How to Dispose of Old Makeup

Co-authored by Janet Miranda and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: March 29, 2022 References

If your makeup is expired or has changed color or smell, it’s probably time to throw it out. Knowing how to throw away your makeup is important to reduce waste and keep the environment healthy. You can clean out your makeup containers and recycle them or throw them away to make room for new, fresh products.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Emptying Makeup Containers

1
Put leftover makeup into a sealed bag. If you have expired makeup but there is a lot left in it, dump out the excess into a plastic bag that can be sealed. Then, put the entire bag into the trash.^{[1]
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- Putting the makeup in a sealed bag ensures that none of the chemicals can seep out into the ground.
2
Wipe out liquid or cream containers with a paper towel. Liquid foundation, concealer, skin and eye cream, or perfume bottles might have residue left in them, even if they look empty. Use a paper towel to wipe the insides of the containers and remove the makeup residue. Then, throw the paper towel in the trash.^{[2]
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- Try not to pour liquid makeup or perfume down the drain if you can avoid it. The harsh chemicals in these products can get into the waterways and harm living things.^{[3]
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Tip: If your container is too small for a paper towel, use a cotton swab instead.

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3
Wipe off palettes and compacts with baby wipes. Empty eyeshadow palettes and blush, bronzer, or highlighter compacts might still have residue left on them, even if they seem empty. Give these containers a quick wipedown with baby wipes or wet paper towels to clean them off.^{[4]
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- Try not to rinse off any containers in your sink, if you can avoid it.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Recycling or Throwing Away Makeup Containers

1
Check with your local beauty store to see if they accept empties. Many large beauty retailers have programs where you can bring in your empty makeup containers to be recycled. Check online or instore at your local beauty retailer to see if they have this program.^{[5]
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- Some beauty stores have restrictions on what containers they will take back and when they will take them. If you aren’t sure about recycling your containers in the store, call ahead and ask first.
2
Send your containers to a buyback program to reuse your containers. There are a few major makeup recycling programs that will take your empty containers for free. Sign up online with a makeup recycling program and pack up your empty containers in a box with a shipping label.^{[6]
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- TerraCycle is one of the largest makeup recycling programs and partners with many large makeup brands.
3
Place empty plastic or glass containers in your curbside recycling if you have one. Eyeshadow palettes and powder compacts can be placed in the normal recycling bin if your county offers curbside pickup. Glass perfume or foundation bottles can be put in the glass recycling bin. Make sure the containers are clean and don’t have any residual makeup left in them.^{[7]
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- Most cities have curbside recycling programs that accept plastic, as long as the plastic isn’t super thin or small. If you are unsure about what kind of plastic your recycling program accepts, check online with your county program.
- Mascara tubs and lipstick tubes cannot be recycled, even if they are made of plastic.
4
Throw mascara, lipstick tubes, and pencils in the garbage. Unfortunately, lipstick tubes, mascara tubes, and lip liner or eyeliner pencils all have to be thrown in the garbage. The containers are usually too small to be cleaned out properly and recycled.^{[8]
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Tip: Keep the lids or caps on these tubes when you throw them away so they have less of a chance of leaching into the ground.
5
Put all of your makeup containers in the trash if you can’t recycle them. If you’ve exhausted all of your recycling options, you can throw your plastic makeup containers in the trash. Keep all the lids and seals in place so that there is less of a chance of any chemicals seeping out into the ground when they get to a landfill.^{[9]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Knowing When to Get Rid of Makeup

1
Rotate your makeup out every 3-12 months. Different makeup products go bad earlier than others. Try to replace your liquid face makeup, like foundation and concealer, after 6 months. Buy new powders, like blush, bronzer, and highlighter, after 2 years. Get new lip gloss and lipstick after 2 years, and replace your mascara after 3 months.^{[10]
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- Makeup products don’t have expiration dates printed on them, so you may want to write down when you bought your latest products to remember when to replace them.
Tip: Most skincare products have expiration dates printed on the bottle.
2
Dispose of your makeup if it smells bad or looks discolored. If you open up your makeup product and it smells like mold or mildew, don’t use it. Similarly, if you open up your product and it has changed colors or texture, get rid of it.^{[11]
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Trustworthy Source
US Food and Drug Administration
U.S. government agency responsible for promoting public health
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Expert Source

Janet Miranda
Professional Hair Stylist & Makeup Artist
Expert Interview. 11 February 2021.}
- A change in smell or color means that your makeup product has gone bad.
3
Donate unused makeup to local women’s shelters. If you find any unopened makeup that you don’t want anymore and it isn’t more than 1 to 2 years old, check with your local women’s shelters to see if they are accepting donations. Make sure whatever you donate is clean and sealed.^{[13]
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- If your makeup is too old or you have used it before, do not donate it.
- Since there are no expiration dates on makeup, it can be hard to remember how old it is. When in doubt, don’t donate it.

Expert Q&A

Question

How can I tell if liquid makeup has gone bad?

Janet Miranda
Professional Hair Stylist & Makeup Artist
Janet Miranda is a Professional Hair Stylist, Makeup Artist, and the Founder of Be.NYLA. With over 15 years of experience, Janet specializes in makeup and hair for advertising, commercial, editorial, runway, special events, television, and videos. She was trained at Vidal Sassoon Academy and with top hair and makeup artists including MAC Cosmetics and Redken. Janet has worked five seasons of New York Fashion Week and one season on Project Runway. She continues to add brands to her growing client list including Armani Exchange, Neutrogena, and Pantene. Janet’s work has been featured on CBS, Brides Magazine, 100 Layer Cake, Style Me Pretty, Green Wedding Shoes, Ireland Image Brides Magazine, and Elle Japan.

Janet Miranda

Professional Hair Stylist & Makeup Artist

Expert Answer

You'll be able to tell when you open it. It will have a bad odor. It won't smell like it did when you first bought it.
Question

Does powder makeup last longer than liquid makeup?

Janet Miranda
Professional Hair Stylist & Makeup Artist
Janet Miranda is a Professional Hair Stylist, Makeup Artist, and the Founder of Be.NYLA. With over 15 years of experience, Janet specializes in makeup and hair for advertising, commercial, editorial, runway, special events, television, and videos. She was trained at Vidal Sassoon Academy and with top hair and makeup artists including MAC Cosmetics and Redken. Janet has worked five seasons of New York Fashion Week and one season on Project Runway. She continues to add brands to her growing client list including Armani Exchange, Neutrogena, and Pantene. Janet’s work has been featured on CBS, Brides Magazine, 100 Layer Cake, Style Me Pretty, Green Wedding Shoes, Ireland Image Brides Magazine, and Elle Japan.

Janet Miranda

Professional Hair Stylist & Makeup Artist

Expert Answer

Yes, powder makeup lasts a lot longer. You'll need to replace it less often than your liquid makeup.