Comment from Sarah
Time: March 31, 2008, 8:17 am

One of those facial cloths.. Dove or Oil of Olay, whomever Costco is stocking that month. Disposable, fairly compact, and not much mess at all. I can’t TELL you how many washcloths I ruined before that with mascara, lipstick, whore makeup, etc..

Comment from Cass
Time: March 31, 2008, 8:20 am

I’m in the same boat. I make a gigantic watery mess when washing my face in the sink. I started using those towelettes and love them…I tried the Dove and Neutrogena brand, but my favorite are the Pond’s Clean Sweep.

Comment from Erica
Time: March 31, 2008, 8:42 am

I make a huge mess, too. So, I’ve started using the Garnier clothes. They even remove mascara. I love them.

Comment from GJR
Time: March 31, 2008, 9:00 am

I use a washcloth & cleanser. I don’t wear much makeup though, so the washcloth doesn’t get that messy. I also change washcloths every couple days.

Comment from Linda
Time: March 31, 2008, 9:02 am

Comment from Stephanie
Time: March 31, 2008, 9:12 am

Another Dove cleansing towelette fan here! I love those things.

Comment from Paula
Time: March 31, 2008, 9:14 am

Avon Eye Makeup Remover. Designated facecloths. Also I bring my own when traveling.

Comment from Kat
Time: March 31, 2008, 9:15 am

I use baby wipes to take my makeup off and clean my face at the end of the day. They make them in supersenative and are way cheaper then dove/makeup towelettes.

Comment from Linda
Time: March 31, 2008, 9:19 am

Comment from Liss
Time: March 31, 2008, 9:35 am

I use baby wipes for…everything. I swear. I got suckered into buying expensive face wash wipes once and said “hey, it’s like a baby wipe!” and lo, the baby wipes work EVEN BETTER. (They are also better than any of the spray/pen/whatever “instant” stain removers when you spill salad dressing or hot fudge on your pregnant self, which means I am going through this pregnancy looking much less like an all-you-can-drop buffet and more like an actual human.)

Comment from Quiana
Time: March 31, 2008, 10:01 am

I splash large amounts of water on my face and shirt and counter and mirror. Then I use Cetaphil. Then I splash more water all over. Then I put on moisturizer.

Basically, by the time I’m done it looks like I was trying to bathe angry cats.

Wipes kind of freak me out for some reason. I don’t want washy soapy stuff to remain near my skin.

Wash cloths also gross me out. Because they seem dirty and gross.

Comment from Tasha
Time: March 31, 2008, 10:19 am

I can’t do the face-splash, either, without drowning myself. I use a washcloth, and get mascara on them. I figure, eh, they’re *washcloths*, that’s what they’re there for. If I’m really feeling fancy, or if, um, I’ve layered on a leeetle too much mascara, I’ll use a cotton ball and makeup remover on my eyes, then continue with face wash and a washcloth. Personally, I would rather re-use a washcloth than use something disposable. If you’re worried about getting stuff on your good linens, you can get a stack of cheapie face cloths for about $5 and just get mascara on those.

Comment from Molly
Time: March 31, 2008, 10:35 am

I have a bunch of really cheap, plain white washcloths (a couple of bucks for a dozen at Target) that I use for washing my face. This is beneficial for two reasons: I can bleach out the makeup that I wash off, and my face wash (Clinique acne solutions) actually bleaches things, so it’s better to start with white.

If I’m staying at somebody’s house, I’ll pack a couple of them to take with me so that I don’t end up bleaching/makeupping somebody’s nice guest towels.

I use each one only once before I throw it in the laundry hamper. Reusing a washcloth that’s covered in makeup and grime seems kind of gross. It gets tedious to fold all the little rags on laundry day, but I’ve never been able to keep the Ponds or Dove face cloths from drying out before I finished the package, so this ends up being a pretty cheap solution.

Comment from Molly
Time: March 31, 2008, 10:37 am

Oh, I forgot! I usually don’t splash much, but when I do, I just use the wet washcloth to clean the sink and around the counter. Two birds, one stone!

