Every time I run out of makeup remover wipes, I get a sinking feeling. With all of my attempts to be more environmentally-friendly, it’s getting harder and harder to turn a blind eye to my favorite beauty habits and they waste they produce. Disposable wipes are so easy to replace with low-waste options, too. And with the rising awareness and popularity surrounding low waste beauty routines, the reusable options are becoming abundant.
There are two main types of reusable makeup removers – ones that require a cleanser and ones that don’t. The makeup remover pads that don’t require makeup removing cleansers are usually made from a microfiber fabric. The texture is kind of like a velvet washcloth, and the fibers do serious work when it comes to removing makeup – even waterproof makeup.
The reusable makeup pads that aren’t made from these magic microfibers are a great option for people who have a favorite makeup removing solution or cleanser. Usually, they’re made from basic-ass cotton which is perfect for a few applications, then into the laundry it goes.
Forming new habits is always challenging, but this one is a no-brainer. Switching over from plastic-encases, cleanser-soaked, disposable makeup removing wipes becomes super easy after a few rounds of your evening beauty routine.
Here are the best (coincidentally affordable) products for eliminating makeup wipes from your skincare routine.
No-Cleanser-Required Makeup Removers
There’s some serious science behind the fibers that these cloths are made from, but I’m not the one who should tell you. That’s a job for Lab Muffin, who you should all be following to learn all about the science behind beauty.
The Original Makeup Eraser
$20 for the Original, $12 for the Mini at Makeup Eraser
As far as universal favorites go, Makeup Eraser is at the top. They make a bright pink makeup-removing towel that does an amazing job of removing everything on your face without the use of cleanser, oils, or soaps. Personally, I find their original size to be a little bit too big for easy use, so I like the Makeup Eraser Mini ($12) which is only about as big as a pair of sunglasses.
The packaging for the makeup eraser is pretty counter-intuitive (a thick, crunchy plastic box), but everything else about it is wonderful. You can find these everywhere, form Walmart to Sephora to Amazon.
Face Halo
$22 for a 3-pack at Face Halo
Similar to the Makeup Eraser, but different enough to warrant its own entry is the Face Halo. This little fuzzy disc has two textured sides, one is more of a velvet, and the other is a bit more scrubby. Just like the previous entry, Face Halo doesn’t require any cleansers or soaps to remove even waterproof makeup, just wet it and wash.
The Face Halo is from Australia, and comes in a 3-pack for $22 (which is about four packs of remover wipes), and can be washed and reused around 200 times before it starts to lose effectiveness.
Wonder Cloth
$23.99 for a 3-pack on Amazon
You know that beauty products with boxes that look like they were frozen in time three decades ago are usually worth your time, and Wonder Cloth definitely fits the bill. There also seems to be a miraculous component to the Wonder Cloth where the makeup you remove with it somehow doesn’t stain the cloth. Not like washing a cloth is a hard thing to do (and you definitely still want to wash this one!), but it’s nice that it doesn’t look gross between washes.
The 3-pack available on Amazon includes three separate boxes containing one Wonder Cloth, so if you have a couple of friends whose beauty routine you’d love to influence without anyone requesting it, keep that in mind. Otherwise, you can get them individually at Bed, Bath & Beyond for $9.99 each.
Ulta Beauty Smarts Towels
$10 for a 2-pack at Ulta
This is a convenient and accessible 2-pack of washcloth-sized microfiber towels are available at Ulta for only $10. As far as budget-friendly options go, this is pretty high. But beware, some of the reviews don’t jive with the claims made in the product description. This is the least reputable of the three cleanser-free options, but it’s hard to resist that price.
If you’ve tried this product, please let us know in the comments. If it’s really as good as it says, I’m loading up!
Danielle Creations Erase Your Face
$12.83 for a 4-pack on Amazon
Like all of the others, this is a soft microfiber cloth the removes makeup. But unlike the other cleanser-free options, these are finger mitts. (Their words, not mine.) They fit over your index finger so you can really get into your inner eye corners and nose crevices to get every last stitch of makeup off with just water. Best of all, you get four of these mitts for $12.83. Use them one at a time, or put them on all four fingers and attack your face with vigor. Your choice!
If the finger mitts creep you out, don’t leave yet. Danielle Creations has their popular microfiber makeup removing cloths in three different shapes: le finger mitts, cushions ($11.10), and regular old cloths (only $9.99 for four!).
Basic, Reusable Makeup Remover Pads
While the makeup removing cloths above are superstars when it comes to makeup removal, they simply can’t do everything that a cotton round can. That little pad is no slouch! When it comes to spot-cleaning, oil-blotting, toner-applying, or stubborn makeup – cotton rounds are the way to go.
Some might argue that these rounds – particularly the organic cotton varieties – are actually zero-waste, as opposed to low-waste. After these have been washed, washed, and washed again (x 100), the majority of these rounds can be shredded and added to your compost bin or yard waste. I suppose that technically makes them biodegradable, doesn’t it!
Cute & Funky Organic Cotton Rounds
$15 for 30 pads on Etsy
If you’ve been trlying on those sleeves of fuzzy, cotton rounds for most of your life, this is the perfect product to ease your transition into low-waste beauty. Made from organic cotton flannel and sewn into perfect (or imperfect, if you don’t care) circles, these are totally washable and reusable. Best of all, they come in an affordable pack of 30.
I’d recommend keeping a separate (cute) container for used cotton rounds on your makeup desk or bathroom counter. Then just dump what you’ve used into a lingerie bag the next time you wash towels.
Don’t love the white? Cute & Funky makes these little rounds in a bunch of different colors, from a bunch of different fabrics.
Les Decousues Organic Cotton & Eucalyptus Rounds
$22.37 for a 7-pack on Etsy
Lovers of the whole “French beauty” gimmick are going to be all over this brand from Nantes, France. They make beautiful dual-actions cotton and eucalyptus rounds – even the stitching around the edge is chic!
The dual-action is a result of two different fabrics being used. One side is your basic cotton sponge, and the other is a super-soft Eucalyptus velvet fabric which, from the description, sounds an awful lot like the cloths we mentioned earlier in this post. These little rounds have the potential to knock out both makeup wipes and cotton rounds in one fell swoop.
Side note: Les Decousues has tons of great low- and zero-waste stuff in the store, from hot water packs to eye masks!
Handcrafted Goodies Hemp Facial Rounds
$3.80 for a 5-pack on Etsy
Happen to have an affinity for hemp? It’s considered by many to be the most sustainable fiber in the world, so I wouldn’t blame you if you had a preference – especially if you live on the west coast, know what I mean? Anyway, these are made from one layer of organic cotton, and one layer of fleece made from hemp. You can get a variety of trim colors, like the photo above, or if you’ve got opinions about everything, pick your favorite color and get a pack of identical rounds to match your whatever. (No judgement here!)
Kate & Sunny Reusable Facial Rounds
$18.49 for a 10-pack in a tin on Etsy
It was inevitable. This is too good of an idea for it to go un-capitalized upon by a clever indie brand. Here, you have your 10 organic cotton rounds in a perfectly-sized travel (or storage) tin. The rounds made from two layers of brushed cotton beneath a super-cute layer of printed fabric – printed with eco-friendly dyes, of course.