There are so many baby wipe options on the shelf these days that it can be difficult trying to pick the best choice to take care of your little one. I’ve used just about every wipe out there over the years so I thought it would be helpful to show how some of these brands compare side-by-side in terms of value, ingredients, and performance. Today, I’m looking at Pampers Aqua Pure vs Huggies Natural Care wipes.
In a head-to-head comparison, Pampers Aqua Pure wipes deliver better value, durability, and performance with a safer ingredients list than the Huggies Natural Care wipes.
Let’s review my personal experience with these wipes while raising three kids and see how they stack up across all of the important areas.
Table of Contents
Pampers Aqua Pure Vs Huggies Natural Care Wipes Overall
Before I say anything else I want to point out that both of these wipes will do an acceptable job when you are using them in normal baby-related situations like cleaning up your baby after eating or changing a diaper.
This means that you aren’t going to notice dramatic differences in performance, but I wouldn’t call them equals by any means. We’ll need to look more carefully at some of the smaller details to see why I think the Pampers Aqua Pure wipes come out ahead in this matchup. Essentially, what is it about them that would make me want to buy them again or instead of the Huggies Natural Care wipes?
If you trust me and want to skip a lot of information, go ahead and check out the Pampers Aqua Pure wipes here or the Huggies Natural Care wipes here (where you can see the latest reviews and buy on Amazon).
I’ve also reviewed both of these wipes separately and with more detail. The review for the Pampers Aqua Pure is here while the Huggies Natural Care is here.
Pampers Aqua Pure has the better ingredients list
Parents looking for the safest and simplest ingredient list on their baby wipes will like the Pampers Aqua Pure the best in this comparison
When I personally look at a list of ingredients on a package of baby wipes I always want to make sure that they avoid any chemicals that could be dangerous or cause other problems. That could include antibacterials, alcohols, chlorine, cleansers, and surfactants that are likely to cause irritation on sensitive baby skin. Irritation can also lead to diaper rash over time as small breaks in the skin allow bacteria to enter more easily.
Staying away from ingredients like these has helped keep my son diaper rash free for the last 18 months and counting!
Pampers Aqua Pure ingredients list
- Water
- Citric Acid
- PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
- Sodium Citrate
- Sorbitan Caprylate
- Sodium Benzoate
- Disodium EDTA
This list isn’t as short as I would like it to be, but there really isn’t much cause for concern even if some of the names on the list sound a little scary.
Out of this list, only the castor oil and sodium benzoate are even mildly concerning. Each of those ingredients carries a 3 out of 10 on EWG’s scale of toxicity but the overall product earns a 1 out of 10. This is the best rating possible on their rating system.
Overall, the ingredients here should help your baby to avoid irritation and have a great experience with these wipes!
Huggies Natural Care ingredients list
- Water
- Butoxy PEG-4 PG-Amodimethicone
- Caprylyl Glycol
- Coco-Betaine
- Sodium Benzoate
- Polysorbate 20
- Tocopheryl Acetate
- Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
- Sodium Citrate
- Malic Acid
Obviously, this is a much longer list here but it is still very mild compared to many mainstream brands and products out on the market.
Out of this list, the malic acid is the biggest offender with a score of 4 with EWG. The Butoxy PEG-4 PG-Amodimethicone, sodium benzoate, and tocopheryl acetate, meanwhile, all have a 3 out of 10 ratings. Despite these additions, the overall product receives a 2 out of 10 on EWG which still makes it a very safe product compared to its competitors.
Overall, I wouldn’t personally avoid buying these based on the ingredients list alone. It is very unlikely that you will have any major issues with irritation or other problems while using these wipes!
Pampers Aqua Pure offers superior durability and quality
Even though both of these wipes probably won’t have much trouble getting the job done if you looked at them side-by-side there are some big differences, in my opinion, that gives the win to the Aqua Pure wipes in this category.
When comparing these two, the Pampers have a much better texture on the wipe material which is very nice to have while scraping…stuff off of your baby’s butt. That added texture helps keep the wipe from slipping in your hand and it allows the wipe to pick up a bit more yuck with each pass.
Between the two, the Pampers Aqua Pure is also a tougher wipe that is much more resistant to tearing or shredding. Of course, I had to really get in there, Hulk-style, to tear the wipes apart and make this call.
While both of these wipes are listed as fragrance-free, I have to say that I personally prefer the Huggies Natural Care wipes when it comes to the smell. To be clear, neither brand has a bad smell, but sometimes fragrance-free wipes can have a weird smell that I just don’t like. With the Huggies, I don’t really detect much of anything with my nose except a bit of wet paper with a tiny bit of coconut floating around there somewhere.
What about eco-friendliness?
Based on their ingredient lists and chemical safety scores I would definitely classify both of these particular products as ‘natural baby wipes’ and wouldn’t have a problem purchasing them based on this fact alone.
In addition to ingredients, however, I absolutely love it when manufacturers go the extra mile for the environment to reduce the impact their products have after we are done using them. While they do include plant-based ingredients and other great stuff, neither of these wipes is fully biodegradable. Even though you shouldn’t flush any baby wipes, definitely do not flush these! They will not break down in your sewage system and, unfortunately, they won’t break down very well once they hit the landfill anyway.
It is relatively uncommon to find a baby wipe that is fully biodegradable, but they are out there. In fact, I wrote about my top 5 favorite biodegradable baby wipes and you can check out that resource right here if you are interested in finding a brand that is both safe, eco-friendly, and affordable!
Packaging and other small details
Since these wipes are made by the two biggest players in the market, you won’t have any trouble finding these in either individual packages or bulk quantities.
In the case of Huggies Natural Care wipes, you will get a standard flip-top dispenser on the top of the individual packages of wipes with a slit for the wipes to fit through. The wipes are interwoven which helps to keep the wipes coming out one at a time instead of all at once. The lid does a good job of keeping the wipes moist and you shouldn’t have any issues with dry or moldy wipes with this brand.
With the Pampers Aqua Pure wipes, you will get a similar flip-top dispenser and interwoven wipes. One thing that I like about the Pampers, however, is that the opening they cut for the wipes is actually very small. This makes pulling just one wipe out at a time even easier. We’ve purchased these wipes many times in the past and I don’t remember the hole being this small so I think this has been a recent change with their packaging – I like it!
Huggies Natural Care wipes are more affordable
We’ve seen that the Pampers have won a lot of categories, in my opinion, when it comes to performance and quality.
When comparing prices, however, Huggies Natural Care wipes definitely come out ahead and you can find them for about $.02 per wipe pretty easily. Pampers Aqua Pure, meanwhile, sell for about $.03 per wipe. These prices have both pretty consistent since I’ve been paying attention to wipes for my reviews and comparisons. That means that you’ll get more bang for your buck if you choose the Huggies wipes.
Pampers Aqua Pure is the overall winner compared to Huggies Natural Care wipes
Personally I think that Pampers Aqua Pure wipe is better than the Huggies Natural Care wipes in a head-to-head matchup based on their ingredients, quality, and performance. While they might not be the cheaper wipe of the two, the advantages of the wipes more than make up for the difference.
If you choose these wipes then I think you’ll have an affordable, quality wipe at your disposal that is ready to tackle the toughest messes your baby can throw at it!
