How to recycle makeup and reuse your beauty products properly

More of us are invested in preserving our future and our planet. In terms of beauty, this means making sure we recycle makeup compacts, mascara tubes, moisturiser pots, shampoo bottles and all the other beauty products we’ve finished. Or at the very least, dispose of them properly. 

So, of all the bonkers commemorative dates in the calendar (looking at you, Hug Your Cat Day), one that deserves all the airtime it can get, is Global Recycling Day, which happens every year on 18th March. 

If we’re honest, most of us would have to admit we’re not doing a good enough job of it. We’re aware of the problem – the seas are filling with plastic and global emissions continue to rise – but the solution is much trickier.

Statistics show we’ve got better at recycling our kitchen waste (research from Garnier found the UK recycles 90% of kitchen waste). As for our bathroom and beauty waste, we’ve got a long way to go (we only recycle 50%) – but why?

When it comes to ditching our food containers, with help from the pamphlets that get dropped through our doors, we’re pretty clued up. We separate, rinse and bin. But when it comes to our beauty products, we’re pretty stumped. In fact, data from Terracycle shows that 4.5million Brits find recycling their bathroom waste too confusing. Caps have to be separated, labels have to be removed, pumps need to be ditched and a whole bunch of products are considered hazardous, even when empty, making it difficult to recycle makeup and other beauty products.

So how can we reduce the amount of recyclable beauty products that end up in landfill without setting up at-home recycling systems? 

Well, for starters, we can clarify what goes where, and with the help of Currentbody, we’ve compiled the ultimate guide to recycling the contents of your bathroom shelf.

Currently recyclable:

Hairdryer – must be taken to a recycling centre
Plastic bottles – as long as they have one of the recyclable plastic symbols on the back, they can be put in your normal recycling bin. Ensure you remove the plastic cap, and wash and dry the bottle thoroughly
Cans – both steel or aluminium are recyclable and brands are using both materials more and more to create more sustainable products. Make sure the can is completely empty and detach any removable parts
Glass bottles – glass is recyclable, but make sure to remove any plastic components like the pump, label or lid.

Partly recyclable:

Mascara – whereas mascara tubes are often made from recyclable material, the wands typically aren’t recyclable but they can be donated to animal sanctuaries.
Foundation bottles – pumps are not recyclable. If the bottle is glass you can recycle it, but ensure you’ve washed and dried it first.
Makeup palettes – most palettes contain magnets and mirrors which aren’t recyclable, so these parts need to be disposed of separately.

Not currently recyclable:

Make-up wipes – unless labelled as biodegradable, makeup wipes are not recyclable. Consider buying reusable makeup pads or cotton pads instead.
Nail varnish bottles – due to the hazardous toxins found in nail varnish, the glass bottles are not recyclable, even when thoroughly rinsed.
Make-up brushes – neither animal hair nor vegan brushes are currently recyclable.