The ritual of taking off my makeup is not only my favorite skin care step, but the best part of my day. I admit, my makeup remover steps have evolved in recent years, starting off with a pre-treated wipe and eventually graduating to the double cleanse trend. After many years of trial and error, I can now say I finally mastered the technique and part of that is because of a disposable face towel.
Adding a one-time-use towel, specifically designed for your face, has efficiently enhanced my skin care routine and improved my skin. In fact, dermatologists tell Shop TODAY that the main advantages of using a disposable face towel are “hygiene and convenience.” That’s why for this edition of our Ranked series, I put eight disposable face towels to the test. And yes, while they do all look very similar, I found that some stood out over others. Keep reading to learn about the benefits and which ones are actually worth it.
What are the benefits of a disposable face towel?
Unlike washcloths, dermatologist Dr. Sejal Shah says a disposable face towel is single-use and won’t accumulate bacteria, yeast, mold, makeup and skin care residue or skin oils.
“This can be especially beneficial for people with acne-prone skin, eczema, rosacea or sensitive skin, as using a fresh towel each time may help minimize exposure to potential irritants and microorganisms that can contribute to flare-ups,” says Shah.
Since they’re not laundered like reusable cloths, Shah notes that they won’t retain detergent or fabric softener, making this option suitable for those with sensitive and irritated skin. But it is fair to note that a standard washcloth can work just as well — if it’s freshly washed — and eliminates environmental waste.
Best overall disposable face towel
Absorbency: 5/5 | Softness: 4/5 | Efficiency: 5/5 | Overall average score: 4.67/5
Absorbency: Clean Skin Club is probably the most well known and viral disposable face towel on the market and I will say, it lives up to the hype, especially when it came to the absorbency. It’s big enough and absorbent enough to use just one towel for each time you wash your face. During cleansing, I’d wet one half to absorb my cleansing oil and the other half managed to remain unaffected, so I’d use that part to pat my skin dry afterward.
Softness: I found these towels to be very soft, with the perfect amount of texture to gently and efficiently wipe off your make up. Plus, it checked off all the dermatologists’ boxes on material type and being free of chemicals and dyes.
Efficiency: After rubbing my face with cleansing oil, this towel effectively removed residue in just a couple of swipes. After double cleansing, I used the dry half to dry my skin and didn’t see any lingering makeup residue.
Author’s note: My only qualm is that the cost of a single pack is $18, which does seem a little steep for the product. However, the brand does offer 20% off discount on their site if you subscribe, and has a 60-day money-back guarantee. Another plus? Clean Skin Club has by far the best packaging with a magnetic flap that effectively secures your wipes between uses.
More disposable face towels, tested by the author
Most efficient disposable face towels:
Absorbency: 4/5 | Softness: 3.5/5 | Efficiency: 5/5 | Overall average score: 4.17/5
Absorbency: When it came to absorption, these towels did the job well. The towel is a tad smaller, so depending on your makeup routine, you might have to pull another one if you’re wanting to pat dry immediately after. I found the overall fabric to be thick, holding moisture well.
Softness: Out of all my top picks, this option is the least soft to touch, but don’t let that deter you. If you have combination-to-oily skin, I don’t think you’ll notice much of a difference. I appreciated that the extra texture provides gentle exfoliation and quick makeup removal.
Efficiency: In my experience, the Grace & Stella disposable face towels gently wiped away and absorbed the most mascara in the quickest time; it only took one back and forth wipe to have bare eyes again. If I had to guess, that’s because of the textured material.
Author’s note: This brand provides a total of 60 towels, which is the most in a single pack out of my top picks. I found this was a great value for $10.
Softest disposable face towels:
Absorbency: 4/5 | Softness: 5/5 | Efficiency: 3.5/5 | Overall average score: 4.17/5
Absorbency: This face towel absorbed a good amount of liquid. It has thinner yet plush piling, which I found saturates more quickly when wet.
Softness: Out of all the face towels, the Ourmed option is the softest. The fabric texture has a circle pattern, as opposed to the typical square, which I found makes it feel more gentle on the skin. The brand even notes that these towels are designed for sensitive skin.
Effectiveness: Because these towels are so soft, I did find that I had to wipe my face more times to fully absorb and take off my makeup. However, it did get the job done in the end, leaving my skin full cleansed with no irritation.
Author’s note: If you’re here for aesthetics, Ourmed has the prettiest box in the mix. It has a floral pattern, similar sizing to a tissue box, and looks elegant sitting on my bathroom shelf.
