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Hello! Welcome to the Wellness Guide. Originally designed for babies, cotton swabs – better known as Q-tips – are an indispensable personal hygiene item and cannot be missing in the home. In today’s article, we will talk about the cotton swab and its uses. It is an indispensable item to ensure cleanliness and hygiene not only in the ears but also in other parts of the body.
The cotton swab can be used to clean the baby’s nose, navel and even to smear make-up. For a long time, it was sold in its wooden version. Plastic swabs only arrived on the market in 1962, and currently their use is very varied. Want to know how to choose the right cotton swab? Follow us!
Contents
Summary
- The cotton bud is an indispensable item. Every home has at least one package. Besides being great for personal hygiene for the whole family, it has a thousand and one uses, is easy to find and cheap.
- There are cotton buds on the market with more fragile stems and the cotton unravels easily. It is important to consider the safety of the product, especially if it is used on children.
- Initially thought to clean the ears, this is the only function of the cotton swab that you should avoid. The recommendation is not to use it for this purpose, as the practice is considered dangerous by experts.
The Best Cotton Swab: Our Picks
Buying Guide
Buying a cotton swab does not require much expenditure. The best one is the one that will meet your needs satisfactorily. They all have the same goal: cleaning and hygiene. Be aware, however, of some details. Below we will talk a little more about them.
What are the benefits of the cotton swab?
In addition to these two specific uses, the cotton swab also helps to remove blotchy nail polish, apply ointment or cream, can be used for hair removal and to clean household objects, among other uses. Initially thought to clean the ears, this is the only function of the cotton swab that you should avoid. The recommendation of experts is not to use it for this purpose, since the practice is considered dangerous by experts. To keep the cotton swab longer, do not leave the package open. Preferably, when you open the box, keep them in a container that is designed for this purpose. This way, you avoid contamination and ensure better use of the product.
What care should I take when using a cotton swab in the ear?
- Rinse your ears thoroughly;
- Swab delicately, only on the outside;
- Do not put the cotton swab in the ear canal;
- Need a deeper clean? Use a towel or your finger.
How much does it cost?
Where to buy cotton swabs?
Purchase criteria: Key factors to evaluate a cotton swab
Paying attention to some features is essential before choosing your cotton swab. There are some details that you need to take into consideration. The most important ones are:
- Type
- Format
- Safety
- Quantity
Below, we will talk a little bit about each of them for you to make an assertive choice.
Type
There are three types of cotton buds on the market: the traditional, the specific for make-up and the special for babies. Even though these last two are more specific, the common cotton swab that you know is also very useful in one case as well as in the other. Learn more about the types of cotton swabs:
Traditional cotton swab
The traditional cotton swab is the one you are used to seeing in pharmacies, markets and at home. It has rounded tips on both sides and can be used by the whole family, from babies to grandparents, with no age restriction.
Baby swab
This type of cotton swab has a different format. The tip of the cotton tip is usually a little thinner, with a fuller base. This works as a kind of safety lock. This extra cotton is very important as it helps not to hurt the baby’s ear. It only cleans the outer area of the ear, without running the risk of entering deeper into the ear canal. This cotton swab is also very useful for cleaning the navel in the first days of life, for drying the body folds after bathing and even for applying ointment, ensuring greater comfort and safety for babies.
Make-up Swab
With a slightly more ergonomic format, this type of cotton swab is more practical both when applying make-up and when removing it from the face. It is possible to find make-up swabs with tips in different shapes. The flattened ones are ideal for smoothing eye shadow application. The more pointed ones are great to be used as eyeliner and to make that kittenish line. In addition, there is also the version with makeup remover, perfect for correcting eye makeup or removing that shadow in the corner that neither the moistened tissue nor cotton can reach.
Format
What needs to be taken into account here is the use you will give to the cotton swab. The shape of the cotton tip is important to ensure the effectiveness of the product. The most common shape is rounded at all ends. However, there are other shapes that can be very useful for other functions. The tip of the baby swab, for example, is smaller and has a wider shaft to prevent accidents. There are also make-up swabs that are more pointed, which help when applying eyeliner, for example.
Safety
Be very attentive in this aspect. There are cotton swabs on the market with more fragile stems and that the cotton loosens or unravels easily. It is important to consider the safety of the product. To avoid accidents in yourself and, especially, in children, buy quality cotton swabs suitable for each age.
Quantity
The quantity of cotton swabs inside the package varies between 75 and 300 units. The ideal here is to think about the daily use of the product. If you live alone or use little, invest in a smaller amount, according to your needs. For families with more people, it is better to purchase a more robust package of cotton swabs, to avoid having to buy them too often.
(Source of the highlighted image: Gadini /Pixabay)
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