How often do you use cotton rounds or makeup wipes in your skincare routine? Both are very convenient to use but end up in the trash after one use. In the search for a greener option, here’s our review of reusable bamboo facial rounds. Is it worth the switch?
Product reviews by Dermletter: A new series of personal product reviews from our DermLetter Staff. Quick, to the point, and honest reviews of products and services they love or have tried.
What Is It?
Reusable facial rounds are an alternative to disposable cotton rounds used with skincare products. They are washable and often made of either cotton (flannel) or bamboo (fleece) fabrics.
I ordered these bamboo facial rounds from amazon. Reusable bamboo facial rounds: 16 facial rounds with a mesh bag for washing.
Price: $16.99 CAD for 16 reusable facial rounds and wash bag
Size: 3.15 inches (expect some shrinkage after washing and for the edges to be wavy)
Claims to:
- Washable and reusable (Yes)
- Durable (Yes)
- Soft (Yes and no)
- Gentle for most sensitive skin (Yes)
- Equivalent to 1000pcs of disposable cotton pads
Material and Texture: Made of two layers of organic bamboo fleece. The texture of the rounds is comparable to a thin terry cotton hand towel.
The facial rounds initially feel soft when dry. Once damp, the round’s texture becomes slightly rough, which is good for a light exfoliation but can feel a little irritating around the eyes when removing makeup.
The double layer of fabric helps the round feel durable, but this might be the culprit of the round being too absorbent compared to disposable cotton rounds.
How to Clean: Place used rounds in a mesh/laundry bag (tie the bag tightly if using a drawstring bag). Machine wash with like colors and place in the dryer.
Thoughts & Results
Pros
I like to use the rounds with my micellar water for cleansing and to blot my thermal water after misting. The large size (~3 inches) makes it easy to remove all my makeup with just one facial round. They are easy to wash and dry and have held up very well after multiple washes.
Cons
My only complaint about these reusable bamboo facial rounds is their absorbency and texture. I found the rounds to be too absorbent to be used with toners because it seemed like more product was being absorbed into the rounds than applied to my skin. When damp, the rounds can feel slightly rough around the eye area, especially if I’m trying to remove waterproof makeup.
I wouldn’t call these the best reusable facial rounds out there, but overall these reusable facial rounds have helped me cut down my usage of disposable cotton rounds. Meaning, less waste produced, which was the main goal of switching to this reusable alternative.
Still Searching…
There are many different types of reusable facial rounds online to buy. Differences in shapes, size, fabrics, prints, etc. I’ll keep shopping around to see if there’s a difference in softness and absorbency that’s more comparable to disposable cotton rounds.
Another reusable alternative I’ve read online is using nursing pads as facial rounds.