Comment from Cari
Time: March 31, 2008, 10:39 am

Well, I feel silly now with all the smart women using disposable cloths and stuff; but I stick my head in the sink so that the water from the faucet rinses the soap off. I kind of do one half of my face at a time. If I have on a bunch of eye makeup, I will use a cotton pad and remover, but otherwise I just use cleanser and my face in the sink.

Comment from samantha jo campen
Time: March 31, 2008, 10:43 am

This is funny because I always got made fun of by my girlfriends that I DON’T make a mess while washing my face, thus driving home the whole OCD-thing.

Um, I guess I just don’t make any big movements with my hands and water and manage to keep it all contained in the sink. I use a Dove scrubby-wash so it grinds the make-up off and I don’t have to work so hard. I used to use the throw-away cloths but stopped because of the money and the waste. But when I was first pregnant and had NO energy I loved those things–especially the PRE-MOISTENED ones.

Baby wipes sound awesome. Must use tonight when I’m exhausted and just want to fall into bed.

Great question. I love reading the comments!

Comment from Anne
Time: March 31, 2008, 10:48 am

The key to not splashing is all in the technique. It’s not a splash, see. You fill your cupped hands with water, as though to splash, but then the motion is more like lowering your face into your hands and pushing the water up around your face. You see the difference? No? Oh, well, trust me, it’s MARKEDLY DIFFERENT from a splash.

Comment from thatothrgirl
Time: March 31, 2008, 11:06 am

Everything I have been reading lately has been to put my cleanser on dry skin to help loosen up the dirt and makeup. So, since I too suck at the splash in the sink method, I have been starting my shower, getting undressed and then rubbing in my cleanser. That way I can just wash it off in the shower. Viola, dry counter.

Comment from Mandy
Time: March 31, 2008, 11:49 am

Here’s what I do. It’s usually fairly tidy, and I’ve never had a problem with makeup staining my towels:

Step 1: Fill sink with warm water.
Step 2: Wet a washcloth, wring it out, use it to dampen face.
Step 3: Dispense cleanser (I use Purity made simple by Philosophy) into hand, add a little water and massage onto dampened face.
Step 4: Re-wet and re-wring washcloth, wipe off face. (Repeat if necessary)
Step 5: Rinse washcloth under running water to remove makeup residue before it sets in.

Like Molly, I have a ton of cheap washcloths, so I can just toss them in the hamper after each wash. Somehow, the splash technique doesn’t seem to get my face as clean as I like.

Comment from aarwenn
Time: March 31, 2008, 12:05 pm

I, too, use the “splash water everywhere–apply cetaphil–splash water everywhere–wonder where the angry cats came from” technique mentioned by Quiana. I have a pedestal sink and a tiny bathroom with no counters–yes, no counters–so all the water ends up on the floor instead. I have started pulling my bathmat under my sink right before I wash my face, then putting it back in front of the shower when I, you know, shower. I have ALSO started doing the push method mentioned by Anne, when I realized that throwing water upwards towards your face was probably the least efficient method.

Comment from Liz
Time: March 31, 2008, 12:37 pm

I can’t do the splashy thing because the water running down my forearms pisses me off. I just use the disposable cloths in the evening. In the morning I’m in the shower so it doesn’t matter if my elbows get wet.

Comment from elizabeth
Time: March 31, 2008, 12:55 pm

I’m an uber-messy face-washer too. It used to drive my husband nuts. I don’t wear a lot of makeup (just moisturizer, concealer, bare minerals foundation, blush, lip gloss and an occasional swipe of mascara), therefore I don’t need a lot of strong cleansers, plus I have sensitive skin anyway, so I just stick to Cetaphil.