Best bulk buy:
Absorbency: 3.5/5 | Softness: 4/5 | Efficiency: 4/5 | Overall average score: 3.83/5
Absorbency: This face towel was the smallest and thinnest out of the bunch, becoming easily saturated when wet. However, I didn’t find this to be an issue, especially if you’re just looking to cleanse. Since they come in bulk, you’ll have more than enough to pull a fresh one to dry your face.
Softness: When it came to softness, I was pleasantly surprised. The textured pattern on one side is nearly smooth, and the other side is completely smooth with no square patterns.
Efficiency: Because of the softness, it did take extra swipes to remove stubborn mascara, but this affordable wipe checked all the boxes when it came to function and material.
Author’s note: If you’re on a budget, the Kirkland brand from Costco comes with a total count of 200 (four boxes of 50) for under $20, which is an amazing value. One order of these will hold you over for half a year, at least.
The best cleansing balms, according to the author
During my testing of disposable face wipes, I used this Clinique cleansing oil each time. It’s the perfect companion for a double-cleanse system, since it’s formula immediately melts off even the toughest makeup. I love how soft my skin feels and given it’s oil-base, it doesn’t leave behind any residue on my skin. The brand also offers this makeup remover in a balm, too.
Farmacy’s cleansing balm does not disappoint and has become an absolute favorite in my cleansing routine. I love this particular version because the scent isn’t as powerful as the original version, and the formula is literally magic. The brand says it’s formulated with antioxidants to cleans and nourish your skin. My skin feels incredibly soft and looks radiant after each use.
Another cleansing balm I keep in my rotation is this “balm-to-oil” cleanser from the Korean skin care-inspired brand Glow Recipe. I love how milky the formula melts into my skin and washes completely off with no residue. Plus, the ingredients — which include vitamins A, C and E — are top notch to keeping your skin healthy and glowing.
Frequently asked questions
Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Corrine Erickson says it's not so much as "disposable versus reusable," but what is clean or not clean.
"So the honest answer is that disposable towels solve a behavior problem, not a skin problem. If you are the person who reuses the same towel all week, they are a genuine upgrade. If you already swap daily, you are paying for convenience," she says.
Most disposable face towel brands say you can use them either dry or wet. If you’re using it to cleanse your skin, the general recommendation is to pair it with your cleanser or makeup remover.
For moderate-to-heavy makeup, Shah advises the double cleanse method by first applying a cleaning balm or oil to dry skin and massaging it onto your skin for 30 to 60 seconds. With a warm wet face towel, gently wipe away the residue and follow with a water-based cleanser.
Erickon explains the importance of using it wet to cleanse, mentioning that a dry cloth "dragged across the skin" is more "abrasive" than you'd think.
"Neither cloth should be doing the heavy lifting on makeup removal. Your cleanser does the work. The towel is the assist," she adds.
While most face towels look very similar, not all are made the same. No matter your skin type, Shah says you’ll want to consider the material, durability, texture and absorbency, and making sure there's no added ingredients such as fragrances and harsh chemicals.
“Many disposable towels are made from bamboo, other plant-based fibers or cotton. These materials are not only soft but also highly absorbent,” says Shah, which were the materials of the top options I favored during my own testing.
Erickson says you'll want to avoid towels that are made from synthetic fibers. "Skip anything labeled only 'nonwoven fabric' with no fiber named and skip polyester or PET [a plastic] blends," she notes. "Synthetic binders and wet-strength agents will keep a towel from composting even when the fiber itself is natural."
That being said, she says you'll want to buy a towel with a single natural fiber and actually compost it to reduce environmental waste.
How I tested disposable face towels
I tested a total of eight disposable face towels over the course of several weeks using the same cleansing routine and makeup remover. I evaluated each face towel on a scale of 1-5 (1 being the worst, 5 being the best) in the following categories:
- Absorbency: How well does it soak up moisture?
- Softness: Is it soft to touch?
- Efficiency: Does it thoroughly take off makeup and dry skin?
Meet the experts
- Dr. Sejal Shah, M.D. is a board certified dermatologist in private practice, SmarterSkin Dermatology in New York City.
- Dr. Corinne Erickson, MD, FAAD, is a board-certified dermatologist and owner of Georgia Skin Specialists
Why trust Shop TODAY
Shannon Garlin is an editor for Shop TODAY. She has been with the team for over four years, covering a wide range of topics in lifestyle. Garlin thoroughly tried each disposable face towel over the course two weeks, during her morning and nightly skin care routine. She independently conducted the testing and named the superlatives based on her personal experience with the face towels.
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