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If you’ve read my blog lately…you’ll know I’m kind of on a “homemade” kick. Not necessarily homemade cookies, cakes and buns….but more along the lines of cleaning supplies, beauty products, etc.
I haven’t gone off the deep end and started making my own dishes or shoes or anything like that (of course, never say never!) but more and more I find myself looking for alternatives to the high-priced, over-packaged, chemical-filled stuff. Sure it’s economical, sure it’s the “green” thing to do…but quite frankly…I love the feeling of accomplishment and “sticking it to the big corporations” that market this stuff more. :-)
One thing I still buy and use are those disposable make-up remover cleansing cloths. I really dislike washing my eye makeup off in the sink with soap and water. It’s just a messy proposition and I usually end up getting soap in my eyes and melted make up all over the sink, the counter and my white towels!
Problem is…those makeup remover cloths are EXPEN$IVE! Especially the big brand name ones like Neutrogena, Almay, Nivea or Physician’s Formula. So for quite awhile now I’ve been buying the cheapest, store brand ones. But ANOTHER problem is…the cheap ones are CHEAP for a reason. They aren’t as soft and/or moist as their more expensive rivals. The last couple of months I have started adding my own lotion to them before I use them and it’s been a HUGE improvement! Makeup comes off much easier without unnecessary rubbing and pulling on your delicate eye skin…and it leaves your skin moisturized!
Tonight I saw an idea at WhiteHouseBlackShutters.com for making your own baby/makeup remover wipes with all-natural ingredients you probably already have around the house. (Well, I don’t have any Coconut Oil around the house, but after reading about it I am convinced I NEED to get some.)
Spent some time with my friend Google tonight and found out that coconut oil contains Lauric Acid, which has natural antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial, soothing, etc properties.
The process is so simple I’m not sure you even need a “tutorial”. (But if you’re a VISUAL person and need pictures…you can find my update HERE.)
It basically involves cutting a roll of paper towels in half, placing in container and soaking with 4 cups warm water and desired mixture (including coconut oil). The ingredients differ only slightly depending on what kind of wipes you’re making.
- For baby wipes: 4 cups warm water (one reader recommends DISTILLED water to inhibit the growth of mold), 1-2 tablespoons Coconut Oil, and 1-2 squirts of baby wash.
- For make up remover wipes: 4 cups warm water, 1-2 tablespoons Coconut Oil. (1-2 squirts of baby wash or your your favorite face wash if you want, but it’s not necessary)
UPDATE: 11/29/11: A couple of people who have tried this have said their wipes started developing mold within a couple of weeks. A couple of things to try are: Making smaller batches so you are using them up faster….OR….adding some Tea Tree Oil, which is supposed to inhibit the growth of mold. Hope this helps someone out! I really love my homemade makeup remover wipes! I haven’t had the mold issue…but I live in SUCH a dry state! Don’t know if that has anything to do with it or not.
- For cleaning wipes: 4 cups warm water, a few drops of your favorite concentrated cleaner. (Or click here to see my “Homemade Clorox Wipes”)
Off to buy some Coconut Oil……………….
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Didn't read every comment, so not sure if this was said or not, but you can buy coconut oil, tea tree oil, vitamin e oil, and jojoba oil at Trader Joes. I use jojoba oil a lot – it's supposed to be very close to your body's natural oils.
all of these oils are also available in the pharmacy/beauty area of Walmart.
Shell is my maiden name, but I’ve never seen anyone else with that last name. Interesting!
I found organic coconut oil at Winco, also use it for eye cream, and to prep skin before I put on my make up. Coconut oil can also be used for hair and the rest of your body. I am a hairstylist and make up artist who uses organic as much as possible since I deal with chemicals so much.
All this is great but why not just invest the time in buying a product that you can trust instead? This would save the work of making them yourself. I personally really like Bum Boosa’s baby wipes – their products are all made of bamboo and use its natural ingredients to sooth baby irritation and smell amazingly nice! Check them out at http://www.bumboosa.com!
I prefer making my own products, then I know what is going on my skin.
