliner, black mascara, concealer, foundation, and a dusting of MSF. Ordinarily I'd also be wearing blush, some lip product (I didn't because on Tuesday I was at the orthodontist), and anywhere from 2-5 colours of eyeshadow. That night, when I took everything off - very gently, I might add - my skin felt more raw and sore than usual, but I mostly ignored it. Though I'll admit that by this point I was getting ridiculously irritated with the wipes anyway. When I went into the bathroom to wash my face and spend four hours brushing my teeth, I glanced into the mirror - and almost died.

I looked like I had some kind of serious, nontreatable skin condition.

I had come out in a raw red rash in splotchy areas of my forehead, cheeks and around my eyes. But the worst part was the "bruises" - I had come out in a ton of teeny tiny red-blue-purple abrasions, which looked like someone had poked me in the face repeatedly with the dull head of a pin, leaving literally hundreds of teeny bruise-like abrasions. It was scattered all over my face, but it was far more pronounced around the eye area. These marks are still visible today, and I'm really hoping they hurry up and fade.

So, due to the havok they have wreaked on my skin, the score I give these babies is 0/10, and I would never, ever recommend them to anybody else.

I concede that yes, it might just be my skin - although my skin can be sensitive, it doesn't usually react to things, especially like this - and I'm not dropping the hammer on every brand of baby wipes out there by any means. But this experience has made me very wary of trying any other brands because, well, you never know.

Here's the video version that kind of shows a little of the damage these did to my skin. I still have marks today, but they look like they're starting to fade a little so hopefully they won't be around much longer. My webcam isn't amazing at detail-shots, and it's auto-lighting-fix thing can make images look smoother and more soft-focus than they really are, so you can't see anything SUPER clearly, but... well, whatever, just watch and have a look-see for yourself.

Yes, that's me without makeup. But I swear my skin isn't usually that bad - those baby wipes did some serious damage >.<

Thank goodness my Studio Sculp Concealer and Studio Fix Fluid Foundation managed to cover the brunt of it so I didn't look like a leper at work today...