Plastic Free Wipes

To continue our sustainability focus and as Europe’s No.1 facial cleansing wipes brand*, all our wipes are made of 100% biodegradable plant fibre. Our plastic free** wipes help to reduce environmentally harmful waste whilst keeping your skin clean and fresh.

plastic free wipes

Plastic free wipes, what's the issue?

Traditional wet wipes that contain plastic often manage to find their way into the seas and sewers, causing all manner of environmental issues. From sewer fatbergs, to pollution on the shores of the world's most remote beaches - the damage that harmful plastics have on our planet is substantial.

These are a few of the reasons why NIVEA was the first brand to launch plastic free wipes in 2020. Our wipes are able to naturally decompose to prevent excessive plastic waste from harming out environment.

How to dispose of plastic free wet wipes

Rule number 1 for all wet wipes, biodegradable or not, is to never ever flush them. Despite NIVEA's plastic free wipes having the ability to decompose, this still takes time and flushing them can contribute to clogged pipes and sewers, as well as them ending up in the sea. Always dispose of wipes in the bin.

Most wet wipes still come packaged in plastic packaging to keep them fresh and moisturised. If this package is recyclable, dispose of it in your recycling as you would other plastic items, or consider up-cycling it if you can find a suitable use.

Keep our seas free from plastic

Approximately 8 million pieces of plastic enter our oceans every day, this staggering amount of waste causes mass plastic pollution of our seas. Due to the vast amount of plastic pollution in the oceans, approximately 1 million sea birds and 100,000 marine mammals are killed each year. With the extent of non-biodegradable plastic in our sea, marine life is enduring insufferable damage. It can take one plastic bottle 450 years to fully decompose in the ocean, meaning it is more important than ever to reduce our plastic waste and prevent plastic from reaching the oceans. Switching to plastic free wipes and recycling as much as possible are small and easy changes to make that can begin to reduce these numbers.

plastic free wipes

NIVEA plastic free wipes

At NIVEA we are committed to our environment and sustainability, which is why we have created wet wipes without plastic that are able to biodegrade.

NIVEA Biodegradable Cleansing Wipes are non plastic wipes that are made from 100% renewable plant fibres. These plastic free wet wipes have been created with a consciousness for environmental sustainability. Although created without traces of plastic, these wipes still do just as good a job as other NIVEA Face Wipes at refreshing and cleansing skin.

Benefits of NIVEA Biodegradable Cleansing Wipes:

Plastic free & Biodegradable
Made from 100% renewable plant fibres, these wet wipes are free from any traces of plastic, helping you do your bit for the environment whilst maintaining a fresh face.
Cleanse, refresh & care for skin
It is a common myth that eco-friendly products are just not as effective as other products that contain plastic. This is not the case for these plastic free wipes that expertly perform their job of gently cleansing, refreshing and caring for skin whilst helping to maintain its natural moisture balance.
Thoroughly remove makeup
Suitable for use all over the face and around the sensitive eye area, you can remove your makeup with ease on-the-go or after a night out with these non plastic wet wipes. Made a mistake whilst putting your face on in the morning but don't want to start the whole process over? No problem, simply use these plastic free face wipes to spot clean makeup errors.

When to use wipes

Wet wipes have a number of different purposes and times when they come in handy. They should never fully replace either your body cleansing routine in the shower or face cleansing routine with face wash, cleanser and toner but there are certainly preferred times for their use. A few of these include:

Quick removal of makeup - when you are in transit and do not have access to washing facilities or have got home late and want to get into bed ASAP without going through the full face cleansing routine
Spot removal of makeup - when you accidentally slip whilst getting ready in the morning, face wipes are great at cleaning up small mistakes without having to start the routine over
Freshening up on-the-go - plastic free face wipes can be great at helping you remove that grimy feeling when you have been in transit for a while on a long journey or midway through a long day
Freshening up at festivals - wet wipes are a popular form of keeping clean at festivals when washing facilities are frighteningly scarce

Learn more about the best face wipes for your needs here.

Tips to help reduce your waste further

Use reusable bags for shopping - a very simple way to reduce plastic waste is to use your own bags when going out for groceries and avoid using disposable plastic bags from the store
Compost food waste - return uneaten food to the Earth where the nutrients won't go to waste
Reduce your food waste - an easy way to do this is to plan your meals so you only buy food that will definitely be used
Rely on reusable containers, coffee cups & water bottles - a great way to reduce your waste is to stop buying items that come in disposable containers, select coffee shops also now offer a discount if you bring your own cup - helping your wallet as well as the Earth!
Conquer recycling - it is easier than ever to recycle now, so take time to understand the specifics of recycling for your area and prevent excess waste heading to landfill
Go paperless - be it at work or at home, print only if you absolutely must. Many companies now also offer to deliver post electronically as opposed to traditional mail, which helps significantly reduce paper waste

*Source Euromonitor International Limited; NIVEA in the category Facial Cleansing Wipes, Western and Eastern Europe sales combined, Beauty and Personal Care 2022 edition, value sales at RSP, 2021 data.

**under EU single use plastic legalisation