Invest is the key word! For a 1/2 roll of paper towels plus 2 tbs of coconut oil costs maybe 50 cents and is awesome for your skin :)
Found this via Pinterest and tried the makeup wipes in a small batch just in case I ran into the mold problem, though I also live in a pretty dry climate so I'm not terribly worried (I'm going to try the cleaning wipes soon!) and I LOVE them! What a great idea, thank you for sharing.
Just my two cents… Viva paper towels work quite well and are softer, but they aren't very durable so next batch I may try just our regular bounty paper towels. I used distilled water from the grocery store that you can get in gallon jugs to minimize any bacteria contamination. Also, instead of using facial soap, I used a cheese grater (that I made sure to clean really well before hand just in case the silly dishwasher didn't do the job) to add just a few flakes of castile soap and that seems to be working quite nicely. :) And lastly, I've been keeping mine in the fridge, having them cool from being in there feels really nice. :) Might help with any potential mold growth as well? Not sure, but does feel good!
I really like this idea. I had been wanting to make some, but here in humid southeast Louisiana, I haven’t yet after reading about mold. Now, this makes sense! I will make it and put it in the fridge! I like the idea of the castile soap also. And I already have Coconut Oil!! I use this in different things mostly cooking. I wonder if I could put a couple drops of Lavender oil in there?
When I made mine, I put a bit of both tea tree and Young Living Lavender oil. It helps sooth, and re-heal skin. I use it on stubborn acne spots (ok.. ALL acne spots), and they are nearly gone is only 2 days.. where they normally would last for 2 months!
Also thinking about using new cut up t shirts from the dollar store. That way I am not throwing away paper towels as much. Just throwing this out there ;)
Would you wash and reuse the t shirts to make more wipes after? Because if not, throwing away new cotton t shirts would be worse than throwing away paper towels. They’re incredibly energy and water intensive to make, not to mention the insane amount of pesticides and insecticides (known carcinogenics) used on cotton crops.
that is a great idea. pretty eco friendly if washed n reused.
i made the baby wipes for my grand daughter because she is allergic to the stuff they put commercial ones, while at the store buying the paper towels, i was looking at prices. i found the walmart brand, which is identical to Bounty, of the 3-1 towel in the double pack for $2.50 & i made twice as much as the recipe called for & the size of the towels are perfect for whatever your wiping or cleaning….i got 400+ baby wipes for only $3.10!
I am allergic to coconuts, so I can't use coconut oil. Is there another oil I can use?
You could probably use Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I use it all the time to take off my eye makeup.
I use the Extra Virgin Olive Oil ( 2 T.) with Johnson Baby Shampoo (can use a off brand also) 4 T. and mix with 8oz. of bottled water. You may have to adjust measurements to your liking. This works great on waterproof mascare and liner also.
I use just plain almond oil to take off my make up, so that would probably work.
I love this thanks. I think I will put this in a bottle and put it on cotton, cloth, tissue for my own personal make up remover.
Palm oil is a great alternative if your allergic to coconut oil.
Any kind of oil works; grape seed, almond, vitamin e… most organic groceries have a few selections in large bottles in their health care section. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is good, but if the scent is too strong try a lighter version (not extra virgin), the paler the color the lighter the scent.
Julie, thank you so much for the time you have spent on these wonderful DIY products. I have been using coconut oil for some time now and the secret to a good fragrance is to buy the virgin organic “unrefined”. It smells glorious. I use it on wet skin right after a shower and resent ly started using it as a nighttime face cream—- GREAT! I made the facial wipes and love them. Again, thank you.
I keep a tiny recycled plastic makeup bottle (2 oz) of regular ole’ canola oil in my makeup bag and use that for tough mascara. Works like a charm.
Paper towel is too harsh on my skin
I use baby wipes $2 for a pack of 80
It's soft & cheap(I wear a lot of makeup)
When I need to remove mascara I pour 1 teaspoon of makeup remover or baby oil
Really any kind of oil, olive oil is great!
When you think of it that's all makeup remover is, oil
I've had the same bottle of makeup remover since 8th grade.. I been out of high school for a year!
