Best Cotton Pads for 2022 – CNET [CNET]

April 10, 2022 Robin Mosley technology

When it comes to a cotton pad, it can do just about anything for your face: It has the ability to clean, evenly apply an appropriate amount of product and protect your skin all in one. Cotton pads may not be the most aesthetically pleasing product in your skin care regimen, but they are unquestionably among the most essential.

There are a variety of factors why you should make the switch to cotton pads as well. My skin care regimen was still in its infancy, I was still washing and drying my face with wash cloths. Not only was it too rough on my skin, but my wash cloth never seemed to be able to remove all of my makeup completely. As a result, I caused my skin to break out and created a massive pile of laundry for myself by using all of my towels. Eventually, I discovered the effectiveness of cotton pads, as well as how simple and inexpensive they are to use.

Whether you’re applying toner, removing makeup or nail polish, I’ve researched far and wide for the best cotton pads for 2022 and there is something for everybody. The best I’ve found to use daily is the White Rabbit Premium Pads, though any of the ones on the list will do the job well.

White Rabbit Premium Cotton Pads

Best overall

$15 at Amazon

Q-Tips Cotton Rounds

Best textured

$13 at Amazon

Muji Makeup Facial Soft Cut Cotton

Best for sensitive skin

$7 at Amazon

Amazon Basics Cotton Rounds

Best bulk

$10 at Amazon

Greenzla Reusable Makeup Remover Pads

Best reusable

$13 at Amazon

LastRound Reusable Cotton Pads

Best for travel

$14 at Amazon

Other cotton pads I liked

Diane Cotton Squares: For only $3, you get 160 100% cotton squares that you can use. These pads are biodegradable and the packaging is recyclable. Plus, they’re durable and smooth.

Organyc Cotton Rounds: Organyc’s cotton pads are biodegradable and chemical-free, making them suitable for all skin types. Organyc pads contain a soft center and have a light textured surface on one side.

How I chose the best cotton pads

At their core, cotton pads are all the same in how they work, but the styles are very different. Some cotton pads are small, some are large and some are reusable. With that in mind, I made sure to research three things: the price, style and capacity of each cotton pad. The reasoning behind this is that you’re likely to buy cotton pads again, so everything on this list is within a reasonable price range. My focus on the style of cotton pad is because the material for these pads is all the same — something has to differentiate them to fit a wide range of beauty needs. Cotton pads also need to be able to last for a long time. Without enough cotton pads, the price might not be worth the purchase.

Cotton Pads FAQs

What are cotton pads used for?

Cotton pads are used for just about anything you can think of inside and outside of beauty needs. For beauty, you can use cotton pads to remove fingernail polish, apply skin care products you don’t want to get on your hands. I’d say though you should skip using certain skin care products on cotton pads because it will absorb it. But, you absolutely use it to remove any product from your face or other parts of your body.

Are cotton pads good for your face?

Cotton pads are absolutely good for your face because cotton pads are made to be sensitive enough for a lot of skin types. What you shouldn’t do is reuse non-reusable cotton pads on your skin more than once. When you do that you’re spreading makeup and other unwanted products back on to your skin. If you’re using reusable cotton pads, the only time you might break out from them is when you don’t wash them properly.