Regular Cotton vs. Reusable Cotton Pads – Which Ones are Better?

People use cotton pads for various purposes, including the application of cosmetics and makeup removal. You can use a cotton pad to apply toners, moisturizers, lotions, and rose water.

Cotton pads are an excellent way to remove makeup efficiently and reliably because they don’t irritate your skin and keep it clean. Although cotton pads are beneficial, they have several downsides, such as residues of harmful pesticides and toxins that penetrate your body through the epidermal layer.

Therefore, it is crucial to choose safe and healthy cotton pads. Regular/disposable and reusable/ecofriendly cotton pads are prevalent nowadays. So, which one is better? Today’s article will answer this question and give you essential details.

What are Regular Cotton Pads?

Regular cotton pads are made from organic or non-organic cotton, depending on the manufacturer. Most cotton pads have a coating made of plastic or synthetic material. The purpose of the coating is to maintain the product’s structure and prevent it from becoming fluffy.

Regular cotton pads, also called single-use cotton pads, are common in homes, beauty parlors, and spas. These pads have many applications, from makeup removal to soaking up blood to cosmetic procedures. Regular or disposable cotton pads usually contain chemicals, such as:

• Chloroform
• Acetone
• Styrene
• Chloromethane
• Toluene

These chemicals harm human health and can cause severe skin conditions characterized by irritation, redness, itchiness, burning sensations, and inflammation.

According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), chemicals such as styrene in cotton pads can cause adverse effects, including neuronal disruption in the central nervous system, major depressive disorders, and sleep problems.

Likewise, these chemicals can severely affect the epidermal layer of your skin, causing burns, irritation, redness, and acute dermatitis. As a result, you will visit a hospital’s emergency department to get immediate treatment.

The Problem with Regular Cotton Pads

The World Wildlife Funds (WWF) reports that the production of one-kilogram cotton takes up more than 20,000 liters. Most people don’t realize that cotton pads used for applying cosmetics or removing makeup create significant problems.

For instance, traditional cotton production involves using pesticides and fertilizers. Although fertilizers are safe to some extent, pesticides can risk water and soil quality. It affects the balance of biodiversity and disrupts the ecosystem.

Single-use or disposable cotton pads are non-organic because they have many fertilizers, pesticides, chemicals, and synthetic compounds. According to Oliva Thorpe, an entrepreneur and skincare expert, synthetic materials are detrimental to human health, environmental wellbeing, and wildlife.

Once the production process completes, the company adds more chemicals to turn the product into a compact, smooth, and reliable cotton pad. Experts recommend using cotton pads made of biodegradable material, but the problem is that most cotton pads undergo bleaching and chemical processes.

These processes eliminate the cotton’s ability to biodegrade. So, disposable cotton pads used by the beauty and cosmetic industry contribute to massive volumes of waste yearly.

The waste ends up in landfills and fails to decompose. As a result, it flows into the water bodies, including rivers, streams, ponds, seas, and oceans, affecting marine life and disturbing the balance of ecosystems.

Moreover, chemicals and preservatives used by manufacturers to keep cotton pads microbes-free are harmful to people with sensitive skin, leading to irritation, itchiness, redness, inflammation, allergic contact dermatitis, acne, rosacea, and eczema.

What are Reusable Cotton Pads?

As the name indicates, reusable cotton pads are ecofriendly products people can use for a prolonged period. Manufacturers design these pads for repeatable use, allowing consumers to achieve efficiency, reduce waste, and save money.

For instance, when you use a reusable cotton pad for removing makeup, you can clean and use it again. In addition, these pads are available in various shapes, designs, styles, and sizes.

However, the function of reusable cotton pads is the same as disposable pads, but the former is more absorbent than its counterpart. An ideal cotton pad is made from 100% pure and organic cotton.

It has moisture-wicking properties, thanks to multiple fabric layers. At the same time, these pads are leakproof due to the innovative leak locker technology, making the product more absorbent. Thus, these pads enable you to remove makeup cleanly and effortlessly.

Benefits of Reusable Cotton Pads

Planet earth has experienced the worst climate conditions by increasing the temperatures and changing weather patterns, leading to a disrupted balance of nature. Global warming and climate change pose risks to humans, wildlife, marine life, and other life forms on earth.  

It is everyone’s responsibility to decrease carbon footprint and promote sustainable practices. Therefore, switching to reusable cotton pads for cosmetic applications and makeup removal is crucial to increase eco-friendliness and reduce the harmful impact of waste on the environment.

Eco-Friendly

According to National Geographic, people use over 15,000 pads in their lifetime. Most of these pads go to landfill sites, taking over 800 years to decompose. Remember, this massive volume of waste is directly proportional to a disordered ecosystem.

The good news is that you can use reusable cotton or bamboo pads to reduce the amount of waste. Instead of chemical-based disposable pads, reusable cotton pads are biodegradable and do not cause soil and water pollution. The purpose is to protect Mother Nature from experiencing global warming and climate change.

Chemical Free

Commercially produced pads contain harmful chemicals that can affect your health and the environment. For instance, when you experience burning sensations, irritation, redness, and itching, these are due to regular cotton pads.

A growing body of research evidence shows that most chemicals used in cotton pad production contain carcinogens that increase the risk of metastatic cancer. Similarly, synthetic compounds can disrupt your endocrine system and cause hormonal imbalance, leading to acute and chronic health conditions.

In contrast, reusable cotton pads are 100% organic and chemical-free, making them healthy and safe for makeup removal without causing hormonal imbalance, skin conditions, and homeostatic disruption.

Comfortable and Affordable

Unlike disposable or regular cotton pads, reusable pads are comfortable and affordable. Most people think that reusable pads produce a terrible odor after a few applications. However, this is a misconception, and no evidence exists regarding the discomfort of cotton pads made of recycled materials.

Moreover, women spend hundreds of dollars on beauty products every month. For instance, disposable cotton pads are single-use products, and if you are a frequent user, you can disturb your budget because you have to purchase them frequently. On the other hand, reusable cotton pads can save a lot of money.

Reusable Bamboo Makeup Remover Pads are ecofriendly, healthy, comfortable, reliable, and cost-effective products by Hebe Botanica. These durable and smooth cotton rounds do not cause a foul smell even if you use them repeatedly for a prolonged period.

Not only is this product made of 70% organic bamboo and 30% cotton, but it is also eight centimeters in diameter with excellent absorbing properties. Bamboo has hypoallergenic, organic, antibacterial, and antifungal properties and is perfect for use on your face and skin.

Final Words

Regular cotton pads are more prone to accumulating dirt, dust, bacteria, and viruses. These environmental allergens and pathogens attach to the product during manufacturing, transportation, and storage.

So, these are harmful to your skin, and due to their single-use nature, they end up in landfills and eventually flow into ecosystems. In contrast, cotton and bamboo are 100% organic and natural fibers with high biodegradability. If you are looking for 100% organic and sustainable cotton pads, Hebe Botanica is the go-to place.