While on a mission to make my life more sustainable, I recently came across reusable make-up pads. I was actually searching for organic cotton rounds and reusable rounds popped up in my search before I even realized that they existed. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised. I came across an article recommending Urban Outfitters eco-friendly reusable cotton rounds and decided to pick them up after a job the next day. I wanted them ASAP.
Inside of the mesh cotton bag that holds all of the rounds in the washing machine came 3 curiously large rounds and two smaller ones. One side was a little rougher while the other was silky soft. I wasn’t sure how long only 5 rounds would last me, but the larger ones are good for 2-4 make-up removals considering their surface area. I didn’t have to wash them nearly as often as I’d imagined.
Day-to-day, I wear minimal make-up, even to castings. When I’m working, however, I have a full face worth, and need something that will REMOVE IT ALL. I figured I would be a great candidate for letting you all know how they really held up for serious make-up removal and if they would be a truly viable option.
Pros
Cost Effective
An 80 ct. of regular cotton rounds from Ulta costs $2.99. Let’s say you use two a day, for makeup and/or toning. These reusable pads cost $12, so you’d start to see an economic return after 160 days, around 5 months. Hang onto your rounds for a few years and you’ll save some bucks- nothing to write home about- but all of the little things add up.
Good for the Environment
In a compostable environment, cotton breaks down in 5 months. But most of us throw our cotton rounds in the trash, right? From your innocent bathroom waste basket they wind up in the landfill where they decompose and release the potent greenhouse gas, methane. Reusing the same rounds over and over then chucking them into the compost years from now (they must be 100% cotton or natural fiber) is infinitely better for Earth.
Easy to Use
It matters how stuff affects the planet and your wallet, but it also matters if it works! I had no problem taking my make-up off with these rounds. However, I had to pour out my Bioderma miscellar water slowly. The first time I tried it rather quickly and the liquid slid off the surface of the pad. Other than that, my make-up came off just as easily as with a throw-away round and didn’t require any extra rubbing and everything held up in the wash.
Cons
Single-use Plastic Packaging
Yes, you read that right. The cotton rounds themselves came wrapped in single use plastic inside of the mesh bag, which makes NO sense if you’re trying to sell a product that reduces waste and benefits the environment. Single use plastic takes 500 years to degrade in a landfill (but it still only photo degrades into micro plastics that continue to pollute our environment).
Not Organic Cotton
The label on my cotton rounds simply says 100% cotton and the website doesn’t enlighten much further on that regard. 100% cotton doesn’t contain any chemicals, but an organic alternative would have been best in terms of resources used to produce the cotton.
Verdict?
Purchasing resuable rounds is 100% worth it, though I would recommend products that are organic and made of bamboo. Why? Bamboo is just better; it uses 1/3 amount of water to produce as cotton, is always grown without pesticides, and is a self-replenishing resource. I should have done even more advanced research before purchasing this product, however, I’m happy to have found a wonderful alternative to throwing away hundreds of cotton rounds every year. Because even if waste can degrade in a compost or a product is recyclable, using less overall will have the strongest impact on Earth’s precious resources.
Some other amazing resuable rounds include both of these organic bamboo cotton rounds.
