As a licensed esthetician, I am never going to recommend face wipes be your only go-to cleanser. But sometimes... we all need a shortcut. I am talking about those days when you run from the gym to work with a spritz of perfume and a quick face refresh. Or those nights where you have maybe one too many glasses of rosé and can barely get your contacts out before you are snoring. I get it. Face wipes are a very easy alternative to smearing your pillowcases with mascara. They even make a great first step to a cleansing routine, especially if you wear heavier makeup.
Like so many of us, I have been absentmindedly buying that familiar light blue pack of Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Wipes for literally years now. But, I've gotten more demanding when it comes to my product performance expectations than I was years ago in college. And, honestly, my makeup wipe routine needed a glow-up.
Why Athena Club Beats Neutrogena: The Wipe Off
1. Athena Club wipes are cleansing AND skincare-focused.
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Sure, my old Neutrogena wipes always seemed to get the job done. Sometimes, just barely or with multiple wipes. But I never felt like they did more than remove makeup. In comparing the ingredient list between these two wipes, one is clearly skincare and cleansing focused. In fact, Athena Club specifically mentions that these are formulated to be like "a serum in a wipe" which is a pretty cool hybrid if I have ever seen one. And with ingredients like niacinamide, panthenol, aloe, vitamin e, and loads of antioxidant-rich plant extracts, this isn't an empty promise. Comparing this list to the very hard to pronounce option from Neutrogena, I can easily pick a favorite.
2. Athena Club wipes are artificial fragrance-free.
Admittedly, I am not someone who avoids fragrances for any health reasons. I just avoid ones I don't love. And over the years, I have grown to not really love that nostalgic Neutrogena wipe scent. It reminds me of college and late-night term papers and just doesn't feel like a smell I associate with myself now. The Athena Club wipes do have a scent that comes from their ingredients but it is very natural, light, and refreshing, kind of like green tea, cucumbers, and rose water. So, if you are avoiding artificial scents or just ready to smell something different in a face wipe, Athena Club wins again.
3. Athena Club wipes have a better texture and are still compostable.
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The texture difference between these two brands is dramatically apparent as soon as you open the pouches. The Athena Club wipe is textured with soft little nubbins and is thicker and less stretchy than the thinner option from Neutrogena. Why does this matter? Athena Club wipes are downright silky soft and feel amazing on my skin. The texture grabs dirt, oil, and makeup so much more effectively than the plain Neutrogena wipes while feeling much more cushioned if that makes sense. The denser 100% rayon fibers also make needing a second wipe a thing of the past. And you get that benefit in a 100% compostable wipe. Now, some of the Neutrogena wipes are also compostable too, but the texture of the Athena Club wipe wins for me, hands down. I am always going to pick a spa towel over a baby wipe.
