The present invention relates to a wetting solution for manufacturing wet wipes or other wet flexible materials, and to such wet wipes for cosmetic, body care, dermatological and/or cleaning purposes, such as cleaning wipes, facial cleaning wipes, make-up remover wipes, refreshment wipes, baby wipes, wet toilet paper or eyeglass cleaning wipes, wherein the preferably aqueous wetting solution contains at least one amino acid ester, preferably from the group of pyrrolidone carboxylic acid esters, as an emulsifier. The invention further relates to the use of such amino acid esters as emulsifiers in wetting solutions for manufacturing said wet tissues.