Precycling is a new term referring to the act of reducing hard to recycle waste before it starts. You can precycle by choosing products that already have recycling solutions in place or that are packaged in materials that are easy for you to recycle locally. Personal care and beauty products aren’t as easy to recycle as a soda can or water bottle, look for precycling solutions to ensure that the packaging won’t end up in the landfill.
Some beauty care products use recyclable packaging and may even have take-back programs for empty containers. Some companies even offer freebies and other incentives for recycling their products!
Precycle Products
Korres products come in packaging designed so that each individual part can be separated and recycled. 99 percent of the product packaging can be recycled.
Aveda was the first beauty and personal care company to offer post-consumer PET packaging. Most of the brand’s plastic bottles use a minimum of 80 percent post-consumer recycled milk jugs. The recycled content in the Aveda Men line alone saves over 300 tons of virgin plastic per year.
Sally B’s Skin Yummies is a small company that is dedicated to recyclable products. The company intentionally uses glass jars, BPA-free plastic, and aluminum lids for packaging.
Freebies for Recycling
Kiehl’s will give you freebies just for returning their empty bottles for recycling. Every bottle you return to a Kiehl’s store will get you one stamp on your Recycle and Be Rewarded! card. Three stamps will get you a free lip balm, five will get you a travel collection product, and ten will earn you a full-sized product. Since starting the program, Kiehl’s customers have returned over a half a million bottles for recycling.
Alima Pure has perks for its customers who return their empty jars for recycling. Five empty jars from full-sized products will get you a $5 coupon for a future purchase. The only catch is you have to send the jars in using recyclable materials. Any items sent in using bubble wrap, packing peanuts, or other hard to recycle materials are not eligible for the rewards.
MAC accepts returns through their Back to MAC Program. If you return six containers of make-up to a MAC counter or their website, you will receive a free lipstick of your choice.
Try Refillables
Some of the large, well-known cosmetic and beauty companies offer refillable products. Stila, Bare Escentuals, and Jane Iredale all offer refillable compacts for eye shadow, blush, and foundation. Once you use up the product, simply swap out the color pan and continue to use the same compact.
With all these different recyclable packaging and rewards program you can look good and help out the environment at the same time.