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Best Reusable Makeup Remover Pads of 2023

21 April 2021  |  Admin

Updated September 2023

Did you know that disposable face wipes and disposable cotton pads contribute to the huge volume of waste produced by the beauty industry every year? The wipes are either ending up in landfill, where they don’t fully decompose or they are flowing into the ocean which can be harmful to sea life.

As well as being bad for the environment, the preservatives used to keep wipes bacteria-free can irritate dry and sensitive skin.

Plus although there's a bit more upfront cost, reusable makeup removing pads work out cheaper in the long run.

Here at Cheeky Wipes, we've been all about 'Simple Reusables' since 2008 when we launched our bestselling reusable wipes kit. 

This was quickly followed by our eco friendly reusable makeup remover pads which quickly became a bestseller, replacing single use cotton pads and makeup wipes.

Since then, consumer awareness has risen about the impact of our shopping choices. More and more companies have launched reusable makeup removing pads and wipes. 

Never one to shy away from comparisons with the competition, we've pulled together a list of the best reusable makeup removing pads 2023:

Cheeky Bamboo Makeup Removal Kit

Cheeky Luxury Bamboo Makeup Removal Pads

Starting with my own long term Cheeky favourites which are also a Good Housekeeping 'Best buy'. Our luxury bamboo plush makeup removing pads are available as a 5 pack, 10 pack or as part of a kit with coconut oil to gently cleanse. Soft plush one side and then gentle bamboo on the other, these are larger and thicker than normal cotton wool rounds, so best used with soapy or oily cleansers.

That makes it easy to remove your makeup with just one pad. Apply cleanser to your face and use hot water with the reusable make up remover pad to gently remove makeup. Freshen up with cold water. Rinse the pad before washing in the washing machine.

Best: Large Makeup Removers

Size: 11cm round (large)

Material: Bamboo & Plush

For use with: Oily or soapy cleanser

Type of cleansing: General, perfect for all makeup removal with appropriate cleanser

Price: Starting from £7.95 for a 5 pack, to £20.95 for a kit of 10 pads plus coconut oil cleanser and trug holder.

Customer Reviews: "I love these I'm trying to be more aware of my impact on the environment and switch to reusable if I can. These are such a lovely large size I use one to take my makeup off if I wearing anything then I use half of one for cleanser and the other half for toner. Then just pop them in the wash.

Easy peasy. I bought these on a whim as an add on for another order and I'm so glad I did! The little trug is a perfect size for my most used products and the pads to keep together and the coconut oil smells amazing!"

Face Halo Makeup Pads

Face Halo

Face Halo are often found at the top of any list of reusable makeup removing pads. They're available on their open website, plus the usual High St stores such as Boots etc. Their HaloTech fibres reach deep into pores for a thorough clean.

Best: Luxury Makeup Removal

Size: 9.1 cm round

Material: Microfibre

For use with: Water, although cleanser makes them glide easier and will be needed for mascara

Type of cleansing: General makeup removal

Price: £18 for a 3 pack of three

Customer Reviews: "I absolutely love these face halo products. Amazing that you can be makeup free without using anything other than water. I doubt it would remove waterproof mascara though. I use a small amount of eye makeup remover first, then use the face halo to remove remainder of my eye makeup and foundation.

Incredible how clean my face is just using water. I wash the face halo pad with gentle soap after each use, rinse and hang to air dry. It’s amazing. My clever daughter introduced me to them and I’m hooked."

Garnier Micellar Water Eco Pads

Garnier Micellar Water Reusable Pads

Garnier are a long standing High St favourite brand and these pads are to be found in most High St Chemists such as Boots and Superdrug. They're made from polyester microfibre and are designed specifically for use with micellar water.

Best: Big Brand Reusable Pads

Size: 10 cm round

Material: Polyester

For use with: Micellar Water

Type of cleansing: Eye & makeup removal

Price: £9 for a 3 pack of three

Customer Reviews: "I love these little pads, first off they are so much softer on your skin than uing cotton pads. However I love the fact they are reusable. Not only are the environmentally friendly but they save me a fortune!"

