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Learning more and more about how certain habits damage our planet is a great way to implement small changes in our daily lives to be more sustainable. Also, many questions may arise when it isn’t so clear on how to recycle certain products, such as plastic bottles with metal, small lipstick bottles, or a mini blush with a mirror attached.

But really, what should you do?  Reducing, reusing, and recycling needs to be a collective effort to have a significant impact and Nordstrom has partnered with Terracycle to make it easier to recycle your beauty products.  

The beauty industry creates up to 120 billion beauty products in a single year. This includes all types of products from mascara tubes, the bottle your face wash comes in, the pump bottle from your primer, or even the plastic tube from your favorite lip gloss. The list goes on and on. At the same time, there are so many companies and brands developing beauty products that will most likely come in plastic. However, the majority of the bottles and tubes you use are made of multiple materials, which can be confusing when deciding how to recycle them properly. The Nordstrom BEAUTYCYCLE program makes it easier to recycle all beauty products surely and confidently. 

The Nordstrom BEAUTYCYCLE Program

Nordstrom is the first major retailer in the United States that created a recycling program for all types of beauty products. The BEAUTYCYCLE program also accepts all brands and wants to reduce waste and recycle plastic from beauty products correctly. Nordstrom has partnered with Terracycle to ensure that this happens. Altogether, this partnership and simple process make it simple for us beauty shoppers. Throughout Nordstrom stores, there are drop-off boxes to put your empty bottles, cases, and containers. This includes bottle pumps, empty eyeliner pencils, lipstick cases, and so much more. Then, Terracycle picks up the full boxes to clean and separate them before recycling. It’s a really simple and powerful partnership! Terracycle also partners with other brands and companies, such as Arm & Hammer, to help reduce waste and be more kind to our planet! 

How To Use BEAUTYCYCLE

Nordstrom’s BEAUTYCYCLE program is a straightforward process that is simple to follow, which makes it easy for everyone to participate! All you have to do is go to any Nordstrom location throughout the country. Then, bring all of your empty bottles and containers to drop at any available Terracycle Zero Waste box throughout the store. 

Tip: You do not need to fully empty or clean the products out before dropping off at Nordstrom! Simply remove as much of the remaining product as possible (as we are sure that you do already!) and make sure that the containers are dry.

There is no special registration or sign-up needed either! Should you have any questions, a representative at any Nordstrom’s Beauty Product counter will be able to assist you. 

Choosing to participate and recycle your beauty products through Nordstrom is a benefit in itself, especially feeling confident that it will all be recycled properly! Dropping off items at Nordstrom is another way to practice sustainability and being consistently kinder to Mother Earth. 

There is more information on Nordstrom’s BEAUTYCYCLE on their website. Below is a list directly from Nordstrom of what products can be dropped off. Remember, Nordstrom BEAUTYCYCLE locations accept all brands and products. 

Beauty Products to Recycle Include:

• Shampoo and conditioner bottles and caps 

• Hair gel tubes and caps 

• Hair spray bottles and triggers 

• Hair paste plastic jars and caps  

• Lip balm tubes 

• Face soap dispensers and tubes 

• Lotion bottles, tubes, dispensers, and jars  

• Shaving foam tubes (no cans) 

• Lip gloss tubes 

• Mascara tubes 

• Eyeliner pencils and cases 

• Eye shadow and tubes  

• Concealer tubes and sticks 

(List from Nordstrom.com)

Numerous beauty brands are already on the right track to practice more sustainability. There are so many innovative ways that companies are reducing, reusing, and recycling. This includes redeveloping their packaging, how they source local ingredients for their beauty products, initiating day-to-day work processes to be carbon neutral, and even providing refillable options. Just a few brands include FENTY, Aveda, Love Beauty + Planet, and Origins, and many more. These brands are available at Nordstrom, Sephora, and even Target. 

Nordstrom has a goal to recycle 100 tons of beauty packaging waste by 2025 through BEAUTYCYCLE. It is an ambitious goal but can be done the sooner we BEAUTYCYCLE and share the program with others.