Some inspiring and eco friendly ideas of what to do with old makeup!

Did you know that the European cosmetics industry is worth 77 billion Euros? It’s a shocking figure, but not so hard to believe if you’ve been shopping for makeup.

We spend a small fortune on makeup and cosmetic products. And, whilst many are used up completely, an even larger number of items are cast aside before they’ve been fully finished.

Rather than just throwing your old makeup away, here are some ideas of what to do with it:

Donate

Many women’s shelters will happily accept your open, part-used makeup. Don’t donate bottles with tiny little bits of makeup left, though. If you’ve opened a product and decided that you don’t like it, or if you’ve used less than 50%, then your makeup donation will likely be gratefully received.

Often, women flee terrible situations with nothing but the clothing they’re wearing. Donating lightly-used cosmetics can give women things they need to rebuild their confidence.

Sell or swap

Use websites like Vinted to sell your old make-up, along with no-longer-wanted clothing. Some buyers will even purchase products that have been opened and gently used.

Selling your makeup won’t bring back all of the money that you spent on it. But you could earn yourself some pocket money for things that you’re no longer using.

It’s also possible to swap makeup with other people. Perhaps you’ve both bought shades that don’t suit you, or you’re getting bored of a colour that you’re using? Swapping makeup with someone else will save you both a bit of money, and can even be done long-distance since most makeup is easily mailed.

Create

Did you know that your cosmetics can have an enormous impact on animals? Animal testing is common across the industry, so look out for ethical brands where possible. Demand for ethical alternatives is rising, with 70% of people worldwide reportedly being against animal testing. Because of the suffering involved in the production of a lot of makeup, it’s even more important not to throw it away needlessly.

If you can, you should try turning your old makeup into something new rather than throwing it away. Did you know that you can melt down old lipsticks, just by putting pieces on a spoon and holding it over your hob? Once lipstick has melted, you can pour it into jars to use it like a lip gloss. You can even mix colours, creating a completely new lipstick shade!

Or, mix melted lipstick with Vaseline to make a whole new tinted lip balm.

Make paint

Turn old makeup into fun for the kids, by creating colourful paint. Mix powder products like foundation and eye shadow with a blob of PVA glue. Then, your children can use their new paints for their next homework project!

Why not get the kids to use your old makeup to create some artwork for your wall?

Give to someone younger

If you have a younger sibling just starting to experiment with makeup, then why not donate your old products? Young girls are still working on their own style, and will appreciate little samples that they can start to experiment with.

Once they find the colours and shades that suit them, younger siblings can buy their own products. Until then, keep them going with a steady supply of old makeup that you’re no longer using.

Colour code

You can use old nail varnish to paint small amounts of colour onto items. If you’re forever getting confused between which key opens your front door and which opens the back door, then this is a great idea.

Paint objects with a bit of old nail varnish to colour code them and make them stand out. This also works if you have a few similar bank cards, and want to quickly find them in your purse.

Old makeup doesn’t always need to be thrown into landfill. What’s no longer useful to you could be valuable to somebody else.

You can make old makeup useful again by using it for something different, or even just melting the last scraps down to use in a different container.

Finding a new use for old makeup has benefits for the planet. You’ll reduce waste, and perhaps also reduce the amount of new makeup that needs to be made. It also has benefits for you, perhaps saving you money or making life easier by saving valuable time.

Good luck and happy recycling!

Ciara x