Green is in this Winter – Beauty Brands that Recycle

The fashion and beauty industry can be hard on Mother Nature. Fabric, raw materials, packaging, processing, production, and shipping can leave a lasting environmental footprint (even if it is in the shape of a six-inch heel). Thankfully, many companies, brands, and retailers are adopting environmentally friendly and sustainable practices in an effort to decrease their impact on the environment. Looking good and doing good has never been so rewarding.

MAC – If you’re a MAC cosmetics fan, save your empty cosmetics packaging and participate in their Back to MAC program. Return six empty MAC containers (eye shadow, foundation, lipstick, etc.), and in return, they will give you a free lipstick of your choice.

London Drugs – The family owned and operated drugstore recycles cardboard, Styrofoam, plastic bags, electronics, and now beauty packaging. Their recent collaboration with TerraCycle is aimed at reducing the waste that the beauty industry produces. Drop off your empty beauty packaging at their recycling collection boxes located in all of their stores (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan), and TerraCycle will turn them into items like park benches and garbage bins.

LUSH Cosmetics – In addition to using as little packaging as possible, select LUSH cosmetics products like their bath bombs, massage bars, and solid shampoo bars are available without any packaging at all. LUSH pots and bottles are made from BPA-Free 100 per cent post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic, their bags are made of 100 per cent post-consumer recycled paper, and all LUSH products are biodegradable. LUSH also has an in-store recycling program: when you return five of their signature black pots to any of their stores, they will give you a free Fresh Face Mask.

Aveda – In addition to using post-consumer recycled materials in all their packaging, they pioneered the Aveda Caps Recycling program. This unique program recycles rigid polypropylene plastic caps usually found on plastic containers like shampoo, pop, water, and laundry detergent bottles. Aveda then grinds them up and molds them into new caps that are used for Aveda products.

Origins – The Return to Origins Program encourages customers to bring their empty cosmetics tubes, bottles, and jars (regardless of brand) to an Origins retail store or department store counter for recycling. All returned packaging is recycled or used towards energy recovery; the program is available in Canada, The United States, Taiwan, Hong Kong, The United Kingdom, Malaysia, and Singapore.