WaterWipes
Original Baby Wipes, 99.9% Water
7.2/10 overallAbout £15 for a 9-pack (540 wipes)
Wipes made from 99.9% water and a drop of fruit extract, aimed at newborn and sensitive skin.
The verdict
WaterWipes are 99.9% water plus a trace of grapefruit seed extract, with no alcohol or fragrance, priced around £15 for a 9-pack of 540 wipes. They're the more cautious choice if your baby has reacted to fragranced wipes or you want the shortest possible ingredient list for newborn skin - the trade-off is a noticeably higher price per wipe than most competitors.
WaterWipes strip the ingredient list down to almost nothing: 99.9% purified water plus a trace of grapefruit seed extract, with no alcohol, no fragrance, and none of the preservative blends found in most standard baby wipes. That minimalism is the entire pitch, and it genuinely matters for the small percentage of babies who react to fragranced or preservative-heavy wipes with redness or nappy rash.
Against Huggies Pure in this category, the difference is one of degree rather than kind — Huggies Pure is also fragrance-free and dermatologically tested, but still includes a small preservative system to keep the pack usable over its shelf life, where WaterWipes' near-pure water formulation needs a resealable pack used more promptly once opened. The trade-off for that extra purity is price: WaterWipes typically cost noticeably more per wipe than Huggies Pure.
For most babies without sensitive skin, either wipe works fine day to day. If your baby has shown any reaction to fragranced wipes, or you simply want the shortest possible ingredient list for newborn skin in the first weeks, WaterWipes are the more cautious choice and the cost difference is small relative to how often you'll actually need to reach for the more sensitive option.
Is the Original Baby Wipes, 99.9% Water worth it?
- Shortest, simplest ingredient list on the market
- Very well tolerated by sensitive and newborn skin
- Widely recommended by health visitors for the first weeks
What are the downsides of the Original Baby Wipes, 99.9% Water?
- Noticeably pricier per wipe than most competitors
- Thinner texture than some premium alternatives
- Best used reasonably promptly once a pack is opened
Specs
- Alcohol
- None
- Fragrance
- None
- Pack size
- 9 x 60 wipes
- Water content
- 99.9%
- Dermatologically tested
- Yes
How we scored it
Leak Protection
Overnight and long-stretch absorbency and how reliably it prevents blowouts.
Not applicable in the traditional sense — thinner texture means more wipes needed per change.
Skin Gentleness
Fragrance-free formulation and suitability for newborn or sensitive skin.
About as gentle as a wipe can get; minimal ingredient list.
Value for Money
Cost per change/wipe versus performance, and availability of larger packs.
Premium pricing per wipe compared to mainstream fragrance-free options.
Weighted by importance for this category — see our editorial policy for how we test.
How this review was done
We haven't used the Original Baby Wipes, 99.9% Water ourselves yet. This review is built from WaterWipes's published specifications and product information, and scored the same way as everything else on the site. We'll update it, and the badge above, once we've tested it hands-on.
How it compares
|  |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | About £15 for a 9-pack (540 wipes) | About £6-12 depending on pack size | £15.00 (Jumbo+ pack) | From about £10 per pack |
| Overall score | 7.2/10 | 7.4/10 | 7.8/10 | 7.2/10 |
| Alcohol | None | None | — | — |
| Fragrance | None | None | Fragranced | None |
| Pack size | 9 x 60 wipes | 8 x 52 wipes | Jumbo+ (varies by size, ~35-72 nappies) | — |
Frequently asked questions
What makes WaterWipes different from other baby wipes?+
They strip the ingredient list down to almost nothing - 99.9% purified water plus a trace of grapefruit seed extract, with no alcohol, no fragrance, and none of the preservative blends found in most standard baby wipes.
Are WaterWipes worth the extra cost over Huggies Pure?+
The difference is one of degree rather than kind - Huggies Pure is also fragrance-free and dermatologically tested but includes a small preservative system, whereas WaterWipes' near-purity comes at a noticeably higher price per wipe. For most babies without sensitive skin, either works fine day to day.
Are WaterWipes recommended by health visitors?+
They're widely recommended by health visitors for the first weeks, and are very well tolerated by sensitive and newborn skin, which is why they're often the more cautious first choice for very young babies.
Do WaterWipes need to be used quickly once opened?+
Yes - because the formulation is nearly pure water, the resealable pack is best used reasonably promptly once opened, and the wipes have a thinner texture than some premium alternatives, so handle them a little more gently.
Guides that mention this
Best Baby Nappies and Wipes Compared (UK Guide)
Three baby nappies and three wipes compared on price, fragrance and best use, from Aldi Mamia to Pampers, Naty, Huggies and WaterWipes. Includes the NHS advice on fragrance-free wipes, absorbent nappies and nappy rash.
Choosing the Right Nappy Size and Brand
Nappy size is about weight and fit signs, not your baby's age. Here's how to get sizing right, and how the main brand tiers compare.
Nappy Changing: How Often, and What's Actually a Problem
Nappy output tells you more about how feeding is going than almost anything else. Here's what to expect, and what's worth mentioning to your health visitor.
Reviewed by
Sepehr
Software engineer, soon-to-be dad, uncle to four — the tech-obsessed half of the two of us testing this stuff. Currently building this site with my wife, ahead of our own baby arriving.