We all have that drawer in our bathroom — the one overflowing with unused, half-used, and basically empty beauty products. No? Just us? Well, even if you’ve mastered that life-changing art of tidying up and never fall prey to clutter, you still get to the bottom of those bottles of shampoo and conditioner, and reach that frustrating end of your favorite blush or lipstick. If you’ve been sending those containers straight to the landfill — an astonishing one-third of landfill waste is made up of personal care and beauty products — step away from the trash can! There are women in need who could seriously benefit from your unused and gently used products, and there are super easy ways to recycle those empty containers.
Where To Donate Unused and Gently Used Products
Dress for Success
How do you nail an interview? It all starts with confidence, but sometimes that can be challenging if you don’t feel good about the way you look. That’s where Dress for Success comes in. Since launching in 1997, Dress for Success has helped over 1 million women by providing them with professional-looking clothing and beauty products to help them gain confidence for job interviews that will help them become financially independent. Dress for Success accepts unused, unopened beauty products, as well as women’s professional attire and shoes. Visit the website for more information on what to donate.
Beauty Bus Foundation
The Beauty Bus Foundation provides in-home beauty treatment to men, women and children whose terminal illness prevents them from accessing a salon or spa. Beauty Bus uses your donated unused and new beauty products in their “Beauty Bags,” which are given to patients around the U.S. The foundation accepts blushes, mascara, nail polish, hair dryers, straighteners and more. Visit them online to learn more about how and what to donate to the Beauty Bus Foundation.
Project Beauty Share
Project Beauty Share collects personal hygiene, cosmetics and beauty products and distributes them to more than a dozen nonprofit organizations that help women and families who suffer from abuse, addiction, homelessness and poverty. They focus on helping women rebuild their lives. Unlike most other organizations that accept only unused or new beauty products, Project Beauty Share will accept some gently used makeup, clean makeup bags, and shampoo and conditioner that is more than halfway full. For the full list of accepted products, visit Project Beauty Share.
Share Your Beauty
Partnering with PrettyConnected.com’s Lara Eurdolian, Share Your Beaty collects excess beauty products from beauty industry professionals and brands to donate to women who suffer from poverty or domestic abuse. Share Your Beauty also helps partner beauty brands with women’s shelters and teen programs to deliver products to women and teens in need. Visit them online for more information on donating to Share Your Beauty.
Andrew Fitzsimons’s Trans Cosmetic Donation Program
Hair care brand founder Andrew Fitzsimons launched the Cosmetic Donation Program at the LA Trans Wellness Center. The program collects unused cosmetics and self-care products to donate to transgender and non-conforming people in need. You can drop donations off or mail donations to the LA Trans Wellness Center at 3055 Wilshire Blvd, Unit 360, Los Angeles, CA 90010.
How To Donate To Local Women’s Shelters
If you would like to help women in your community, local women’s shelters always need beauty and cosmetic supplies.
Chicago
Connections for Abused Women and their Children (CAWC)
CAWC’s mission is to end domestic violence and provide a safe place for victims of domestic violence. They offer shelter and counseling to women and children while also helping women start a new life. Many victims of domestic violence have lost everything, including essential personal care items. CAWC accepts donated unused self-care items, such as makeup and haircare products. For more information about their wish list, visit CAWC online.
Sarah’s Circle
Located in Chicago’s Uptown community, Sarah’s Circle is committed to helping women who face homelessness by offering case management and supportive counseling to help them get on track toward achieving their goals. Women who live in shelters and permanent supportive households lack the financial means to purchase self-care and beauty products. Many items are greatly needed, so please visit Sarah’s Circle or their Online Registry for further details on donating.
New York
Homes for the Homeless
Home for the Homeless is a shelter that helps families throughout NYC. Not only does this shelter offer a place to sleep, but it also hosts a variety of onsite programs to empower the community. You can drop off unused items at their Central office at 36 Cooper Square, 3rd Floor, New York, New York, 10003, or mail them to the same address. If you want to donate, check out their full wishlist.
Rise of Broken Women
The Rise of Broken Women is a nonprofit that provides necessities to women and families in homeless shelters. RBW also offers training in different industries to help women and girls take control of their lives. This organization accepts unwanted makeup and beauty products and donates them to local shelters throughout New York.
Los Angeles
Downtown Women’s Center
The Downtown Women’s Center is the only LA organization dedicated to assisting women and gender-diverse individuals experiencing homelessness. The organization offers housing, wellness, employment, and advocacy programs to women in need throughout LA. In terms of donations, they accept various unopened personal care products, including moisturizers, makeup, and beauty accessories. Their needs are changing, so be sure to check their current needs list before donating.
Los Angeles LGBT Wellness Center
The LA LGBT Center is the largest LGBTQ+ organization caring for and celebrating LGBTQ individuals and families. The organization started in 1969 and currently has more than 800 employees providing health, housing, and social services to community members. They accept new, unopened cosmetics, skincare, haircare, and hygiene products. You can drop off items Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Houston
Houston Area Women’s Center
The Houston Area Women’s Center helps women and children affected by domestic and sexual violence. This multilingual and multiracial agency offers a continuum-of-care approach to empower the individuals who seek assistance at its shelter. People can donate new or unopened haircare products, makeup, and combs, specifically for women of color.