My grandmother once bought me a basket full of the cheap, white washcloths (target or walmart), but I hated all the laundry I was doing (me=very lazy). I’m a use-it-once-must-wash-out-germs- IMMEDIATELY kind of person. At one point I tried the pre-moistened facial cloths, but they seem so wasteful and expensive that I went back to the water everywhere-cetaphil routine. BUT over the years I’ve learned to position my head over the center of the sink and cup my hands just the right way so that the water doesn’t splash my face, yet rather slides down my face into the sink. I also wash my face topless (scandalous!) because I can’t stand getting my sleeves or collar wet, even if it’s just a bath robe.

Comment from GoingLoopy
Time: March 31, 2008, 1:44 pm

Wet Ones are the best thing ever for taking off makeup and/or just if your face feels kinda grungy. The best kind are the ones in the container with the yellow lid. If your skin is dry, try the “Sensitive Skin” ones in the container with the blue lid.

I’ve also been a fan of the Biore facial wipes, but basically, I’m cheap, so Wet Ones it is.

Comment from Anna
Time: March 31, 2008, 1:53 pm

I use the Purity facial wash and baby washcloths. They’re small, gentle, and I can use each one once and toss it in the laundry. The feel of disposable, without the disposable.

Comment from Kym
Time: March 31, 2008, 2:36 pm

I use a Clarisonic face brush (yes the one that Oprah had as a fav thing this past year) I must say I LOVE it! I use it in the shower once a day and it’s wonderful.

Comment from Katie B.
Time: March 31, 2008, 5:59 pm

If I have on lots of makeup, I use Kleenex and makeup remover/baby oil (I know it’s not supposed to be good for the eye ducts, but I’ve never had a sty) first.

Then, I use a Buff Puff (or sponge with scrubby side, like $3 at Target) to wash face once I’ve wet it and put cleanser on. Then, remove soap by scrubbing with scrubby. It exfoliates and controls splashing!

Comment from Amy
Time: March 31, 2008, 8:42 pm

Again with the Dove face wash clothes- bonus is that it means one less liquid to squeeze in the ziploc when it’s time to fly…

Comment from Emma
Time: April 1, 2008, 4:23 am

I swear by face sponges, the type like this: http://tinyurl.com/ypkm2p - goes to The Body Shop, however there are much cheaper types available in multipacks in mosts chemists, supermarkets, etc.

1. Get hands slightly wet (rinse then shake off excess).
2. Pat face to make damp.
3. Apply cleanser to hands, hands to face. Do your thing.
4. Use sponge to remove from forehead down; rinse sponge after each ’swipe’ of face.
5. Repeat the rinsing for a few swipes even if you think it’s all gone.

Then you can use toner if you want, but I normally forgo it as I swipe with some cold water after. To clean the sponge, I either douse it in boiling water or I put it in the microwave for a minute-ish.

Comment from Bunny
Time: April 1, 2008, 4:55 am

When I wash my face at the sink I use a (dry) washcloth that I lay on the edge of the sink right in front of me. Then when the water splashed or drips down my arms it goes right onto the washcloth. Then I use the now wet washcloth to wipe my face, getting any extra makeup and wiping/drying so that my face isn’t soaking anymore. Then I pat dry on a towel.

Comment from deanna
Time: April 1, 2008, 5:46 am

[1] fill sink with warm water (and use makeup remover on eyes if necessary)
[2] wet wash cloth, wet face
[3] soap up with kiehl’s foaming facial cleanser (massaging in circles, especially gently over and around eye area; swear by kiehls!)
[4] rinse with freshly dampened wash cloth until face is free from soap, rising in fresh water as needed (again massaging and patting gently)
[5] pat dry. voila, clean face.

baby wipes work great in a pinch, especially for eye makeup, just not on a regular basis unless you have super dry skin. i used to use the single-use cleansing cloths, but stopped because i stated to feel guilty for creating all that extra garbage. (thus my move from paper to cloth napkins in my kitchen and super conscious effort to minimize paper towel use.) i do use the single-use ones occasionally for travel, though.