I've made baby wipes for years &love the recipe I use. It is 2 tablespoon of each of these: baby shampoo,baby oil, & baby lotions. Add to 2cups water & microwave 1-2 minutes then whisk together! Add 1/2 rollpaper towels (I always use bounty). Ive never had problems with mold. I do leave lid loose if they are too wet.
Store bought products already come with preservatives, so I’m sure you wouldn’t have mold as a result. I used the coconut oil and added tea tree+ lavender. When I kept it in the frig, no mold. I moved it to my bathroom for convenience…the mold grew in 2 days.
instead of coconut oil you can use baby lotion. I made baby wipes basically the same way the whole time my daughter was in diapers. Then i started using them as face cleaners or hand wipes. Viva paper towels make cut in half remove cardboard take one cup +/- for your likeness warm in pan add 2 tablespoons each of baby soap and baby lotion. I loved the lavender ones. put in warm water melt lotion pour over papertowels. Wont burn your eyes and moisturizes.
Prior to my LASIK eye surgery, my ophthalmologist said I should get Clinique's Gentle Eye Makeup Remover to use when she allowed me to wear mascara again. I used it for years, applying with a Q-tip and wiping with 1 square of toilet tissue folded twice. Just use on lashes and only have to use one swab and one sheet of TP. Then I use a cleansing cloth for the rest of my face. Recently discovered an eye makeup remover at Wal-Mart that is nearly as gentle and cheaper, so I switched. Looking forward to the homemade wipes, but I came to this blog looking for an idea for travel wipes.
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Put 10-12 drops GSE (grapefruit seed extract) in the mix. Will inhibit mold growth, also GSE kills bacteria and is one of the best facial cleansers, they use it in spas. It’s cheap, a bottle will cost you about 12 bucks, but will last over a year. I also put 12 drops in a 1 cup spray bottle for mold killer, keep using it and eventually the mold will not come back. You can find NutriBiotic GSE in almost any health food store, or online. The spray mix is also a great all-purpose cleaner, killing germs without using toxic chemicals and it also gets rid of odors (I had a very old dog who was incontinent, so the spray was wonderful, instantly removed the urine scent). GSE is so safe, you can take it internally (for upset stomach, yeast eradication) – just don’t use it full strength on skin, it can burn mucus membranes, so always dilute.
IzzyCal….this is great info. Thanks so much for sharing. I will definitely have to get some.
Oh Jillee, my truckdriver husband loves these! I used olive oil instead of the coconut cause that’s what I had. He uses them in the truck. You know those guys can’t find a sink easily. He is halfway thru the batch I made for him now and has had no problem with it molding. I thought he would maybe but I did boil the water first. He keeps the bowl closed and lifts the lid when he wants to use them. He washes his face then hands then the steering wheel in that order, lol, then the wipe is used up. I’m gonna make this up for the granddaughters too . They already are using the detangler that I made with french vanilla fragrance oil. All from your recipes. Thankyou again and again!
You are so welcome! So glad they get the truckdriver hubby “seal of approval”. :-) Thanks for sharing!
Has anyone tried this with cloths? I’m all for the homemade wipes recipe, but I haven’t purchased paper towels in over 6 months and really don’t want to. I’ve seen various recipes for cloth baby wipes that you keep moist in a container, but would these still be good? Any tips would be appreciated.
Ashlee…this might not be quite what you are looking for…but both are cloth options. Hope it helps! :-)
http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/02/make-your-own-eye-makeup-remover-and-reusable-pads.html
http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2011/11/homemade-clorox-wipes.html
Jill,
Love all your recipes. :) I notice you have no lid on your wipes? Do you leave it open and also did you remove the cardboard from the p.towel roll?
Thanks,
janet
Parenting is pretty messy business. With all of the spills, dribbles, leaks and what not, it’s no wonder that parents spend a small fortune on baby wipes. Having a one and a half year old and a nearly seven month old I know all about this. I recently came across Tushies, I love them, they are amazing good for money. Nice and moist and does a fantastic job. Both Me and bubstas love them.
