Every year, approximately 120 billion units of packaging are produced by the global cosmetics industry, contributing significantly to plastic pollution. According to the EPA, only 9% of plastics are recycled, and much of the waste is in landfills or the ocean. But what if I told you that you could give a second life to your beauty products and their packaging? It’s time to get creative and recycle your cosmetics in ways that are not only eco-friendly but also practical and fun. From makeup to skincare to hair products, let’s explore innovative ways to reduce waste while saving money and helping the planet. Simple Ways to Recycle Your Cosmetics 1. Turn Empty Makeup Containers into Storage Solutions Have you ever looked at your old eyeshadow palettes, lipstick tubes, or compact cases and thought, “This could be useful”? One of the...
Every year, approximately 120 billion units of packaging are produced by the global cosmetics industry, contributing significantly to plastic pollution. According to the EPA, only 9% of plastics are recycled, and much of the waste is in landfills or the ocean. But what if I told you that you could give a second life to your beauty products and their packaging? It’s time to get creative and recycle your cosmetics in ways that are not only eco-friendly but also practical and fun. From makeup to skincare to hair products, let’s explore innovative ways to reduce waste while saving money and helping the planet.
Simple Ways to Recycle Your Cosmetics
1. Turn Empty Makeup Containers into Storage Solutions
Have you ever looked at your old eyeshadow palettes, lipstick tubes, or compact cases and thought, “This could be useful”? One of the easiest ways to recycle your cosmetics is to repurpose these containers. Empty compact cases can store small items like earrings or hairpins, while cleaned-out lipstick tubes can hold mini sewing kits or pills for travel. Got a big makeup palette? Turn it into a DIY watercolor paint tray for your kids or an art project.
2. Reuse Mascara Wands to Help Wildlife or Groom Brows
Old mascara wands might seem useless once the product is gone, but they can be cleaned and repurposed. Nonprofit organizations like the Wands for Wildlife program accept used mascara brushes, which are sanitized and used to remove oil, dirt, and debris from rescued animals’ fur.
If you’d rather keep your wand, use it as a brow or lash groomer by cleaning it with warm water and soap. You can also use it to brush flyaway hairs or tidy up your edges after styling.
3. Create DIY Candles or Storage with Lip Balm Tins
Lip balm tins are the unsung heroes of cosmetic recycling. Once you’ve finished your balm, the tins can be cleaned and reused in numerous ways. Use them to store paperclips, small jewelry, or pins. If you’re feeling crafty, fill the tin with wax and a wick to make your own travel-sized candle.
4. Recycle Perfume Bottles into Home Décor
Perfume bottles are some of the most beautifully designed cosmetic items, so why throw them away? Clean out old perfume bottles and reuse them as mini flower vases, reed diffusers, or decorative pieces. You can even refill them with DIY room sprays using water and essential oils.
5. Transform Nail Polish Bottles into DIY Crafts
Empty nail polish bottles can be a treasure trove for creative minds. Clean them thoroughly with acetone, and you can reuse them to store custom nail polish colors, glitter, or even small amounts of touch-up paint for your home.
6. Recycle Skincare Jars for DIY Beauty Recipes
Finished your favorite moisturizer? Don’t toss the jar! Skincare jars are excellent for storing homemade beauty products like sugar scrubs, face masks, or hair oils. Glass jars, in particular, are durable and easy to clean, making them perfect for recycling.
I turned my empty glass moisturizer jar into a storage container for my DIY coffee body scrub. It feels so satisfying to recycle my cosmetics while creating something new.
7. Donate Unused or Gently Used Products
Do you have cosmetics you barely touched because the color didn’t suit you or the formula wasn’t right? Instead of letting them collect dust, consider donating them to organizations like Project Beauty Share or giving them to friends and family who might love them.
A coworker brought a box of barely-used lipsticks and eyeshadows to our office, and everyone got to pick what they wanted. It was fun to share and recycle cosmetics we didn’t need anymore.
8. Upcycle Old Makeup Brushes
Don’t throw away old makeup brushes—they can be incredibly handy for other purposes. Use smaller brushes to clean hard-to-reach places like keyboard crevices, jewelry, or car interiors. Larger, fluffier brushes can apply arts and crafts materials like glue or glitter.
I used an old foundation brush to dust powder into the corners of photo frames when restoring them. It worked like a charm!
9. Refill or Return: Use Brand Recycling Programs
Many cosmetic brands now offer recycling programs to help you dispose of empty products responsibly. Brands like MAC Cosmetics offer a “Back-to-MAC” program, where you can return six empty MAC containers in exchange for a free lipstick. Lush, Kiehl’s, and Origins have similar take-back schemes.
I returned my empty Kiehl’s jars and received points toward future purchases. It’s a win-win for my wallet and the environment.
10. Compost Biodegradable Products
Some cosmetic products, especially eco-friendly brands, use biodegradable packaging or natural ingredients that can be composted. Check the labels of your products for terms like “compostable” or “biodegradable.” Items like paper-based palettes or bamboo brushes can go straight into your compost bin.
A beauty blogger I follow composts the paper packaging from her eco-friendly makeup brand and even shreds old cardboard palettes to use as mulch for her garden.
11. Turn Empty Powder Compacts into DIY Mirrors
Finished your face powder? Pop out the metal pan and repurpose the compact case as a small pocket mirror. This is a handy hack that’s perfect for travel or keeping in your purse. My mom cleaned out her old compact and stuck small adhesive mirrors inside. She now uses them as tiny travel mirrors for quick touch-ups.
12. Repurpose Hairspray and Dry Shampoo Cans
Aluminum cans from hairsprays and dry shampoos can often be recycled through curbside programs. If you’re feeling extra creative, clean them out and transform them into quirky flower vases or DIY home décor pieces with a fresh coat of paint.
13. Use Loose Glitter for Crafts
Loose glitter from eyeshadow or other cosmetics doesn’t have to go to waste. It can be reused for arts and crafts projects, DIY holiday cards, or even nail art. Just make sure to keep it stored in a small, airtight container.
14. Recycle Plastic Compacts and Tubes
Plastic makeup compacts, tubes, and bottles can often be recycled through specialized programs like Terracycle, which partners with beauty brands to accept hard-to-recycle materials. Simply mail in your empties, and they’ll take care of the rest.
I sent a box of empty foundation tubes and mascara containers to Terracycle and felt great knowing they wouldn’t end up in a landfill.
15. Use Old Lipsticks for DIY Crayons
If you have lipsticks that are too old to use but still have some color left, melt them down with a bit of wax to create homemade crayons. This is a fun and creative way to repurpose colorful cosmetics. We can even make non-toxic crayons out of old lipstick
Small Steps, Big Impact
Recycling your cosmetics doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. From repurposing containers to participating in brand recycling programs, there are countless ways to reduce waste while getting creative. Every small step to recycling your cosmetics makes a difference—not just for the planet but for your wallet and personal satisfaction. Let’s make sustainability the new beauty trend!
