With four months of free time during lockdown, I found myself looking into how I could improve my lifestyle. I started exercising more, taking bigger walks and eating healthier. Yet, a better lifestyle isn’t just about self-care, it’s also about caring for others and the planet.
My search for better habits eventually led to a more eco-friendly shopping experience and began looking into buying more reusable and sustainable kitchen and bathroom items. These include bamboo toothbrushes, reusable sanitary pads and make-up and skincare products. So, this week, I decided to have a go and try EarthBits’ reusable make-up pads and all I can say is that I’m never going back to disposable ones.
The product and how it works
My first impression of the product was how soft the pads were. Disposable ones are often quite rough on the skin and as someone who has sensitive skin, that was a big problem. The reusable ones proved to be much more gentle and didn’t irritate my skin.
I also noticed that they absorb cleanser much better, which allowed me to use one pad for both my eyes, instead of the four disposables I usually use. For the face, once again I only used one pad.
I’m constantly trying to reduce my waste, so not having to throw away three to six pads per make-up cleanse made me very happy. Not to mention that being able to wash them in the washing machine is a big plus since students and young professionals might not have time to hand wash them. As I had a bit of free time, I decided to wash them in warm water and hand washing detergent. It took a few minutes to wash the two pads but, in the end, they looked good as new, no make-up residue. Another great thing is that while those two are drying, I have eight more available to use as they come in packs of 10.
Overall, I was very pleased by the reusable make-up pads and would advise anyone looking into being more sustainable to invest in some.
Why are they a better alternative?
There are so many reasons why reusable make-ups pads are a much better alternative to disposable cotton ones.
1.They are reusable and washable:
As mentioned before, they work just like the disposable ones – if not better – but reduce your waste due to being reusable. They are super easy to wash. You just throw them in your washing machine (30º), let them air dry and they’ll be ready to use again. Also, due to being firmer than disposable ones they will last a long time. Lastly, unlike regular cotton ones which don’t biodegrade due to the bleaching and mixing processes used to create them, these can even be compostable at the end of their life.
2.They are cheaper in the long run:
Due to being long-lasting, you can actually save some money in the long run by investing in some reusable make-up pads, especially if you are someone who uses make-up or skin care regularly. On a normal uni day, I use three to six disposable pads which are priced at around £1 per pack of 100. This means I spend between £11 to £22 a year on disposable cotton pads. A pack of EarthBits’ 10 reusable ones costs £7.99 and, if they are well taken care of, they can last for more than a year. In retrospective, being sustainable is not as expensive as people perceive it to be, quite the opposite. For the price of one cocktail, you can instead buy a pack of 10 reusable pads and help save the planet.
3.They have antibacterial properties:
Bamboo is naturally antibacterial. A new study published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology has revealed that the majority of in-use makeup products and tools can be contaminated with potentially dangerous bacteria. So the fact that bamboo can kill up to 70% of any bacteria attempting to incubate on it, is truly brilliant.
4.They reduce the impact of cotton on the planet:
Farming cotton has a huge impact on the environment when it’s not organically sourced. According to WWF, the amount of water one person would drink in three years is used to make one basic white T-shirt. Luckily, T-shirts can be reused, donated and even transformed into cleaning cloths but disposable cotton pads can’t. Imagine the amount of water that’s wasted on a single-use cotton pad. Not to mention that all the chemicals used in the farming and production of disposables can damage wildlife, pollute rivers and affect the planet’s ecosystems.
The fashion and beauty industries already put a massive burden on the environment, so removing cotton pads and make-up wipes from your make-up routine is the least you can do to help the planet. By transitioning to reusable ones, you’re also reducing the amount of plastic packaging waste you produce as EarthBits’ packaging can be recycled.
Where can I find them?
If you are interested in living a more eco-friendly lifestyle, you can purchase the EarthBits’ reusable make-up pads at https://earthbits.com/collections/pads/products/bamboo-cotton-make-up-removal-rounds-set-of-10# and other products at https://earthbits.com/.
EarthBits is a zero-waste brand focused on living and promoting a plastic-free lifestyle. They are owned by Francesca Castaldelli and her family who are sharing their experience and desire to protect the planet to make it easier for people to find products they can trust won’t damage the environment. They have a big range of products, from the bathroom to the kitchen to even make-up and babies’ essentials. Most of their products land between £5 to £15, which matches a student budget.
You can find out more about EarthBits here https://earthbits.com/pages/our-story .