I’ve been making my own baby wipes for a couple of years now…big cost cutter with two in diapers right now. Few pieces of advice. I could never find a round Rubbermaid container, but a clean round ice cream container works really well (and it’s free..if you have already bought the ice cream). Secondly, I usually buy a lot of the “big”, plain white Bounty paper towels and then use my electric bread knife to cut all of them in half at one time. I always boil the water that I am going to use. I started doing this because I use baby lotion and the hot water dissolves it better, but I also read that boiled water inhibits mold (or musty smells) better. I live in Louisiana (very humid) and I have never had smelly wipes since I started using boiling water. (I always let the wipes cool before using them obviously.) I use two cups boiling water, about 3 tbsp of baby lotion and 2 tbsp baby bath. I usually don’t measure the lotion or baby bath at this point…I simply squirt a bit of lotion and the baby bath into my measuring cups and fill it up with two cups of boiling water. I stir it up a bit and pour it over the paper towels in the container. Oh, I do leave the top off until its cooled down a bit.
Hi Jill!
I just found your website resently through Pinterest and I have to say i really enjoy it! As I read the beginning of this post where you say you love to make things that usually cost tons of money at the store, I was reminded of a video I saw on youtube for homemade Biore Nose Strips. My daughter and I made them and they work fantastic!! They usually sell for $14 or more for just 8 strips but the homemade solution is made for pennies. Here is the link if you are interested in trying it for your blog in the future… :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bjOB4zS0uE&feature=plcp
You can also use 4×4 inch square gauze pads, they unfold and are almost the exact consistency of the store wipes! They are softer than paper towels and fit perfectly in a 1 quart square glass jar. Here are the links to buy them on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006GDACS/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00
http://www.amazon.com/Anchor-Hocking-Square-Stackable-Glass/dp/B0065MG524
Hi,
I made a batch of home made wipes about 3 months ago, with the intention of trying them out before the birth of my first baby. I love them! And so does anyone who tries them. I live in a cold, damp town…perfect place for mold if it was going to grow, however i haven’t had a problem with the recipe i used.
2 cups warm water, 2 tbs organic baby cleanser, 2 tbs organic baby moisturiser, 2 tbs coconut oil (lovely), and 2 tbs of witchhale… Which helps to inhibit the mold. I also added a few drops of lavender oil, perhaps this helps with the mold too.
No sign of mold yet. Im very impressed.
I have been using your recipe and they work great for my son. Thanks for sharing.
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Boil the water first, let it cool. This helps with the mold problem! After the mixture has saturated the paper towels, get rid of any left over liquid in the bottom of the container (also helps the mold problem)
I recycle by using the microfiber clothes from the Dollar Tree. I cut each one into 8 rectangles so they would fit inside an old diaper wipe container. I make a solution of water, alcohol (to inhibit mold & bacteria), baby lotion, and soap. To wash, I just put them in a lingerie bag I got from The Dollar Store.
Love the idea of the microfiber clothes, thanks! I have a set in colors for all sorts of things, now I know what to do with my yellow ones I’ve been saving :)
I use Purity Made Simple by Philosophy, rather pricey, I suppose, but worth every cent. It’s gentle , leaves skin soft and supple. Can go to bed without moisturizer or anything and gives your complexion a rest. Also easy on the eyes. I can’t imagine using paper towels, a lot of work and doesn’t seem to be very sanitary.
What on earth isn’t sanitary about it? Do you think she’s talking about using dirty paper towels?? lol As for a lot of work, I just made a batch of the make-up wipes and it took me literally about 45 seconds. This is my second batch and for probably about a dollar I have make-up wipes that do everything you say your pricey Philosophey wipes do.
I don’t understand why some of these folks get on the do it yourself web pages and comment that “this sounds unsanitary or my philosophy is quite pricey but is easy on the eyes and this seems like it takes to long” GOOD GRAVEY!!!!!!! you do realize that your on a do it yourself beauty and craft page…… ? Get a grip. People would like to know what they are applying to their skin and using in their homes and consuming. Don’t get me wrong.. Im looking at some BABY GRACE right now but let’s be real. In this economy, every one is trying to save a buck, live healthy, and be conscious about our environment. Do us all a favor and don’t knock it until you try it. Or you can post on the snooty web page http://WWW.burnyourcash.dingdong
THESE ARE AMAZING!!! I love how soft it leaves your skin. I use distilled water and all organic ingredients. With 5 kiddoz (one in diapers), I doubt I will have a problem with mold. We go through wipes more than anything. One ingredient I added was Vitamin E…an antioxidant that protects and repairs your skin. One ingredient I may try out is an essential oil like lavendar oil for a more fragrant scent. Thank you for this blog! Very cost effective and better for the skin than store bought wipes!!!
