Reusable Cotton Rounds

Disclaimer: While there are links to the products I used, I do not get paid to post them, but I put the links for the convenience of my readers.

     So I realized that I posted this, but for whatever reason, it said I posted this back in December. Anyway, here's the update:

      Lately I've been doing a lot of #FengShui posts, rather than my #MinimalWaste posts, but let's get back on track with this #OneSimpleChange: One evening about a year or so ago, I was doing my skin routine after I showered by applying toner to my face, and I noticed that I was running low on cotton pads. Obviously I needed to order more... Then it kind of clicked with me: Obviously there's got to be a cheaper way then buying disposable cotton pads.

     And there is.

     There's such things as #reusable cotton rounds, which when you say out loud, it's kind of one of those "duh" moments, but people easily forget about reusable options due to the #convenience of picking up something prepackaged at the grocery store, and then not having to worry about the "mess" afterwards (and by mess, I mean, cleaning the reusable pads, rather than just throwing about the disposable ones).

     Before I potentially lose you over cotton pads for your face, let's remember why I got into #MinimalWaste. Saving money. So let's break this down for a minute:

     Here is the prices for the same brand, 80-count, at three of the leading stores (Amazon, Walgreens, and Walmart): $2.88 at Amazon and Walmart, and $2.99 at Walgreens. Not badly priced, huh?

     Now, let's say I use one a night, and let's do a model of over a five-year-span, so that's a total of 1,825 pads used, divided by 80 pads in a pack, which equals 22.81 packs over a five-year-span, then multiple the pricing, and we have the following prices: $65.69 at Amazon and Walmart, and $68.20 at Walgreens. That's how much *roughly* you would spend in just five years. Now that price is a little bad, but not awful, right?

     What about a ten-year-span? $131.38 and $136.40. Twenty-year-span? $262.76 and $272.80. Getting worse (and unnecessary).

     Enter my minimal waste solution: I opted to purchase 28 reusable cotton pads, which I got off Amazon, they cost me $27.98, and should last me the rest of my life (in theory, and especially because 28 is a lot).

     All I have to do is toss them in their handy-dandy washing case, which comes with them, and then toss them into the wash with the rest of our clothes. Easy.

     Now let's compare this to our model: let's say I live for another 40 years (here's hoping kids) - so take our 5-year model, and times it by 8 for 40 years, that's $525.52 at Amazon and Walmart, and $545.60 at Walgreens - so I just saved my family and myself *roughly* over $500, which isn't a lot when you think in regards to a lifetime, but it's still saving money (and everyone could use more money staying in their pockets), AND it's a lot better on the environment.

     Win. Win.

     ... Now, the part you probably didn't think about while reading all this is about that #plastic sleeve that the disposable, prepackaged cotton rounds usually come in, which is what is the "convenience factor"... and those plastic sleeves are almost never recyclable.

     So on top of spending roughly $500+, you're now creating over 180 pieces of plastic bags, which cannot be recycled, over a 40-year span. Now let me blow your mind a little bit more in regards to those little plastic sleeves: According to the #EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) "much of the plastic ever made, still exists" (source).

     Can you imagine that?

     All those toys we played with as kids, still exists in its original form, or has been recycled into another form of plastic, but never has gone away... Same with the toys my older siblings played with... Or same with the toys my mother played with...

     For me, that's mind blowing.

     Now think about those plastic convenient sleeves again, and in my lifespan, if I kept buying the prepackaged cotton rounds for my face toner, over my life, I would create *roughly* 180 pieces of plastic, which will still exists long after I am dead and gone... and after my children are dead and gone... and so on.

     Atomic. Mind. Blow.


     So, yes, the initial cost for switching to reusable over disposable is more up front ($27.98 for 28 reusable cotton pads versus $2.88 or $2.99 for 80 disposable cotton pads), but in the long-run, it's so worth it, and it actually saves you money in the long-run (over a 40-year-span it's $27.98 for reusable cotton pads versus $525.22 or $545.60 for disposable cotton pads).

     Again, it's a win, win in my book.


     Next time, I'm obviously posting about kitchen remodel updates, but my next #MinimalWaste post is going to be about my makeup, skincare, and hair care routines, because I'll let yall know right now, you'd be surprised how much we do not think about what goes into those everyday items, and how easy the switch can be... But fair warning, that initial makeup, skincare, and hair care post is a dozy (it's lengthy).

Sarah

#MeAndVinny

      Here is my honest review of my reusable cotton rounds from Amazon: The strange thing was that I purchased from the same company, the same cotton rounds, but I got one set made of bamboo cotton, and one set made of bamboo velour. Interesting choice. I can't say I notice a difference in either, so I can't say whether I prefer one over the other.

     They're really good at getting makeup off your face - even the makeup you thought you removed, but apparently didn't. These pictures are some of the most makeup I have ever tried to take off with toner and these cotton pads. Obviously, the velour one looks worse off than the cotton one, but the velour is me taking off a full face of makeup with the pad, while the cotton on is to demonstrate that it'll take off makeup you thought you removed, but apparently didn't.


     I guess I could say the big difference is the fact that after you wash the cotton pads, the velour one seems to keep it's circular shape better than the cotton, which rolls up on itself, as you can see. However, if you just put a slightly heavy object - even your phone will do - on the cotton pads to flatten them back out, they flatten back out pretty easily.

     Some people on Amazon reviews were complaining about the pads being "too absorbent" but I didn't find an issue with that. The velour pads take a little longer to actually absorb the toner, so at first the liquid just pools on top of the pad. However, with both the cotton and the velour, once the liquid is absorbed in, I don't have to the soak the entire pad to get toner all over my face. Just about a quarter size, let that absorb, that covers about half my face, do another quarter amount, and then I'm done.

Sorry about the hair on the velour pad.
I was half-asleep when I took these photos.

     As for how they do after washing? The makeup comes out of them pretty easily, and if it really bothers you that they're not perfectly white, you can bleach them and they do just fine (according to other reviews on Amazon). It doesn't bother me. Obviously the makeup comes out of the velour ones a little easily than the cotton ones, but again, doesn't bother me.

     So I know at the beginning I said that I don't notice a difference in the velour versus the cotton, but after writing all this out, I guess if I had to pick one, I would've picked all velour reusable pads. Only because they seem to hold their shape easier, and makeup comes out of them easier.