Nashville
YWCA Nashville
The YWCA empowers women through domestic violence relief services, community programs, and social justice advocacy. It also offers online resources for women in need and a 24-hour crisis support line. The organization accepts new beauty and wellness items for the women involved in its programs and services.
Nashville Rescue Mission
The Nashville Rescue Mission is a Christ-centered community organization that provides physical, mental, social, spiritual, and emotional support to those facing homelessness or struggling with addiction. The organization’s donation center is open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and accepts unopened toiletries and beauty products.
San Francisco
St. Anthony’s
The mission of St. Anthony’s is to feed, heal, shelter, and clothe all those in need throughout San Franciso. To empower residents, St. Anthony’s provides hot meals, free clothing, and various community services. The organization accepts boutique items for men and women, including perfumes, cologne, makeup, and nail care products. You can drop off donations at 121 Golden Gate Avenue seven days a week between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Phoenix
Arizona Women’s Recovery Center
The Arizona Women’s Recovery Center offers alcohol and drug treatments and housing to women in Phoenix. Hygiene and cleaning essentials are the most needed items at the recovery center, but you can also donate unopened beauty, hair care, and wellness products. If you plan on donating, they ask for you to call the main office and arrange a drop-off or pick-up at your location.
UMOM
UMOM provides shelter to those in Phoenix experiencing homelessness. In addition to emergency housing, the organization also offers job support, financial training, and helps individuals find affordable housing. Like many organizations, its needs change, but it typically accepts unopened hygiene and personal care items. If you bring items it can’t accept, it will help you find another organization that can use your donation.
Where To Recycle Empty Beauty Product Containers
Cities have different rules about what beauty product containers are recyclable. Contact your local waste management authorities and recycling companies to confirm what your village or city accepts. If you’re unsure of what or how to recycle at home, consider these alternatives to getting rid of empty beauty product containers.
Return to Origins
In 2009, Origins was the first company in the beauty industry to create a recycling program for cosmetic products and packaging called Return to Origins. The program accepts a wide variety of items and packaging from all brands, “including any glass or plastic jars, bottles, tubes, lipstick covers, and caps.” Locate any Origins store, and they will be happy to take all your recycled cosmetic packaging, except paper boxes and plastic wrapping.
Although the City of Chicago’s Blue Cart Program and its recycling drop-off centers do not accept makeup containers, they recommend dropping them off at Origins stores downtown as an alternative to recycling. Use their store locator online to find a drop-off near you.
TerraCycle and Garnier
TerraCycle is a highly awarded recycling company that focuses on making new products out of recycled items. TerraCycle and popular hair product brand Garnier have teamed up to “provide a comprehensive solution to personal care and beauty packaging waste anywhere in the world.” When you finish a Garnier product, look for a TerraCycle logo on the bottle and send it back to Garnier, and they will recycle or reuse the packaging. Also, for every piece of waste Garnier collects from you, they will donate two cents to a charity of your choice. That’s a win-win.
Back-to-MAC
MAC is another beauty brand that will recycle your empty containers and recycle them into the production of new materials. Visit the Back-to-MAC website, where they walk you through the return steps, how the process is done, and what else their company is doing for the planet.
Bird’s Nest Salon
The Bird’s Nest, located in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood, is an eco-friendly salon dedicated to green living by creating an environment that is “toxic-free.” They use organic product lines that will have the least impact on the ecosystem. They have partnered with Green Circle Salons, “a recycling/repurposing program that ensures hair, foils, color tubes, plastics, papers, and chemicals get diverted out of our waste and water stream.”
Beauty (Re)Purposed Program with Pact Collective
Beauty giants Sephora and Ulta partnered with Pact Collective, a nonprofit working to find recycling options for small beauty and wellness items that curbside recycling programs don’t typically accept. Pact Collective accepts tons of beauty containers 2×2 or smaller, including lipstick tubes, lip pencils, and moisturizer jars. All you have to do is clean out the item and drop it off at your local Sephora or Ulta.
Your Old Mascara Wands Can Help Animals in Need
Wands for Wildlife
Wands for Wildlife, a nonprofit that manages wildlife rehabilitation. They used to accept donations of mascara wands, which they used as mini brushes because the bristles are great for removing unwanted bugs from animals’ fur. However, the donations in recent years have been so high that the organization can no longer accept brushes into their inventory. However, you can still donate to the cause with monetary donations.
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Avery Hansen recently graduated from Southern Methodist University in Dallas where she studied journalism and fashion media. During her time at SMU she was published in the school’s newspaper, The Daily Campus, as well as Beyond the Boulevard and HerCampus. When Avery is not writing, she is playing with her pug, Emmy, or cheering on the Blackhawks at the United Center. She is a proud supporter of PAWS Chicago.