Aren’t you leaving the face wash on your skin then? Or the baby wash on the babies skin?
Pretty much any kind of oil is a great makeup remover. I typically use grapeseed oil but that’s only because I had a bottle left over from another diy project. I was visiting my son and had forgotten my little bottle of grapeseed oil and just used olive oil instead. If you try it, go ahead and use a little extra and rub it all over your face. Then wash it all off with a washcloth and hot water. Your skin will be so soft the next day! Love it!
from the research I have done on coconut oil you really shouldn’t need to add anything to soften or smooth your skin. Coconut oil is so good and so good for you it makes EVOO look like corn oil. I will have to try this and pass it along to my sister in law as she has one training on the potty and a new born. I’m so glad I have found your blog.
I made the makeup remover cloths and LOVE them! I used Bounty towels, organic coconut oil, distilled water, and a squirt of face wash. The only difference is that I substituted a 1/2 cup of the water with witch hazel because it is an astringent and toner–wee! I keep them in the fridge like the one reviewer suggested, and they are just so refreshing. I use them ‘just because’ sometimes! Thanks to you and all the reviewers for the info (:
Theres something even easier than that.
Just use a tissue and a little lotion. Takes off your makeup and your face is moisterized :)
Would these be flushable, don’t want to cause plumbing problems?
Keep your wipes in the fridge. No mold and they are nice and cool…feels good on the eyes and face. :)
Just made these and i am in love!! My mom works at a machine factory that makes machines that package products so we have probably 100 rolls or toweling we got for free plus 50 we gave to my boyfriend, any who seeing as I make soap, I had avocado oil on hand and made a batch with that plus two pumps of a foaming face wash and then 3 drops of lavender essential oil which I already had as well, lavender EO is antiviral so I added that just in case of any ickies. I love this so much. Since the only thing that really cost me was the avocado oil i did the math and it was 1.99!!! to make this batch. After calculating I figured for me its about $8 a year!!! no more buying clean and clear wipes which are about $4.99 for only 25!!!
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Slippery elm powder has been shown to inhibit mold growth in infused oils, so I’m thinking it may work form this if dissolved in the warm water first. GSE is not truly natural — it is chemically extracted, the same as Splenda is a chemical extractive of sugar.
This is awesome! I’m so excited to do it! Also, those of you that have/ are considering to use olive oil be careful of it clogging your pores. Coconut oil has antibacterial properties that keeps pores from clogging! Just a tip :)
You can also use pieces of fabric with this. Just toss them in the diaper pail whit washable diapers or in the hamper when you’re done. After washing: use them again!
how long does these wipes last for? im tired of spending so much money on wipes, i dont make alot in the military and i have my second baby on the way along with a hubby whos in school, so money is really really tight
I am absolutely obsessed with coconut oil….. i just went and tried to make these after 3 batches i finally got it right. the first time i did the 4 cups of distilled water and 2 table spoons plus a little because of my obsession. i thought they turned out OK but then i looked in the bottom of the container it was 1/2 filled with the mixture….so i found another container and tried again but this time i put 2 cups of water but i for got to cut the oil part in half…. they came out with a good moisture but then i puled 1 up and it was too oily an d the last 1in as not wet so i put 1 more cup of water in and they came out perfectly!!!! but then i had the great idea the y not put all of my face creams and acne medicine in? so i got another container an another half a role of paper towels and i got my mixing bowl back out and tried again 3 cups of water- 1 1/2 tbs of coconut oil- 1 tbs of my acne medicine, a little but of face wash, a ;little but of cream exfolient, and PRESTO!!!! PERFECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i ran up stair and just had to try them out, they ere perfect…. i get my shower in the morning so these are perfect to keep by my bed side to use right before i go to sleep:D these just saved me about 10 min. in the bathroom before bed:D thanks soo much i just love these right now
Optiphen is better at inhibiting mold growth than any “natural” ingredient. Also, we need to stop this phobia of chemicals, because even water and baking soda are chemicals. http://icanhasscience.com/chemistry/what-is-and-what-isnt-a-chemical/ and you can read about Optiphen here- http://www.lotioncrafter.com/optiphen-plus.html (as you can see, it’s not expensive either.)
