How To Recycle Empty Beauty Products
Before you toss your empty beauty products into the trash or recycling, it’s time to learn how to properly recycle empty beauty products. Since many products (think palettes, mascara, and lipstick) contain multiple elements, they may not be properly recycled if thrown in with your cans and bottles. Luckily, there are a few options that can help the planet, and maybe earn you some store credit or free products.
This is something I’ve been passionate about for years (and I document all of my empty beauty products on YouTube and in blog posts), but I have noticed a trend with brands reworking their recycling programs lately to give consumers less incentive to properly recycle (more on that in the in-house category).
I would love to see more brands, especially those with physical locations, implement in-house product recycling programs. Encourage your favorite brands on social/via email/in-person, and lets advocated for positive change!
Read on for everything you need to know about recycling empty beauty products.
BRAND RECYCLING, ALL BRANDS
There are several businesses where you can return most beauty empties, and sometimes get a reward out of it. Check the specific guidelines at each business for more specifics.
100% PURE: Bring in 10 empty products from any brand, and receive a free travel-size product. Recycling is offered in-store only.
Credo: Bring in up to 12 empty products from any brand, and they will be recycled via Pact Collective. For every item you bring in, you’ll earn 10 reward points. Recycling is offered in-store only.
Ilia: Send back up to ten products from any brand, and they will be recycled via Pact Collective. Recycling is offered by mail only.
Nordstrom: Visit any Nordstrom or Nordstrom Local location and drop off your empties to be recycled via TerraCycle. Recycling is offered in-store only.
Sephora: As of May 2023, more than 600 Sephora stores across the U.S. and Canada will be implementing the Beauty (Re)Purposed Program in partnership with Pact Collective. Recycling is offered in-store only.
The Detox Market: Bring in up to 10 full-size empty products from any brand, and they will be recycled via TerraCycle. For every item you bring in, you’ll earn 10 reward points. Recycling is offered in-store only.
BRAND RECYCLING, in-house PRODUCTS ONLY
Certain brands offer in-house recycling programs where you can save up a certain amount of empty products and turn them in for money toward a future purchase, or a free product.
Lush: Their Bring It Back has recently been revamped. Save up five black pots from Lush and receive a free fresh face mask, or return one pot for $1 off your purchase. Based on the wording online, it seems like you can only turn in one pot at a time for a discount, not multiple at once. Recycling is offered in-store only.
M.A.C Cosmetics: As of March 2023, the Back to M.A.C program is no longer offering a free product in exchange for your empties. Previously, you could return six empty M.A.C. products and receive a free lipgloss, eyeshadow or lipstick. This was my first introduction to in-house brand recycling back when I was a teenager and would depot my eyeshadows and turn them in for a free gloss. They are still offering a recycling program, and whatever cannot be recycled will be converted into energy. Recycling is offered in-store and by mail.
Summer Fridays: Send back five of your empty Summer Fridays products and receive a $25 e-gift card to be used on your next online purchase. Recycling is offered by mail only.
I hope this has been a helpful start to learning about how to recycle empty beauty products. But don’t forget, recycling is only one part of the equation. Ask yourself - do my favorite brands offer refillable products? Are the brands I like using recycled packaging or taking a stance on reducing waste?
For resources, more information on proper recycling, or to find a collection bin near you, I recommend visiting Pact Collective or TerraCycle.