Many women spend excess money buying TSA friendly makeup removal pads.  These pads often contain harsh chemicals.  They also come in relatively heavy packages that can weigh several ounces.   Fortunately, a cheaper, lighter, and gentler solution is actually lurking in your kitchen.

Did you know that olive oil removes waterproof eye makeup?  It is gentle on the skin, unlike many makeup removal products.   It moisturizes the area around the eyes, including your eye lashes.  Olive oil combined with cotton balls makes for a great makeup removal pad.

To make a TSA compliant pad, soak a cotton ball in olive oil.  Make sure that the cotton ball is wet, but does not have excess liquid.  Soak at least one cotton ball for every day of the trip.   I find that I can use the same cotton ball for both eyes, but I don’t wear heavy makeup.    Practice at home to find out what is right for you.  Place the cotton balls into a ziplock plastic bag.  The olive oil is now TSA compliant, as it has been absorbed into the cotton ball.  It no longer needs to be placed in your 3-1-1 bag.

To use, wipe the soaked cotton ball across your eyes.  You may need to wipe your eyes a few times to remove all of your makeup.  You may also wish to blot your eyes with a bit of tissue when you are done.  This will remove any excess olive oil.

One less thing in the 3-1-1 bag.  Hooray!