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Can’t wait to make these for myself and for my newest one that will be here in a few weeks. I’ve been looking at options besides baby wipes for this one.
Do you need to use straight coconut oil or can you use coconut oil extract?
I think it needs to be either straight coconut oil, or fractionated coconut oil.
I made baby wipes with all 4 of my boys! No diaper rash!! I used only bounty, cut roll in half. I boiled 2 cups water, 2 Tbs baby bath or shampoo, 2 Tbs baby oil. As soon as starts to boil, remove & pour over bounty. SAVES lots of $$!
How do you cut the paper towels in half? I really want to try this!
For the face wipes if you use distilled water and keep them in the fridge they should last longer. Also, the cold will not only be refreshing but shrink pores. Also if we could figure out some antimicrobial product to add periodically it would help the mold. I paint and use a wet pallette with distilled water and paper towels I spray my pallette with lysol spray to keep it from molding, but not sure I want that on my face!!!
DO NOT put TEA TREE OIL (or lavender oil) on little boys!! This oil mimics estrogen and cause serious, permanent damage!! See the National Institute of Health’s report:
http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/jan2007/niehs-31.htm
You can totally put it on your face though. It works great. :)
Hey, this is a pretty awesome idea. I don’t know if anyone mentioned this exactly, but… Tap water will usually be better for mold growth than distilled, because the chlorine and such work as disinfectants. And after all, we already wash our bodies with regular water in the shower.
Also, I don’t see a problem with folding squares of t-shirt material to use as cloths.
Keep it up!
Hello, I haven’t read all the comments but I will add that tea tree oil, along with lavender is a good cleansing agent but it does dry out the skin. I am in nursing school and it is one thing they tell us to avoid using on our patients. Best wishes!
I made these about a week ago. Used them for the first time tonight and they were mostly a success, but I think I need to add/change things up a bit next time. I heard some people had problems with mold, and when I opened my container tonight I saw tiny, tiny little spots of mold. Next time, I may add some tea tree oil as suggested. As for taking my make-up off, they took most of it off. My foundation, blush, and concealer were easily removed (and even most of my mascara, which is impressive!!), but it didn’t 100% remove my eyeshadow. I used 4 wipes, and could still see tiny specks of glitter around my eyes. I might also add a bit of face wash or baby wash as well to help remove all my sparkly eyeshadow. I think I will decrease the size of my batch next time too, I used the whole roll of paper towels in my excitement to make these. Another thing, I cut my paper towel roll in half as Jillee did, but then ripped them off like you normally would, and folded them like makeup wipes (about 13 or so per stack) and stored them in a large plastic container with a lid. Tonight I put my folded stacks of makeup wipes into sandwich size ziploc baggies, and then put them back into the large container with the lid. Overall, I think these worked okay, but they could/will be better when I make my revisions. And if it saves me some money, I’m happy! Sorry this is so long, just hoped my experience would help someone else.
Believe it or not, I forgot to add something haha. I was disappointed that my coconut oil didn’t smell like coconut at all, it was more like shortening. I was worried maybe it would make my face oily (since my face is naturally oily anyway), but so far it hasn’t. My face feels soft and smooth and not oily at all!
has anyone used vaseline as an eye make up remover. I have been using that for some time now. I have very sensitive oily skin. so far this has worked fine. But not sure if iam doing the right thing. any inputs???
I used to make baby wipes like this for my daughters sensitive skin. I only had a mould issue if I put it in an airtight container. I used a cheaper baby wipe container for them. It didn’t seal as well and did the trick.