This project is a must for anyone who is going zero waste and wears make-up. To be fair these compact cotton circles have more uses than as a make-up remover wipe. But let’s get down to how easy it is to make these bad boys.
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Time: 15 minutes (also depends on how many rounds you make. Making a dozen takes approximately 15 minutes)
Difficulty: Easy
Directions
First, get some cotton fabric. I actually acquired mine at my local thrift store. 3/4 of a yard of this soft tan fabric was an absolute steal for only 99 cents!
Get a mason jar or the bottom of a glass and trace a circle onto card stock or thin cardboard. I used some scrap cardboard from a food box. (Reuse before you recycle!)
The fabric was a bit thin for my taste so I folded it in half and cut 2 circles at the same time. Making sure not to separate them, it made it easy to sew them perfectly together.
My rounds were about 2 and a half inches. This size is perfect for fitting inside an elite mason jar* or an old glass jar that used to have food in it. And they are a great travel size too!
Take the circle and get your sewing machine ready. With matching thread, I slowly zig-zag stitched around the edge. I actually went twice around the cotton round to make a truly secure and durable round.
They are reusable because they can easily be thrown in the wash and used over and over again. I put used cotton rounds in a delicate’s bag and throw it in the wash with the rest of my load. You can put them in the dryer (and I have done this before) but they stay flat when you just leave them out flat to dry. And they dry very quickly!
Uses
Save money and reduce waste by making these easy cotton rounds instead. And here are some of the uses I found:
- Make-up Remover: I think I’ve said this enough. But totally put a bunch of rounds in a jar and pour in your favorite remover for a quick pre-soaked cotton pad.
- Toner Wipe: Put some of your favorite toner on this and apply as normal. These are great to replace cotton balls or other disposable cotton swabs.
- Band-aid: Sounds weird but I have used a circle to staunch a small cut or scrape. After it’s no longer bleeding, I leave the wound (that sounds dramatic) to heal naturally in the air. Most of the time a band-aid isn’t really necessary when it’s something small. Add witch hazel to help the appearance of a bruise, stop bleeding, reduce inflammation, and let it heal.
- Phone Case Cleaner: With some alcohol on a cotton round, wipe down your phone case or other electronic surfaces.
3 Zero Waste Makeup Removers
- Coconut oil*
- What does coconut oil not do? It’s oil so it’ll get any stubborn stuff off with a bit of elbow grease. You can then leave it on as a moisturizer or splash your face with warm water and then towel dry to remove any excess. If you saw my simple face lotion, then you know it has antibacterial properties that work well for acne. But it can leave you feeling/looking shiny until it absorbs.
- Olive Oil
- Again this is oil so it’ll get that gunk off. And have you ever heard of oil cleansing? Well basically you can totally wash your face with oil and it’s good for your skin. Olive oil is good for all skin types too! The smell is mild and it’s definitely not as oily as coconut oil. Plus talk about sustainable, affordable, and healthy. And I can just get it out of the kitchen cabinet.
- Witch Hazel*
- Witch hazel is made by distilling water with twigs, bark, and other parts of –you guessed it– witch hazel. This plant has a great history of medicinal properties and other uses. Witch hazel is actually my favorite toner! It is an astringent and can help sooth the skin. This is definitely the least oily of the makeup remover options. I always feel refreshed after using witch hazel to remove makeup or a sweaty, post-workout face. Remember to always buy alcohol-free witch hazel (or it’ll be extremely drying and we don’t want that).
Related: See how my cotton rounds have lasted after two years in my zero waste skin care routine
If you are using cotton pads they are usually bleached and definitely not as sustainable. I never used to buy them because I always wash my face with soap anyway. But I find excuses to use these now that I made them!
What are some of your favorite and simple makeup removers? And have you thought of another use for these? It seems like there could be so many possibilities. If you get around to making these, please share!
Happy Crafting-
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I wish I had a sewing machine to make these! (At least make them more efficiently than by hand)
Very true! Maybe you can borrow one? I know some libraries have loan services but even my local library does not. Let me know how it goes 🙂
That is definitely an option. I know plenty of people who have them, just haven’t gotten around to it! You know how it goes!
Definitely! 🙂