Comment from Molly
Time: April 1, 2008, 7:50 am

For some reason, I felt the need to specify that I let my washcloths dry before I toss them in the hamper. I didn’t want everyone to think that I’ve got a moldy pile of damp rags in my hamper.

Comment from Julia
Time: April 1, 2008, 9:41 am

I splash all over the counter, too. In my future, not yet purchased new house, I’m going to have a pedestal sink that is higher than my current bathroom counter. This will eliminate all the water laying around on my counter that my cats always try and lick up. Sigh.

Comment from willikat
Time: April 1, 2008, 1:56 pm

I use Pond’s wipes to take my makeup off….they are bomb and if you have sensitive eyes, they don’t make them hurt. Otherwise I use dark washcloths It’s a little exfoliation, it’s neat, and it steams open your pores, too!

Comment from Julie
Time: April 1, 2008, 3:36 pm

I make a crazy mess with water, too. I do what Molly does, with a fresh wash cloth every time. Before I wash with water, I use Deep Cleansing Oil by DHC. This is the most awesome stuff… It takes away even the most stubborn mascara, yet is very gentle and makes your skin feel great. I then rinse, use Basis soap, rinse again and then dry my face. Then I use the same wash cloth to mop up all the water.

Comment from Jenny
Time: April 1, 2008, 5:21 pm

What a great thread! One hint I got from one of Linda’s commenters, I think over at Milk and Cookies, was to tissue off the suds before doing the whole wetting-down-my-face-and-the-entire-bathroom thing. It cuts down on the amount of rinsing I feel compelled to do, which in theory would reduce the water on the floor. I, of course, still make a huge mess; YMMV.

Comment from Kerri
Time: April 2, 2008, 9:06 am

I read that using those face cleansing cloths (the pre-moistened ones) puts strain on the elasticity of your face, so I think the splashing is the way to go. I personally use Proactiv. I didn’t have a huge acne problem, but enough that it was annoying me. The kit comes with an exfoliating cleanser, toner and medicated moisturizer. At night I wash my face at the bathroom sink. I use a headband to keep my hair from getting wet, start by wetting my face, then scrubbing, then splashing to get rid of the cleanser. The sink is usually a mess when I’m done, but nothing a wipe or two with a towel or tissue won’t fix. Then I follow up with the toner and medicated moisturizer. I have taken, recently, to piling some Ponds moisturizer on top of that once the medicated stuff dries, because it doesn’t provide much moisture.

What I love is how my husband washes his face. With a bar (gasp!) of soap, in the shower, if he feels like it.

Comment from Shannon
Time: April 2, 2008, 10:24 pm

I have a Wondercloth, that I got at I believe Bed Bath and Beyond. I love it!! It is basically a white wash cloth, but the make up washes right off so it doesn’t stain. It’s actually shocking how clean it comes with just rinsing under the tap. I am a big messy face washer as well. With this, I suds up with Cetaphil and wet the Wondercloth, wipe down, and rinse out the cloth. It dries pretty fast too, so it doesn’t get that musty funk, so that when I wash in the evening it is dry by morning. Also, meaning I use it several times before it goes in the laundry. It is still bright white.

Comment from Sabrina
Time: April 4, 2008, 8:53 am

The best part about the disposable face cloths is, when you’re done, you can wipe down your sink.

Comment from Deb
Time: April 13, 2008, 1:34 am

I use plain water and the norwex face cloths. They have silver in them for cleaning purity. Sometimes I use a facial cleanser. I wear non-waterproof mascara and it leaves black blotches on the cloth but rinse out right away. They were expensive but I love them. In the middle I wring it out and it becomes close to dry and use it to exfoliate. It works well for me.

Comment from Julie F.
Time: July 17, 2008, 5:59 pm

I like the baby wipes and have done that. But if you need to save money, and yes, I know the wipes are not that expensive, I buy the generic baby wash and use one of those soft bristled facial brushes. I wet the brush and squirt a little bit of the baby wash on it and in a circular motion wash my face. Then I wipe my face off with a wash cloth. No mess!