Hi everyone!

On this beautiful, sunny and optimistic day I decided to write a post, presenting you some ideas for giving a second life to the beauty products you don’t want to use, for some reason.

I’m well-aware of the fact that a cosmetic may not satisfy your needs fully because for example it was a gift, or just a bad buy. Sometimes it happens that over time a particular product stops giving you the looked-for effects, or simply you buy a cosmetic because you need it now, but you won’t be of any use again.

I’m a big fan of #teameco, therefore today I’d like to list you my reasons for not throwing such seemingly useless beauty products away. On the other hand, piling them up doesn’t make much sense either. So what’s the plan? Read on.

Cleaning up your make-up bag. Where to start?

(1) Think for a while what products you use on a daily basis. Leave only the items you find essential. Don’t store the products that you don’t use – sooner or later they will pass their expiration date and you will end up with an almost full but useless beauty product. In this way you waste not only your money but also the substances and materials that could be useful when handed to the right person.

(2) Check your cosmetics for suitability for being used. This means that you should check the expiry dates – you can find them either on the cap or at the bottom of the packaging. If you can’t find the expiry date, check PAO sign (an image of open jar) – it gives you the amount of time a particular beauty product is safe for being used after it’s opened. For example, when you see “6M” this means that it should be used up within 6 months after you open it for the first time.

Sadly, beauty products that have passed their expiry date or went bad have to be thrown away. There is nothing you can do with them other than binning them.

Luckily, it’s different with the cosmetics that are still fresh. Obviously, you can throw them away, but that isn’t the wisest idea.

What should I do with beauty products I don’t like?

There are many things you can do with the cosmetics you don’t want to use. Just choose one of the following ideas.

1. Give it away to your mum, sister, cousin or friend.

If you don’t like the effects produced by a beauty product you’ve just bought, or its aroma/texture, don’t assume that everyone would have the same attitude towards it. Ask your friend, mum, sister or cousin whether they would like to test the product. It’s highly possible that one of your relatives finds this product perfect for her. In this way the product will go to the right hands and will be used up.

2. Resell it online for a few pounds.

If a cosmetic that you used just once was a gift or bad buy, try reselling it online. Post a classified ad and sell the items you find redundant. Surely you’ll find someone who would be interested in buying the very beauty product cheaper. Just don’t forget to sell only fresh products that haven’t passed their expiry date yet. Also, always mention the fact that the item you’re reselling isn’t brand new.

3. Give it away for free to those in need.

You don’t want to sell your stuff? You don’t have anybody to give it away to? There are plenty of people out there who would be happy to get your beauty product for free. If there is nobody around you who would like your cosmetics, use an online marketplace where you can post local ads, or your social media account where you can say what you’re selling, mentioning the expiry date and the pick-up location.

4. Use it as a gift for one of your close ones.

Sealed beauty products can be used as gifts. For example, if a friend gave you a phial of perfumes but you already know that you’re not a fan of this aroma, but you know that your bigger sister may like it, give it to her. Just remember not to use the beauty product as a gift for the person you got it from. That would be a faux-pas!