Recycling Your Cosmetic Empties

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11 posts, 10 members

itsclearascrystal

2057 posts

Tue 6 Feb 2018 9:15pm

I'm forever on an environmental kick. And I'm pretty good overall at buying products with packaging I can recycle. But I'm currently trying to figure out how to recycle old mascara and lip balm tubes. Any suggestions?

Is there any special cosmetic recycling you do?

siouxsannah

262 posts

Tue 6 Feb 2018 10:17pm

I am interested in knowing the same thing. What to do with old makeup containers? In fact, what is the best way to dispose of old makeup? I have a bunch of old lipsticks that are too old to donate to someone. I would love to know what is the best way to dispose of them.

MareeB

5329 posts

Tue 6 Feb 2018 11:22pm

I've wondered that too - and if anyone wants half - full tubes/bottles of stuff (especially shampoo)????

itsclearascrystal

2057 posts

Wed 7 Feb 2018 2:08pm

Most containers I wash out and recycle (or cut open get excess product out, then wash and recycle). A couple of my lip balms I've recycled because the bit that holds the lip balm has fallen out leaving me an empty tube.

There is a garnier recycling program that is supposed to be coming to NZ this year which will allow you to recycle a lot of those products, but at the moment most of those programs only seem to be overseas.

Macs

5360 posts

Wed 7 Feb 2018 9:39pm

I normally put majority of my empties recycling. I use all my half unwanted shampoos that are a miss as shaving gel for my legs lol

EliseMM

120 posts

Thu 8 Feb 2018 4:20pm

Macs - so glad someone else uses shampoo as shaving gel!

Julieal

915 posts

Fri 9 Feb 2018 7:32am

I use excess shampoo as body wash but the containers are always a problem- Most plastic can be recycled but lipstick, mascara I never know how to dispose of the correct way.

tannygirl

3395 posts

Sun 18 Feb 2018 3:16pm

For mascara, I heard that if you loved the mascara then you keep the wand, wash it out and save for use with another mascara for similiar results. Another idea if you are a DIYer, clean out the mascara tube and brush and put a DIY lash serum or blend of oils to use as lash conditioner at night.

Otherwise I think a lot of makeup tubes would go in the recycling. Don't throw out fullsized Mac empties! I think if you take 5 or 6 fullsized Mac empties back to Mac you can exchange them for a free lipstick.

MissQT

1547 posts

Tue 20 Feb 2018 3:06pm

I'm the same. With big tubes and containers I clean then out and put them in recycling. I re-use smaller jars and pottles for travel. But lipstick tubes and mascara tubes I just chuck in the bin.

swamphen

73 posts

Sat 14 Apr 2018 2:50am

All my plastics go in the recycling, once theyre cleaned out of course.
I am a scrooge so cut open tubes and scoop out the very last dregs.

APART from my MAC empties. I have a container in the bathroom cupboard I put them in until I have enough to take them in store for a pretty lipstick. Always the highlight of my year

tabucutie

1841 posts

Sat 14 Apr 2018 8:18am

I recycle what I can but notice that I still chuck out a lot of products with no recyclable packaging. It goes to show what a wasteful society we live in though part of the beauty industry is trying to combat that.