Instead of throwing out your empty mascara tubes or expired foundation, why not go the extra mile to recycle them? We’ve rounded up seven beauty stores in Singapore that will gladly accept your beauty empties and even reward you in return — in the form of store credits or membership points!
Before you send off your empties, read this
Most of these recycling programmes call for empties that have been cleaned out, washed, and dried. Sure, it sounds like a slight hassle, but this helps the speed up recycling process and is an important step to complete.
Make sure to scrub those containers squeaky clean, else your rose-scented lotion bottle could actually contaminate a whole batch of perfectly good recyclables, rendering them useless.
7 places where you can recycle your empty beauty jars and bottles
1. The Body Shop
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We love The Body Shop’s products and are happy that they’ve made the effort to use community trade ingredients and is cruelty-free.
Now to go a step further to account for the plastic used in their products, The Body Shop runs an in-store recycling programme called Return. Recycle. Repeat.
If you’re a The Body Shop’s Love Your Body Club (LYBC) member, you’ll be rewarded with one stamp for every clean plastic bottle you drop off at any of the stores. For every five stamps accumulated, you can redeem rewards such as trial-sized products or even hand creams.
Tip: Spend S$40 in a single transaction to join as an LYBC member!
Find out more about The Body Shop’s Return. Recycle. Repeat. programme here.
2. Innisfree
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The K-beauty giant’s Empty Bottle Recycling Campaign makes recycling your empties simple and easy. If you’re an innisfree member, simply bring your empty innisfree bottles to any of their outlets and you’ll be rewarded with S$1 store credits with every bottle returned!
Bear in mind that innisfree only accepts essence, hair, and body bottles made of glass or plastic from the brand, excluding makeup and canned products, and members can only return up to three empties per month.
Find out more about innisfree’s Empty Bottle Recycling Campaign here.
3. L’Occitane
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L’Occitane is probably the most accepting of all the recycling initiatives because a huge variety of types of packages and from all beauty brands with their Big Little Things Recycling Programme.
You’ll simply have to drop off your beauty empties at any L’Occitane store and create a profile to track and earn rewards along the way. Rewards include trial-sized products and even vouchers with every 10 empties recycled!
If you’re a L’Occitane member, you can also convert them to points; every 10 empties can be used to redeem 1 L’Occitane point.
Find out more about L’Occitane’s Big Little Things Recycling Programme here.
4. Origins
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Just like L’Occitane, Origins allows you to drop off empty bottles from any brand in exchange for sample sachets of their bestselling skincare products, thanks to their Return to Origins scheme.
Simply return glass or plastic jars, bottles, tubes, lipstick covers and caps at any store counters to be rewarded!
5. Kiehl’s
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Another skincare brand that’s well-known for their sustainability efforts, Kiehl’s has a Recycle & Reward Programme that rewards you with a travel-sized product after every fourth and seventh stamp (one empty container = one stamp) and a tote bag once you’ve hit 10 stamps.
Tip: Get a stamp too when you use your recyclable tote to shop at the store!
Find out more about Kiehl’s Recycle & Reward Programme here.
6. M.A.C Cosmetics
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With its Back To M.A.C programme, you can simply exchange any six full-sized primary packaging for a free lipstick in return!
Note: What’s primary packaging? It’s the material that encases the products, which excludes foundation tubes, lipstick tubes, and blush compacts.
7. LUSH
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Cosmetics retailer Lush have been upping their sustainability game with their package-free products to cut back on waste. However, some products such as creams, gels, and lotions still need to be contained in packaging.
That’s where Lush’s Back Pot Recycling Programme comes into play — made from a sturdy polypropylene plastic, these pots can be recycled and used to make more pots for new products! Return your empty pots to any Lush store and you’ll receive a fresh face mask in return — what a sweet deal!
Find out more about Lush’s Back Pot Recycling Programme here.
