Only Skin Deep: Pacifica Purify Coconut Water Cleansing Wipes

Photo Credit: Pacifica

I'm ridiculously lazy when it comes to skincare. Were it not for face wipes, I don't think I'd ever wash my face before I went to bed--certainly not every night!

That's not good, folks.

Lately, I've become a big fan of the Say Yes to Grapefruit Brightening Facial Wipes. They're not expensive, smell amazing, remove makeup well, and--yes--do actually brighten up dull skin over time. I've repurchased them several times, and have always been very happy with them. The thing is...sometimes familiarity breeds contempt, and somewhere mid-way through the latest pack, I started to get antsy. I needed something different. I needed something exciting. I needed the new Pacifica Facial Wipes!

So, I bought them. When I ran out of those now apparantly loathesome Grapefruit wipes, I bypassed them on the Target shelf, and picked up the beautifully packaged, slightly less expensive (due to a sale--they're normally $6), fancy-schmancy Pacifica wipes. I'm in love with their Indian Coconut Nectar lotion, so these coconut water-infused wipes should be heavenly!

Now, when I say "beautifully packaged", I really mean it. These are, by far, the prettiest facial wipes to look at. Sure, they're housed in the standard snap-top-type packaging that the Say Yes and E.L.F. Studio wipes come in, but it's a highly decorative, fashion forward snap-top-type package. The color scheme is a tranquil blue with fluid yellow lines, swirling into geometric floral patterns, and it's--it's just gorgeous. Even the snap-top looks high-end, with it's frosted, heavy-duty plastic. Then, as if that weren't enough, the entire package is slid into a cardboard stand, making it look like something you'd find in an extraordinarily expensive hotel room, and not sharing counter space with your toothpaste.

On that lovely packaging, it clearly states:

"Easily cleanse, remove makeup, and tone skin without using a drop of water."

Well, that's exactly what I needed them for. I hate dealing with water and washcloths and soap and...yeah, I'm lazy. I don't like washing my face when I'm tired and would rather be in bed, but I can't rationalize skipping it when all I have to do is pull out a wipe. Then, as long as I'm in the bathroom and vertical, I might as well slap on some moisturizer and eye cream. Yes, I have a skincare routine, but the wipe is the catalyst that gets me motivated enough to start the process.

So, the first night I went to use a wipe, I was actually super-excited to wash my face. I opened the package, smelled the dreamy coconut scent, wiped down my face with the soft cloth, and...nothing happened. The BB cream I had on came off, for the most part, but my eye makeup was still intact. So, I wiped a little harder. Then, I scrubbed. Eventually, I said, "To heck with it!" and went to bed. This continued in much the same way for a couple of days, so I sat down to write a negative review for the blog.

Well, when I pulled up the Pacifica website to grab a link for you guys, I noticed this on the site. If it was on the physical packaging anywhere, I couldn't find it:

"These wipes can remove most make-up, but due to the fact that we do not use chemical solvants, they will not remove the most water-proof make-up.  They are a great follow-up to using a make-up remover as they will remove the residue from your skin leaving it refreshed."

Say what?!?!

Just to clarify, the makeup removing wipes should really be used following a makeup remover. Please bear in mind, the eye makeup I had tried to remove was not entirely waterproof. Sure, my mascara and eyeliner were, but last I checked, the powder eyeshadows weren't. Also, I don't own any waterproof blushes--cream or powder. That stuff should have been removed, even without extra help.

Well, in the spirit of fairness, I decided to finish out the pack in conjunction with some Josie Maran Cleansing Oil. Happily, they worked together like a charm. I was able to remove all of my makeup, and my skin felt soft and refreshed afterward. However, that would have still been the case if I'd only used the oil and a damp washcloth. The washcloth wouldn't have smelled like coconut, but would have achieved the same goal.

I am gutted to have to write a less-than-glowing review for this product, given how much I generally like Pacifica, and how beautiful this looked on my counter. Let's just break down the pros and cons:

Pros: Gorgeous packaging, tight snap-top, amazing scent, soft feel, affordable price point, paraben-free, Gluten-free, cruelty-free, and 100% vegan.

Cons: They don't really work.

I re-purchased my Say Yes to Grapefruit wipes. They're not quite as pretty (though the pink packaging is still very cute), but they smell nice and they do what they're supposed to do. I guess it's like I have to remind myself when I have to pick out a new cellphone; it doesn't matter how pretty it is, or how many fancy bells and whistles it has, if it doesn't work, it doesn't work.

Final Verdict: 5 out of 10. They're beautiful, but since you have to use a secondary remover, you're basically paying for a scented, disposable washcloth.