It’s not just makeup wipes that deserve being consigned to the skincare routine dumpster of history. Conventional cotton balls have a sizable negative environmental impact, too. Cotton is a thirsty crop, and heavy insecticide and synthetic fertilizer use in the conventional cotton manufacturing process is also an issue. These chemicals can leach into water systems, affecting the people and animals who rely upon these sources. That's a big impact for a product that you'll use once and then throw away.