Sustainable September: Beauty 101 – How to Recycle your Beauty Empties | My Soho Times

Making a conscious effort to recycle is not only a responsible choice, but also a meaningful contribution towards safeguarding our environment. In the spirit of embracing a cleaner and greener future, we’ve called upon beauty expert Julia Ferrari of Fresh Beauty Fix for her top tips on recycling beauty empties. Here’s to a Sustainable September – and beyond!

So, you’ve run out of your fave shampoo and now you’re wondering what to do with the empty bottle. Any suggestions?

A. Toss it in the bathroom bin 

B. Leave it lingering in the shower until your partner/housemate/parent deals with it 

C. Put it in the recycling bin 

Answer C is what we’re aiming for, although you get a gold star if you refill the bottle, upcycle it or even better, use shampoo bars. Unlike the kitchen where many of us have got to grips with binning, recycling and composting, the bathroom remains a bit of a disaster area, contributing to the 30,000 tonnes of plastic bottles ending up in landfill each year. This isn’t helped by the lack of recycling instructions on packaging: in a review of everyday toiletries Which? found that 60% of them had no recycling information on the labels. And that little triangle with a number inside on the base of plastic packaging: hands up who knows what it is? Yep me neither. Maybe you hadn’t even noticed it was there? This symbol is supposed to help us determine whether the packaging is recyclable or not (general rule of thumb, the lower the number the more recyclable it is), but this is clear as mud, further complicated by different rules depending on councils. 

So how can we tackle our bathroom recycling problem? Some beauty brands have introduced bathroom recycling bags which act as a reminder to sort through empties. Vegan and cruelty-free skincare brand Pestle & Mortar have an empties bag encouraging you to adopt a ‘beauty laundry day’. And to help you work through the maze that is recycling beauty empties, here is a mini guide to sustainably disposing of packaging many of you will be familiar with. 

• Shampoo, conditioner and shower gel in plastic bottles

The most popular packaging for these everyday staples is a plastic bottle. Regardless of whether it’s made from virgin or recycled plastic, this is a no-brainer: recycle it. This beauty empty really is widely recycled, so no excuses. Don’t forget to wash out the bottle to minimise residue.  

Best in class: plastic-free haircare brand Kind2 for its shampoo and conditioner bars – no empties to even worry about! 

• Bubble bath and bath salts in glass bottles and jars 

These more indulgent products tend to come in glass packaging, which is also super easy to dispose of as it’s one of the most widely recycled materials. It also uses more energy to manufacture than plastic so it’s even more important to recycle, otherwise it fails to achieve its full potential. If it’s a pretty glass bottle or useful jar size then don’t hesitate to upcycle as a vase or trinkets box.  

Best in class: LUSH for its solid bubble bath options and iconic bath bombs, all ‘naked’ (i.e. packaging-free). 

Top tip: leave the label and cap on (unless it’s a pump, in which case remove) to guarantee the best chance of those parts being recycled too.

• Hand wash and hand lotion in a bottle and pump

If you’re a fan of liquid soap, chances are yours comes in a plastic, glass or aluminium bottle. All of these are easily recyclable in your household recycling. However if you want to level then refilling your empty bottle is even better. Pumps are notoriously difficult components to recycle as they are mixed material, but don’t despair: TerraCycle is a global leader in recycling hard-to-recycle materials and have recycling points throughout the country. Or even better, just switch to a good old fashioned solid soap.  

Best in class: Neal’s Yard Remedies for their refillable options, from pumpless bottles to large bottles and in-store refill stations. 

Top tip: pumps are not used anywhere near to their full potential! Refill your bottle and keep using that pump until it breaks. 

• Cleansers and make up removers in tubes 

Tubes are tricky because the ease of recycling them varies from one local authority to another. Technically they are recyclable, but check your local authority website first. If unsure it’s best to bin it – if you throw it in your recycling bin without checking, your whole bag may be rejected as it’ll be considered ‘contaminated’. 

Best in class: Dermalogica for their bestselling waterless Daily Microfoliant which is not only an everyday waterless cleanser, but also comes in a refill pouch. 

• Serums and oils in pumps and pipettes 

You know the drill by now: glass or plastic bottles can go in your household recycling. Pumps and droppers however are more challenging, as they’re made from a mix of glass, plastics and/or rubber. Please don’t try to separate the different materials, you risk injuring yourself! These will need specialist recycling so take it to a TerraCycle point and they’ll do the rest. 

Best in class: plastic-free solid skincare brand SBTRCT for their world first solid Vitamin C serum  

• Moisturisers in jars 

Similar to plastic or glass bottles, jars are easy as they can go in your household recycling bin. 

Best in class: Caudalie for their recyclable refill capsules on their Premier Cru Cream 

Top tip: try to avoid black lids unless they’re made with a detectable non-carbon black pigment, which is more likely to be recycled when sorted with plastics. 

Written by Julia Ferrari  @freshbeautyfix 

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