DIY Reusable Cotton Rounds

Reducing the amount of disposable, single-use items in my household has been on my mind a lot lately. I’m trying to switch over to durable, reusable and preferably bio degradable or recyclable items wherever I can. One thing I’ve always felt a bit iffy about is the use of cotton rounds for cosmetic uses such as removing makeup and applying toner. For the longest time I’ve been using only one or two cotton rounds per time to remove all of my makeup, and recently I’ve been looking for ways to completely eliminate the cotton rounds from my skin care routine. I sometimes use a cleansing oil to remove my makeup which I’ll then wash off, or I just rub my face with a cleanser and hope everything comes off that way. I also have one of those microfiber makeup removing cloths which I’ve been using more often again. All of these methods work well, but when it comes to speed and convenience, cotton rounds drenched in makeup remover are the easiest to use and I keep coming back to them. In my journey towards a less wasteful lifestyle, I’ve come across the concept of reusable cloth cotton rounds, which I think is a brilliant idea. You can just throw them into a load of laundry you were already going to do, and keep using them for a very long time without using any plastic or new cotton.

Reusable cotton rounds can be bought in some health food stores or online, but it’s actually really easy to make them yourself. I ended up re-purposing an old, stained t-shirt I had and giving it a second, useful life this way. It’s a perfect way to use something that would otherwise go to waste, and save a bit of money on buying new fabric!

This t-shirt has been hanging around in my closet, unworn, for far too long. It’s too big for me and has some yellow and orange stains that won’t come out. I held on to it because I received it at YouTube and it’s quite an exclusive item, but truth be told I really haven’t worn it much. It would be a waste to throw out, and all the washing has made it nice and soft so it’s perfect for this little project. Any cotton material that’s soft to the touch would work for this, I’ve seen great results with flanel specifically.

The great thing about using an old t-shirt is the fabric is already doubled up, so you can cut two circles at once. If you’re using single layer fabric I suggest folding it over on itself first to create two or more layers, it makes the process a bit faster and easier as you will want to use several layers for one cotton round anyway. I used a glass to measure out the size of my cotton rounds.

If you press down firmly on the glass it’ll make a dent in the fabric, which you can then use as a cutting guide.

Cut out your circles. A large t-shirt like this can make loads of cotton rounds, the exact number depending on the size of the shirt and the rounds of course. You may even have enough cotton rounds at the end to give some to friends and family! Of course choosing a circular shape does leave you with a few scraps of fabric. I give those to the rats for nesting material, but if you wish to avoid scraps you could opt for a different shape of cotton “round” such as a rectangle. I like the more traditional look of a circle but it’s not necessary, of course. Don’t separate your two layers of fabric, by the way- I find if you don’t touch them at all they will stick together quite well and you won’t need to use pins in the next step.

The next (and last) step is to sew the two pieces of fabric together and seal the edges. You could use a serger to serge the edges, or a sewing machine to zigzag stitch along the edge. I find sewing by hand quite an enjoyable and relaxing activity so I decided to use a simple blanket stitch to seal my edges. This will keep the cotton layers together and prevent the fabric from fraying when it’s washed.

And that’s it! Your reusable, recycled cotton rounds are done. After use you can just throw them in with your laundry and they’ll be ready to be used again. My old t-shirt happened to be white so I have nice traditionally coloured cotton rounds now, but white probably isn’t your best choice if you’re planning to use these for makeup removal. They might (and probably will) stain, especially if you’re a mascara and red lipstick lover like me. I personally don’t really mind the staining but if you do, I suggest using a darker colour of fabric. I also don’t recommend using these to remove nail polish, as the nail polish won’t come out and it’ll ruin the pad. You could keep one of those mesh laundry bags by your bathroom sink to collect and wash the used cotton rounds in, to prolong their lifespan and keep them away from the sock eating washing machine monster.

Creator living in Amsterdam with her husband and extensive tea collection. Sewing hobbyist, historical beauty enthusiast, and advocate for slowing down.
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6 thoughts on “DIY Reusable Cotton Rounds

  1. Quick question – what type of needles and thread would you recommend if you’re planning to blanket stitch the ends?

  2. Cotton rounds are also great on sweaty days to tuck in the middle of your bra, folded, to absorb that horrid in-between sweat. It’s improved my life immensely, living in a warm climate and wearing sports bras almost exclusively.

  3. To further reduce the waste caused by the round shape, just cut squares. It’s also easier to sew the edges if using a machine, and by hand if one is not good at sewing. For the fluffy feeling of cotton pads, double the layers. By doing this you can also mix and match different colors you may have, and if you think you made too many, guess what? They make an awesome gift! Another thing to think about, is using other fabrics to make a little laundry bags, so once you are done using them, just toss them in the baggy and then just grab the bag and pop! into the laundry. You’ll never loose them in the machine. I personally don’t worry about staining, as long as they are clean. If you do, just separate them. Have a couple for eyes and lips, since mascara and long wearing lipstick are more likely to stain for the long term, and keep a bunch for everything else, like toner. I have crocheted “make up remover rounds” but i ended up using them as face scrubbies instead.

    Additionally, if you feel like pampering yourself, you can drench them in whatever natural diy mask you want to, for example, aloe vera juice and honey, place them o your eyes and relax. Boom! Eye mask. Or take it a step further, and cut and actual mask off the t-shirt!

    Man I had a lot to say apparently, haha! I hope you find any of this helpful! But it made me happy to see a youtuber that I have followed for so long have similar solutions to mine.

    Have a great day!
    Veronica :D

  4. Great post! Have to try it! What works best for me is removing makeup with oil or cleanser) and then with a washcloth – preferable soaked in hot water. If you rinse it, it will not be too hot when you put it on your face and the feeling of a warm washcloth is like an immediate spa. I wash all my cloths with towels, though I did not notice that they stain light clothes ;)

  5. Thanks for this tip Lucy!
    Sounds like a great use of old cotton clothes! The only thing I would worry about is that it might stain other (lighter) clothing in the washing machine haha, I guess I have to wash them when washing my darker clothes.

  6. Hi Lucy,
    This is such a great idea! I was crocheting reusable cotton rounds for myself, but I guess these can be more gentle on the skin.
    I am really excited for your journey on a more sustainable lifestyle, cannot wait for your next post on it!
    Love,
    Viki

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