TikTok can be a useful tool when shopping for beauty products. But sometimes, even after watching countless reviews, a skin care, makeup, or hair care purchase still might not perform the way you imagined it would. Then, on top of the buyer’s remorse, you have to decide what to do with it. The idea of being wasteful — either keeping a nearly-full product on your counter to gather dust or mindlessly tossing it away — is annoying, if not a little depressing (and definitely not eco-friendly). Thankfully, there are other options if you’re willing to put in some legwork or get creative. Ahead, we talked to sustainability specialists to get their best tips for reusing, recycling, or repurposing your regretted beauty purchases.
1. Check The Return Policy
If you’ve opened a product only to quickly discover that it doesn’t suit you once you’ve tried it, you might be able to get your money back. The retailer’s return policy is at least worth looking into as a first step. Ulta has a generous return policy that allows refunds, credit, or exchanges, “if you’re not completely satisfied with a product for any reason.” At Sephora, returns of new or gently used products are entitled to a full refund. Just make sure to move quickly — Sephora’s policy only includes products returned within 30 days of purchase, for example.
2. Ask The Group Chat
So, you’ve either passed the return date or have “ungently” used the product before realizing it’s not a keeper — you still have options. Nicole Nimri, project lead at Slow Factory, says here’s when you may want to offer it up to your friends and family. Remember, that what doesn’t work for you may be a great fit for someone else. “This generates a way we can all try out new products together, and avoid just throwing them away,” Nimri says. Think of it as expanding your collective beauty cabinet.
3. Get Creative With Repurposing
Jazmine Rogers, the founder of Sustainable Baddie, says that when a product isn’t quite cutting it for its intended purpose, she starts to think outside of the box. “When I was first trying to experiment with curly hair care products, I found things that I didn’t like for my hair were fine as a body wash,” she says. “Even for makeup, if a lipstick looks better on my cheek, it’s all interchangeable.” There are plenty of combinations that make for useful substitutes: Using eyeshadow as a highlighter, unused serums as hand creams, facial bronzer as eyeshadow, and facial oils as hair oil. The list goes on. (TikTok is also a helpful resource in this regard.)
4. Donate Unused or Barely-Used Products
For unopened, unused products (and some used products), consider dropping it off at your local women’s shelter. Every charity organization and shelter has a different policy for accepting used beauty products, so first call your local center and check theirs before dropping off a box. You can also try a mail-in service, like Project Beauty Share, which accepts products that are at least three-fourths full. Just don’t expect your half-used mascaras, expired products, or opened tubs to be accepted — these products can pose a health risk when shared.
4. Find a Take Back Or Recycling Program
When you do successfully use up an entire bottle of shampoo or hit pan on your blush palette, it’s time to recycle the packaging. Leah Thomas, author of The Intersectional Environmentalist and program director of Earth Sessions, says she has found that many of her favorite beauty brands (like Bare Minerals) offer take back programs for their own products. Check to see if your favorite brands offer similar programs and considering shopping from those that do to avoid future waste. Brands like Glow Recipe, Farmacy, and Ilia will accept your empty bottles and recycle them for you.
But if you’re looking to recycle things from multiple of different brands and don’t know how, Nordstrom’s BEAUTYCYCLE is a good one-stop option. They currently accept empty bottles, tubes, caps, dispensers, pans, and palettes from all cosmetic brands — even ones you didn’t buy at Nordstrom. You simply drop your empties (no aerosol cans, perfume, or nail polish bottles) off into their in-store collection bins.
