DIY Reusable Makeup Remover Pads

Makeup remover pads are an indispensable part of any facial care routine. Today's article will provide you with an ecologically friendly alternative to disposable ones, and you'll learn how to make some reusable ones at home.
DIY Reusable Makeup Remover Pads

Last update: 27 May, 2022

Reusable makeup remover pads are sustainable and environmentally friendly products.

But why should you be concerned about it?

Well, the use of disposable ones leads to excess waste and contributes to environmental pollution.

In particular, these reusable makeup pads are ideal for applying the “3R” concept of waste minimization: reduce, reuse and recycle. As you can see, you won’t only reduce your carbon imprint, but also maintain your beautiful skin without buying single-use products.

Would you like to know more about this?

Read on, then!

Why use reusable makeup remover pads?

Incorporating sustainable products into your beauty routine has exciting benefits.

Firstly, they’re an environmentally friendly alternative and don’t pollute as much as disposable ones. Secondly, you don’t have to spend money on your skincare.

Let’s take a closer look at why use reusable makeup remover pads.

Makeup removal

Washing your face with soap isn’t enough to remove all the makeup and this is why you need pads to remove the excess during your nightly facial cleansing routine. These reusable ones are perfect for removing mascara, lipstick, and other products. All you have to do is moisten them with micellar water.

A person adding liquid to a pad.
These discs are ideal for cleansing the skin at night when moistened with some micellar water or cleansing milk.

Check out these Homemade Makeup Organizers

Makeup remover pads have been a trend for years. However, pads have now become the favorite choice overtime. In fact, some cosmetologists suggest them because they’re gentle, don’t irritate the skin, and are great for deep cleansing of the face.

Reusable makeup remover pads are environmentally friendly

Using traditional cotton pads means throwing away about 60 pads a month. As you can imagine, this generates a lot of waste. Thus, homemade reusable makeup remover pads actually contribute to the environment in the following ways:

  • Firstly, they’re reusable and you reduce the volume of waste.
  • Secondly, it’s a great way to give your old clothes and towels a second use.

Reduce financial costs

How many pads do you use every time you remove your makeup? Between two and four per day. This means you’re using about 730 to 1460 pads per year when you do the math.

Meanwhile, adding reusable makeup remover pads to your facial care routine allows you to use them over and over again, for months or years. This translates into significant money savings!

They’re good for all skin types

These are useful for oily, combination, or dry skin due to their softness. They’re also useful for cleansing both the face and neck.

They’re easy to wash

Reusable pads absorb makeup and impurities. For this reason, you must wash them after every use.

How?

It’s quite simple really: just wash them by hand with soap and water, or throw them in a cloth bag and wash them in your machine.

Make reusable makeup remover pads at home

This is actually quite simple and you just need some basic materials that you probably already have at home.

  • A piece of flannel and towel cloth
  • A ballpoint pen or fine tip marker
  • Yarn
  • A circular glass or a rigid object to use as a stencil for the shape of the pad
Makeup remover pads.
You must wash each pad after every use to get rid of traces of makeup and dirt.

Have you gathered the materials? Let’s get started, then! Just follow this procedure:

  • Firstly, place the stencil on top of the fabric.
  • Then, trace the circle and repeat this procedure on the fabric as many times as you want (it depends on how many discs you need).
  • Next, cut out the circles with scissors.
  • Then, join a flannel fabric circle with a towel fabric circle.
  • Then, sew the entire edge of the circle to close it.
  • Finally, store them in a glass container to keep them clean.

Reusable makeup remover pads are a sustainable substitute

More than nine million wipes or cotton pads are thrown away every day. Thus, replacing them with reusable ones is a small action that can translate into a big result. This change can have a positive environmental, aesthetic and economic impact on every individual.

Reusable makeup remover pads have a long life but won’t last forever. As with every type of cloth, you’ll have to stop using them at some point.

This is why sticking to the 3R concept for waste reduction is a great alternative.


All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.


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  • Draelos ZD. Facial skin care products and cosmetics. Clin Dermatol. 2014 Nov-Dec;32(6):809-12. doi: 10.1016/j.clindermatol.2014.02.020. Epub 2014 Oct 29. PMID: 25441474.
  • Cantarellas, V. Del caldo casero al Tacobell. Aproximación etnoarqueológica a la gestión de desechos domésticos. España: Universitat de les Illes Balears; 2019.
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This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.