million cotton buds manufactured every day (worldwide), the industrial effort that goes into the creation of each swab is enormous. Yes, it’s not fluffy and soft, but it is cotton free, sustainable and ultimately effective when it comes to correcting mistakes with pinpoint accuracy. Yes, it might take a little while to get used to, but once you do I promise that you won’t look back. From how I applied my make-up, to how I corrected smudged nail polish, these pesky little sticks had made themselves an indispensable part of my life.

Took a few weeks after purchase to pluck up the courage to use these, after reading reviews and seeing the nobbly bits ‘in the flesh’, thinking they’d be uncomfortable.

Now I had suspected already I would not be able to use that bud again -- I cannot imagine anything less hygienic. But it definitely does not clean your ear out as well as a cotton bud does and it leaves your ears a bit damper (since it's not actually absorbent).

So when I first spotted LastSwab from sustainable brand LastObject, I rolled my eyes in disgust at the thought of reusing something that goes in my ears. Sign up to our mailing list and you’ll get regular news, views, tips and exclusive subscriber-only offers. The rod is a mix of materials and can be sent in with the Pact Collective Recycling program (US/Canada). You can generally use a LastSwab as you would use a single use swab, but keep in mind that LastSwab is not heat resistant and you can not use it with solvents such as acetone or non-acetone nail polish remover. Designed in Copenhagen, Denmark, this small team is dedicated to finding ‘innovative solutions to wasteful habits’.Well, I could put it in the dishwasher which sterilizes everything, but the shaft of the cotton bud would not survive that treatment.