Make up removing wipes are an absolute no-no when trying to reduce waste. Although they often seem to be made of material that will decompose, more often than not they contain plastics to maintain their structure. Flushing them down the toilet (alongside toilet wipes) also leads to pipes getting clogged (not ideal for water works) and them ending up in the oceans (not ideal for the entire planet). Although cotton rounds or balls may seem like a good alternative (they are better!), the cotton industry is very exploitative of the environment and of people. While organic cotton is a good alternative, it is often expensive and quite unnecessary for single-use products.

Instead, use reusable make up wipes/pads! There are many alternatives on the market, here is a range of some of your options and a little information. Most of these products will remove a majority of your make up without chemicals, but if you do need a little help for more stubborn make-up try wetting the pad and using a small amount of cleanser (details somewhere for natural/homemade possibilities?)

• Bamboo face rounds - very effective, can be a little expensive, but also compostable at the end of their life! Should last around a year?
• DIY - making your own is easy if you have any old towels or spare material hanging around, best done with a sewing machine, a little laborious without. Crochet also an option, if you know how to do that! If you use cotton based products then these can also be recycled at the end of their life.
• Flannels - ordinary flannels can be very effective, although if they are not put somewhere to dry between uses they can start to smell a little funky.
• Reusable microfiber pads - very effective, more so with a little cleansing water, however most are not made from 100% cotton and contain plastic fibres, which means their production is more wasteful and they cannot be disposed of in the compost. Nevertheless these often last a long time and are less wasteful than using a cotton pad or wipe every day! So if they suit you they are also a good option.

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