Did you ever think twice about throwing away your eyeshadow palette? Did you imagine where that palette would end up? Cosmetic companies rarely think this way when it comes to throwing away their large number of products. Although throwing away makeup is a simple way of managing a tedious task, the process of throwing away large amounts of makeup should be stopped because it further pollutes the environment, wastes makeup that can be used, and puts unused makeup in unreliable hands.

Even though pollution cannot be stopped completely, the prevention of any further damage can be made by educating the public on what harm makeup can do to the environment. A well-known toxic chemical known to be in makeup products are microbeads. Since the discovery of their harmful effects, they have been banned. It is crucial to now spread more awareness on the dangerous chemicals in makeup products such as eye shadow, blush powders, makeup foundation, nail polish, mascara, etc.

Although in recent studies, the Environmental Protection Agency shows that an approximate “75 percent of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) come from fuel while 25 percent come from chemical products”, another study by the Journal of Environmental Science and Technology shows that the effects of these two contributors are “closer to 50-50”.[i] The study shows that cosmetic products are a major source of pollution. There are many misconceptions that throwing away makeup makes little to no difference to further pollute the environment. These misconceptions make potentially useable products go to waste by makeup companies. The public should know that tossing anything in the trash eventually ends up polluting in the air. Not only are these products polluting the air, but also, they increase plastic pollution. Makeup packaging also contains bacteria and other microbes which cannot be broken down, so they never completely disappear.[ii]

As proven in the Journal, one of the synthetic ingredients found in makeup powders and skin care products is Triclosan. Triclosan is an “antimicrobial agent used in makeup powders and skin care products.” It also happens to be an endocrine disruptor that has been found in alarming quantities in the Great Lakes and reduces the lifespan of freshwater organisms.[iii] Another misconception is that many people may think that makeup products just produce plastic pollution, but that is not the case because the products eventually can make their way to even the ocean. What may seem like a simple action, throwing away makeup products can lead to the corruption of ocean life. This severe problem can be avoided if people are knowledgeable of the harmful ingredients in makeup products.

The reason behind why makeup companies such as Ulta and Sephora throw away large amounts of makeup is because the products are either expired, out of season, or discontinued. Cosmetic companies like these do not have the choice of whether to throw it out or return it. Manufacturers are responsible for having the retailers send the items back or having them destroyed. However, the products need to be destroyed to prevent people from going through the trash and taking it.

The makeup that is thrown away includes not only used/broken products, but brand-new products that are then used by those who use them negatively to their advantage. Some of the largest makeup companies today play a big role in makeup “dumping”. "[Selling] makeup is like selling drugs," James Jugan, a New Jersey man, says. Jugan has sold items from the dumpster since 1978, but for the last few years his biggest moneymakers came from the beauty industry. "It’s like having a license to print money. It’s amazing”.[iv] Throwing away makeup has shown to increase the amount of problems like dumpster diving. Dumpster Diving shows how hundreds of dollars’ worth of untouched makeup can be retrieved by those who later sell them which can be unsanitary and unsafe. Certain Dumpster Divers’ focus is to make money off the makeup products and not the safety of the buyer.

Throwing away makeup may seem like a harmless thing to do, but it eventually does nothing but negatively affect almost everyone. It is important to take at least the smallest action to let everyone be aware of what throwing away makeup can do. Slowly but surely, makeup companies should start manufacturing recyclable packaging even though they may fear it can reduce the number of sales. LUSH Cosmetics, an independently-owned retailer who’s known for successfully selling out of ‘fresh handmade cosmetics’, already implemented the use of recyclable packaging. Hopefully, cosmetics companies like LUSH can set an example to other makeup brands to prove how innovative reusable package can still attract customers. Makeup companies most importantly can donate their products to women’s shelters for those who can use them to their full potential. The makeup products themselves also have other purposes. For example, the finer bristles of a mascara wand can actually remove lice from animals which is why animal shelters accept donations. Many will think it’ll take a lot of effort, but small changes like not throwing away your daily eyeshadow palette can make a difference.

[i] Fitzpatrick, S. (2019, April 16). Do Your Personal Cosmetics Cause Plastic Pollution?  Retrieved from
[ii] Burnie, D. (2004). Endangered Planet. Retrieved from
[iii] Lyons, E., & Lyons, E. (2016, June 30). Your Fave Makeup Could Be Harming The

Environment. Retrieved from
[iv] Grimm, B. (2015, July 10). Inside the World of Dumpster-Diving Beauty Scavengers. Retrieved from