As a family, we are always looking for ways to reduce waste. The greatest way to reduce waste and work towards zero waste living is to stop using one-time use things like disposable makeup remover pads. Due to this, my latest project was to create DIY reusable makeup remover pads that were cute but durable. I think they turned out great and I love using them as they are so soft on my skin. As with all the DIY reusable projects I do, you can customize with colors or patterns of fabric to your liking and style. I made twelve of the makeup remover pads with a 2.5″ square size. I did this as making a square is easier to sew.
Supplies for Makeup Remover Pads
- Two fabrics – I used pre-cut cotton squares and solid flannel
- Thread
- Scissors
- Rotary cutter and mat
- Sewing Pins or clips
- As with most sewing projects you will need an iron, ironing board, and sewing machine.
DIY Reusable Makeup Remover Pads
Wash, dry, and press fabrics. I recommend using white flannel for the softer side. The decorative side can be a cotton fabric/design of your choice, but use caution! A pattern with very bright or bold colors can bleed onto the white fabric. It is also better for your skin to choose a fabric with minimal dye. Back to the project, I have found that the end result has fewer flaws when I pre-prep my fabrics with wash, dry and press. Keep in mind you don’t have to use the pattern choices I made you can always customize them to your liking. Now on to the cutting and sewing of the DIY reusable makeup remover pads project.
Cut chosen fabrics into 3” squares. You can use scissors for this but I have found it will be faster with a rotary cutter and mat! Also, stack your fabric to cut multiple squares simultaneously to save yourself some time!
Make sure you cut as many squares as you would like to have finished of reusable makeup remover pads. I made a dozen pads to ensure I don’t run out too quickly.
Place a patterned square, pattern face down, on top of a white flannel square. Pin once in the middle of the square to hold the fabric in place.
Stitch around an individual square with ¼” seam allowance. Always backstitch at the beginning and end of your stitches. This will lock your sewing into place.
Be sure to leave a 1” opening in the middle of one side. See photo for reference on where to leave the opening. If you make the opening smaller than an inch you will have a tough time flipping the DIY reusable makeup pads back out. Don’t forget to backstitch on either side of your opening!
Snip the corners off makeup remover pads to reduce bulk inside the squares.
Through the 1” opening, turn the squares right side out. Because they are small, this may be tricky!
Don’t pull too hard or too fast or you will rip your fresh stitches. Gently use a turning tool to push out the corners and sides of each square.
Fold the opening in (it will already be tucked in slightly) and press with an iron. Pressing the whole square will also help it to lay flat for the final stitching of the reusable makeup remover pads.
Top stitch around the edge of the whole square close to the edge. This can be measured to 1/8” if desired, but just be sure you’re stitching your opening closed.
Use your DIY reusable makeup remover pads with your favorite makeup remover to keep your skin clean and soft.
Now you can remove your makeup and not worry about creating more trash. I have found these DIY reusable makeup remover pads are much softer than the disposable ones I was using. Do make sure to wash these after each use to help keep your skin clean. I may even make some of these makeup remover pads and give them away as a gift for Christmas.
If you liked our DIY reusable makeup remover pads tutorial makes sure to pin it to your favorite Pinterest board or share it with friends on social media. If you decide to make some take a picture afterward and tag us on social media as we love seeing the fabrics and color choices others make.
DIY Reusable Makeup Remover Pads
Easy Step by step tutorial on making Reusable Makeup Remover Pads. These makeup remover pads were easy to make only about 5 minutes each total when I make a batch of 12.
Tools
- Iron
- Ironing Board
- Scissors
- Sewing Machine
- Rotary Cutter and Mat
- Sewing Pins
Instructions
- Wash, dry, and press fabrics.
- Cut chosen fabrics into 3” squares. This will be faster with a rotary cutter and mat! Cut as many squares as you would like to have finished pads.
- Place a patterned square, pattern face down, on top of a white flannel square. Pin once in the middle of the square to hold the fabric in place.
- Stitch around an individual square with ¼” seam allowance. Be sure to leave a 1” opening in the middle of one side. Be sure to backstitch on either side of your opening!
- Snip the corners off to reduce bulk inside the squares.
- Through the 1” opening, turn the squares right side out. Because they are small, this may be tricky! Don’t pull too hard or too fast or you will rip your fresh stitches. Gently use a turning tool to push out the corners and sides of each square.
- Fold the opening in (it will already be tucked in slightly) and press with iron. Pressing the whole square will also help it to lay flat.
- Top stitch around the edge of the whole square close to the edge. This can be measured to 1/8” if desired, but just be sure you’re stitching your opening closed.
- Use your remover pads with your favorite makeup remover.
Notes
I know some skip the step of washing and drying the fabrics, but I highly recommend you do this before any pinning or sewing to ensure the end product has no fabric bunches.
Make sure to wash and dry the makeup remove pads after each use to keep your skin clean and clear.
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