Sustainable Sewing: DIY Reusable Bamboo Make Up Pads
We all know it, we have to be more sustainable in our everyday choices. Another easy step towards a more sustainable lifestyle is exchanging your normal make up pads with reusable bamboo pads. It is a small step but if we all do it, it makes a big difference.
I saw reusable make up pads online but couldn’t find them in any shops in Melbourne. I ended up buying two bamboo face cloths from a local pharmacy. You can also use scrap fabrics like flannelette, cotton, cotton lawn or jersey. I have quite sensitive skin around my eyes, so I wanted something extra soft like bamboo.
How to make yourself sustainable reusable make up pads:
Cut your cloth into 10x10 cm (4x4 inches) squares. This step was a little bit difficult with my fabric as it produced a lot of fluff. But don’t let yourself get too frustrated, you will soon finish the raw edges. You can cut smaller or bigger squares, triangles or circles whatever your heart desires (love hearts?). I cut squares because I did not want to have any waste.
Finish the raw edges with an overlocker / serger or with a zigzag stich of a normal sewing machine. I used my standard home sewing machine and zigzagged around the raw edges twice to hold in all the fluff.
Take off your make up with your new sustainable bamboo pads . I usually wet my pad with warm water before I soak it with my make up remover liquid. After I am finished, I wash my pads out with warm water and then let them dry next to my laundry basket. When I do a white wash the next time I just throw in all the used pads. Then I do it all over again.
Not only is this better for the planet, it also saves you money. I payed $12 aud for the two cloths and normally buy a pack of one-use cotton pads for $3.90 aud every few weeks. Win win.
Little steps count.
