The 4 best disposable face wipes: Consumer Reports

A disposable facial towel needs to hold up to micellar water and makeup removal without falling apart, tearing or leaving skin more irritated than before. Softness matters just as much as strength, since a towel that requires extra rubbing to dry skin defeats part of the purpose.

Consumer Reports tested disposable facial towels for absorbency, strength and comfort in both lab tests and home use, so shoppers can find one gentle enough for daily skincare.

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Spascriptions Fresh Dry Facial Towelettes cost $9.99 and earned Consumer Reports' top overall pick in this lineup. CR ranked these towels second in its lab testing behind the ForPro Professional Collection for absorbency, abrasion resistance and puncture resistance, but home testers preferred them overall, describing them as soft, durable and effective at drying skin without any rubbing needed. CR's panel found the towels absorbed water quickly, worked well applying micellar water, and left no lint behind, with testers reporting no tearing during use. The towels are generously sized enough to cut in half for two uses each, and CR praised the compact, easy-to-use packaging that let towels come out one at a time without sticking together.

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The ForPro Professional Collection Premium Pure & Simple XL Facial Towels cost 18 cents per towel and earned Consumer Reports' runner-up spot in this lineup. CR's lab testing ranked these towels above every other towel tested overall, crediting abrasion resistance stronger than any other towel tested along with water absorbency that outperformed the rest, holding 72.7 grams of water in a single towel, and puncture resistance for tear-proofing that also topped the field. Home testers rated the towels effective for applying micellar water and comparable to cotton rounds, though slightly thinner than the Spascriptions towels with a faint scent despite fragrance-free packaging claims. CR noted the box takes up more storage space than other towels tested, and towels pulled from the top sometimes tangled with those underneath.

Credit: Costco

Kirkland Signature Dry Facial Towels cost $18.99 and earned Consumer Reports' distinction as the top value pick in this lineup. CR found them more absorbent and less prone to bursting when wet than the Ourmed Life towels tested alongside them, and rated them excellent for resistance to bursting specifically, with solid marks for absorbency and puncture resistance, though abrasion resistance ranked lower relative to other towels tested. Home testers found the towels effective and lint-free for applying micellar water, though noted a smoother, more synthetic feel compared with the softer Spascriptions and ForPro towels. CR pointed out these towels stayed vague about their exact material composition, and Costco $COST did not provide further detail when CR asked about the "FSC-certified fiber" claim on the packaging.

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The Swisspers Face The Day Premium Dry Facial Wipe costs 32 cents per wipe and earned Consumer Reports' pick for gentle exfoliation in this lineup. CR's lab tests rated its wet strength solid though its abrasion resistance ranked behind other towels tested, but home testers rated the textured side highly effective for exfoliating, while cautioning that the texture felt rougher than other towels in this lineup, a consideration for anyone with eczema or acne-prone skin. Testers found the wipes absorbed water from skin well without needing to rub, though drying took a bit longer than with other top picks in this lineup, and found no issues with the wipes falling apart during use. CR noted the smaller wipe size allows for a more compact package, though removing one wipe occasionally left the following wipe twisted inside the box.