The short version
- Sephora (US and Canada) and Ulta (US) both have Pact bins that take clean beauty empties from any brand.
- No store nearby? Pact's mail-back option costs a $12 contribution for 5 to 10 empties, in the US and Canada.
- Some brands run their own programs: Back-to-M·A·C and Quo Beauty at Shoppers Drug Mart.
- Most programs no longer give a reward. In the UK, Sephora still gives 20% off fragrance for an empty bottle.
Most beauty packaging is hard to recycle at home: pumps, droppers, tiny jars and mixed plastics often can't go in the curbside bin. These beauty recycling programs take your empties instead. Here's where to drop them, what's accepted and which programs still reward you.
Drop-off bins for any brand
Sephora's Beauty (Re)Purposed program, run with the nonprofit Pact Collective, has bins in freestanding Sephora stores in the US and Canada. Empties from any brand are welcome if they meet Pact's guidelines. Sephora at Kohl's isn't part of it.
Every Ulta Beauty store has a Pact bin, usually near the register, for clean empties from any brand.
Mail your empties in
If there's no bin near you, Pact lets you mail 5 to 10 clean empties for a $12 contribution to cover shipping and processing, in the US and Canada.
Brand programs
Back-to-M·A·C takes clean, empty M·A·C packaging at participating counters or by mail. The US page now describes it as recycling only, with no product reward, so don't count on a free lipstick.
In Canada, you can mail empty Quo Beauty makeup packaging (Shoppers Drug Mart's own brand) to TerraCycle with a free label. Each pound collected funds a $1 donation to women's health.
Programs that still give a reward
In the UK, bring an empty glass fragrance bottle of 30ml or more to a Sephora store and get 20% off a new fragrance bought at the same time.
Quick guide
| Where you live | Easiest option |
|---|---|
| US | Pact bin at Sephora or Ulta |
| Canada | Pact bin at Sephora, or Pact mail-back |
| UK | Sephora UK fragrance bottle drop-off |
Looking for more ways to save? See the best beauty loyalty programs.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I recycle empty makeup containers?
Sephora (US and Canada) and Ulta (US) have Pact collection bins that take clean beauty empties from any brand. If there's no store nearby, Pact's mail-back option takes 5 to 10 empties for a $12 contribution.
Does Back-to-M·A·C still give a free lipstick?
M·A·C's US page now describes Back-to-M·A·C as recycling only and doesn't mention a product reward, so check with your counter.
Do I need to clean beauty empties before recycling them?
Yes. Remove leftover product and let containers dry. Programs reject empties that still have product in them.
How we research: we check every offer against the brand's or program's own website before publishing and when we update a guide. Programs change, so always confirm the details at the source before you sign up. Read our editorial standards, or tell us about a correction. Some links may be affiliate links; see our disclosure.