Let’s talk about disposable cotton pads. They’re great for makeup removal, but like most single-use solutions, bad for the planet. On average, it takes 10k liters of clean water to make a pound of them—and then there’s the plastic packaging, shipping emissions, and inability to biodegrade. (As for other disposable makeup wipes, they’re bad for your skin and the Earth.)

That’s why today’s small step is to swap single-use makeup removers for reusable ones. Some easy options…

*Have a dedicated set of old washcloths for makeup removal.

*Cut thicker rags (like the cuffs of an old sweatshirt) into makeup remover strips you can relaunder in the wash.

*Invest in reusable makeup pads like these from Public Goods.

*Double wash with soap + a gentle exfoliant to remove makeup as part of the cleansing process. (Our picks for easy makeup removal: Inn Beauty Hydrating Gel Cleanser and Sand + Sky clay bamboo scrub.)