Sustainable beauty: How to recycle and reuse your beauty products?

Posted by Skinsider Team on 17th Apr 2021

Sustainable beauty is a hot topic and it is a matter that requires everyone's attention. Beauty industry is experiencing significant challenges with packaging and waste. Some reports indicate to that up to 120 billion units of packaging are produced every year by the global cosmetics industry. That's a lot of rubbish. Brands and manufacturers are looking into making beauty industry more sustainable and seek solutions to tackle the problem. Still recycling of beauty products isn't as simple as you may think. So how to tackle the topic of sustainable beauty? First, check which empties can be recycled.

Here is our quick guide on how to recycle the beauty products you buy.

Recyclable or not?

Here is the list of the most commonly used products and

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. We recommend removing the plastic cap, and wash and dry the bottle.
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 - mascara tubes are often made from recyclable material, the wands typically aren't recyclable.
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:

Cleansing wipes - unless labelled as biodegradable, cleansing wipes are not recyclable. Consider buying reusable makeup pads or cotton pads instead.
Nail polish bottles - due to the hazardous toxins found in nail polish, the glass bottles are not recyclable.
Make-up brushes - not recyclable.

What to bin and what to recycle?

Here's a handy guide to the symbols on the packaging:

In addition, you may find these helpful:

Are you recycling your skincare empties? Comment below.

Spoiler alert: stay tuned for our top picks in sustainable beauty.

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Skinsider is a UK destination for Korean skincare, bringing carefully selected K-beauty brands and products closer to your everyday routine. Our blog combines product knowledge, ingredient research and hands-on experience to create clear, practical skincare guides.

Whenever possible, we test the products we write about, explore their formulas and textures and consider how they fit into real skincare routines. Our goal is simple: to help you understand Korean skincare and make more confident choices for your skin.

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