Cheeky Exfoliating Eye Makeup Remover Kit

Cheeky Face Exfoliator & Eye Makeup Removal Kit

We had to include our Cheeky exfoliating & eye makeup remover kit in this review because it contains a bumper 10 bamboo terry exfoliating pads for general makeup removal, PLUS 10 organic reusable cotton pads which are brilliant for eye makeup removal. It also contains coconut oil to gently melt your eye makeup, plus a wetbag for storage.

Both types of reusable cleansing pad should be used with coconut oil or your preferred cleanser and water. Apply the coconut oil / cleanser to your face, use the pad and water to remove it. See them in action here.

Best: Heavy makeup removal

Size: 8 cm round (cotton wool round size)

Material: Bamboo / Cotton or Organic Cotton Sherpa

For use with: Coconut oil, micellar water or your usual cleanser

Type of cleansing: Eye & exfoliating makeup removal

Price: £24.95 for 20 pads, plus organic coconut cleanser, 10 bamboo cotton pads from £10.49 

Customer Reviews: "I'm so glad I finally got round to purchasing a reusable make up removing kit. This one from Cheeky Wipes is exactly what I was looking for. I was actually very surprised by how effective the coconut oil is at removing make up - you only need a tiny amount so it will last for ages and it feels so much gentler than standard make up remover.

The whole system is easy to use - just pop the oil on wipe with the wet pad pop the dirty pad in the washing machine - done! And I feel so much better that I'm not putting endless cotton wool pads into landfill. Kind to skin and kind to the environment - everyone's a winner!"

Dock Bay Makeup Removers

Dock & Bay Travel Makeup Removers

These pads from Dock & Bay are very generously sized if you like a large pad. They're also made from 100% recycled plastic bottles which is an added bonus. Just add water for gentle cleansing.

Best: Large Makeup Remover Pad

Size: 12cm x 10cm

Material: Microfibre made from recycled materials

For use with: Water

Type of cleansing: General makeup removal

Price: £16 for 3 large pads

Customer Reviews: "Soft on skin and very easy to use, wash easily, I pop mine in the washer with the towels and they still come out soft."

Marks & Spencer Cotton Makeup Removing Pads

Marks & Spencer Reusable Organic Cotton Pads

These thick organic cotton pads from M&S can be turned inside out to allow double usage from 5 pads which is an interesting concept. Come in a mesh wash bag. Just add water for gentle cleansing.

Best: High St Pads

Size: 10cm round

Material: Organic Cotton

For use with: Water

Type of cleansing: General makeup removal

Price: £7.50 for 5 double use pads

Customer Reviews: "No more buying disposable cotton pads, these reusable, washable pads are a good size and very soft and come with a handy bag. I’m taking mine on holiday too."

Upcircle Hemp & Cotton Makeup Pads

Upcircle Hemp & Cotton Pads

These hemp and cotton triple layer pads are a straight up replacement for cotton wool pads. Hemp means that each time they're washed, they get softer and softer. Pack of 7 so you have one for every day of the week.

Best: Replacement to Cotton Wool Rounds

Size: 10cm round

Material: Hemp & Cotton

For use with: Your favourite cleanser

Type of cleansing: General makeup removal

Price: £9.99 for 7 pads plus washbag

Customer Reviews: "These are brilliant! I use them to apply toner- clean your face really well and also wash really well too. I’m really pleased not to have to go through loads of cotton wool pads anymore."

We hope that was an interesting read for you! If you enjoyed it and are looking for other ways to be more sustainable in your daily life, or are interested in finding out more about Cheeky, you may like these articles:

 

 

 

 

About the Author: Helen Rankin founded Cheeky Wipes, the original reusable wipes kit back in 2008 after disposable wipes caused her eczema to flare up. 4 kids later, internal period protection such as tampons or menstrual cups were no longer an option for her and she went on to develop their range of 'Simple Reusables' to include period pants, reusable panty liners and reusable sanitary pads.

The Cheeky customer services team pride themselves on providing honest, friendly advice and just LOVE to chat pee, poo and periods all day long, helping people make the switch to reusables! The Company was recognised for their hard work in developing environmentally friendly products with the Queens Award in Enterprise for Sustainable Development in 2021.

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