The Best Makeup Remover Cloths
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As sustainability becomes an increasingly more important discussion, there's been a focus on implementing small changes that can make an impact on an individual level. One of those changes, switching out your cotton rounds for reusable makeup remover cloths, happens to have multiple benefits. Call it a beauty win-win, but the best makeup remover cloths are more environmentally friendly, cost-effective, and convenient to use.
Remember, there’s a big difference between a makeup remover cloth and makeup remover wipes. Not only are makeup remover wipes wasteful, but they’re not great for your skin — they don’t actually cleanse, but instead, they simply smear everything around. Makeup remover cloths, on the other hand, which are used with either water or cleanser, are what you want to go for.
And in case you need more convincing to swap out your single-use cotton pads or makeup wipes with a reusable cloth, listen up: According to the World Wide Fund for Nature, the cultivation and production of cotton (like the kind that goes into those disposable rounds we use daily) contributes to soil degradation, pollution through the use of pesticides, and water scarcity. Additionally, switching to reusable makeup remover cloths can save you money in the long run, as many of these cloths are machine washable and designed to last for several years.
Do better for your skin, your wallet, and the planet by switching to any of the best makeup remover cloths, rounded up ahead.
1. The Overall Best Makeup Remover Cloth
With over 8,000 five-star reviews on Amazon, the Original MakeUp Eraser calls itself the number one sustainable makeup remover in the world. The patented antibacterial cloth is made with polyester fibers that are thinner than human hair and capable of drawing out makeup, dirt, and oil from the skin. Wet the cloth with warm water and rub the short-fiber side (the side without the tag) in circular motions to take off your makeup. Then, flip the cloth over to use the long-fiber side to very gently exfoliate your skin and remove any impurities that might be left behind. You'll want to wash the MakeUp Eraser (in your washing machine) before you use it for the first time, and it's recommended that you use it in sections so that you can avoid having to wash it more than twice weekly. Regardless of how often you wash it, you can expect each MakeUp Eraser to last for up to 1,000 washes. While the original cloth, seen here, is bright pink, the brand has since come out with every color and print imaginable, including collaborations with the likes of Disney and SpongeBob Squarepants, and larger sets that include a cloth for each day of the week.
2. Best Biodegradable Makeup Remover Cloths
Though these cloths aren't reusable, they're still environmentally friendly. Unlike your average makeup remover wipe, which can take 100 years to fully break down, Clean Skin Club's Clean Towels are 100% biodegradable and compostable. According to the brand, the viscose fabric used in their towels completely biodegrades within about six weeks. The towels are made without any bleach, dyes, fragrances, or additives, and can be used with or without cleanser to thoroughly remove makeup. Each of Clean Skin Club's towels features a smooth side and a textured side, but both sides are soft, absorbent, and tear-resistant because of the eucalyptus-derived viscose fiber with which they’re made.
3. Best Makeup Remover Towels
Consider a multi-pack of makeup remover towels if you prefer to use the whole towel each time you cleanse and don't want to add extra laundry days to your weekly routine. These microfiber makeup remover cloths come in a pack of 10 to get you through a whole week and then some, and they're available in three sizes (small, medium, and large). The microfiber towels were designed to quickly and gently remove all traces of makeup and impurities, with or without cleanser. You can throw these in the washing machine and let them air dry by lying them across a drying rack or hanging them up by the loop conveniently stitched onto each towel.
4. Best Reusable Cotton Rounds
If you're dedicated to your cotton rounds, these reusable cotton rounds are the perfect replacement. The set comes with 18 reusable pads that are made from organic bamboo and cotton and, according to the brand, save 1,000 traditional cotton pads from being used. Each pad can be used for three years or more, and the set comes with a mini laundry bag that makes it easier to keep track of the cotton rounds when you're washing them (and when you're traveling). You can also use one of these cotton rounds to apply your toner or liquid exfoliant post-cleansing.
5. Best Muslin Cloth
These Eve Lom muslin cloths are much larger than the other cloths on this list, which gives them a more spa-like quality, since you can soak them in hot water and cover your whole face with a single cloth to help open up your pores. They're my personal favorite when used in conjunction with the brand's cleansing balm, but you can also purchase the muslin cloths separately to use with your preferred cleanser. The reusable cloths are made from 100% cotton, which is gentle on skin but still provides light exfoliation to removes dead skin cells and help the rest of your products better absorb. Because each cloth is so large, you can use one section at a time to get two to three uses before washing, or rotate the cloths and wash after each use (at 40 degrees) if you use the whole cloth to steam your face as described above.
