One-time use cotton pads are meant to be disposed of once used. This contributes greatly to our overflowing landfills. To add to that, many of these disposable cotton pads are treated with synthetic fillers or blends so as to help them maintain their smoothness and their compact shape. This means that they contain micro plastics which may pollute our water systems, and these little pieces of cotton will not biodegrade easily due to the synthetic content. Thus, we should replace them with reusable ones that can be washed and are preferably made of natural organic material so we don’t pollute our waters every time we wash them. Bonus points if they are made from certified organic materials, so that they are toxin-free and gentler to our skin.
Have you every wondered though - what else can we use these reusable cotton rounds for besides their main purpose of removing makeup and face cleansing? The answer - anything else you can use the disposable ones for!
#1 Applying micellar water /toner / essences
Disposable cotton pads tend to shred and fall apart easily, especially when large amounts of product are used, hence you’d sometimes need more than one when you’re using something liquid like micellar water or toners. Reusable rounds made from cotton yarn tend to be thicker & more absorbent so they are able to handle the job with less drippage and wastage.
#2 Wiping off masks
Though sheet masks are extremely portable and convenient, face masks that come in a tub are more economical & eco-friendly in terms of packaging. These face masks are meant to be applied on the face and then rinsed off. I personally find the rinsing off process unwieldy & messy, and have been using washcloths and these larger organic cotton rounds to wipe off the masks without getting water all over the bathroom floor.
#3 Removing nail polish
If your reusable cotton rounds have become a little bit raggedy after months of use, you can easily repurpose them to remove nail polish. The disadvantage is that the cotton yarn may become stained from darker polishes, so you might want to save this for the older-looking ones!
#4 As a warm or cold compress
This is one of my favourite uses of reusable cotton rounds. Because they are thick and absorbent, they are great insulators and hold heat / cold really well. If you feel a stye coming up, simply soak a clean round in hot water, then squeeze out excess and place it on your eye for 10min. Repeat multiple times the minute you feel the stye coming! You can also soak it in a disinfecting solution and gently pat around the stye for added disinfection. Instead of cold teabags, you can also place these reusable rounds in the freezer, and they work really well as a reusable compress to depuff eyes.
#5 Washing baby’s face
Bathing a newborn can be stressful; new moms are often nervous about splashing water or soap onto baby’s face. These reusable cotton rounds are made using certified organic cotton, so you can be sure that they do not contain chemicals or toxins that will harm baby’s skin. And since the cotton rounds are small and very soft, its easy to maneuver around their hairline, eyes and nose areas with one hand, without getting a lot of extra water on their face like a cloth would. Dab a little soap on the cotton round to help remove cradle cap, then rinse the round and wipe off repeatedly.
These are ways which I’ve personally used and tested my reusable cotton rounds. If you think of any other ways, give it a try and let me know in the comments!