Hello beautiful people!! I hope you’re all having a lovely Sunday afternoon! I must say, I never thought I’d be “one of those people” that spent more than $2-3 on cotton pads to remove my makeup. But honestly, after trying the two products below (and repurchasing them over and over), I can now say, I’ll NEVER buy the mass retailer brands for my face again. You know the ones I’m talking about right? The tall sleeves of circular or square pads (some are quilted) that come in 100’s or more. If you have ever used those, then you’ve likely also experienced fluffs of white cotton sticking to your eye lashes? I have zero patience for a product that leaves fuzzy lint behind on my face. Believe me when I say, those varieties are not good quality. They shed, feel scratchy on the skin and some are so paper-thin that they completely dissolve into a big hot mess! The only time I’d ever use them is to remove my nail polish and that’s it. Some of you may not care about the quality of cotton pads since they are disposed of anyway and that’s absolutely ok, but for those of you who are looking for something WAY better to remove your makeup or apply your skincare, then keep reading!  

The first time that I decided to splurge on Shiseido Facial Cotton (it was a Shoppers Drug Mart Optimum points redemption weekend) was definitely a life changing moment. The “water-jet processed” cotton pads are worlds away from the typical cotton pads that we’re all used to using. They are soft, leave behind no lint and can be used to apply moisturizer or face masks too! I also recently discovered the Quo Luxury Cotton Facial Pads and was also impressed with their quality and durability. Since trying these two luxurious takes on facial cotton, I’ve never gone back to the ordinary ones.

Shiseido Facial Cotton ($11 CAD/165 pads)

Quo Luxury Cotton Facial Pads ($7.99 CAD/165 pads)

Why I love both of these cottons so much:

• These pads leave behind no lint on your skin, so removing your makeup (even waterproof eye makeup) is effortless
• They are so SOFT (Shiseido has a slight edge on softness) and very cushiony
• They are sturdy and durable which means neither will fall apart when combined with lots of liquid 
• Each are made from high quality strands of 100% cotton
• Both are delicate and gentle enough to use in the eye area
• Both are larger than typical pads & have a square shape (the Quo pads are a bit wider)
• These pads work great as skincare applicators (i.e. face masks, moisturizer, primer, toner) because they absorb product well and are soothing on the skin

Shiseido Facial Cotton (Left) & Quo Luxury Cotton Facial Pads (Right)

Shiseido Facial Cotton (Left) & Quo Luxury Cotton Facial Pads (Right)

You can tell from the 2 images above that these cotton pads are not flimsy and thin. They are constructed well and thick enough that all you need is 1 pad to remove the makeup on your entire face. I personally prefer to use 2 pads, one for my face and the other for my eyes but I could ration with only 1 if I had to. I wouldn’t say that these products are dupes for one another but they are similar enough for me to justify interchanging them based on whats on sale and other factors. I’d seriously cry however, if the Shiseido ones were ever discontinued.

What cotton pads do you use to remove your makeup?

What cotton pads have won over your heart or do you just buy whichever ones are on sale?