Never throw your lipstick away again

Now you can REFILL it – and loads of other make-up staples

EMPTY shampoo bottles, discarded tubes of foundation and broken compacts of powder — when we use up our favourite beauty products, we have little choice but to throw away their plastic packaging.

But as we concern ourselves more with our impact on the environment — and the Daily Mail endeavours to reduce the amount of plastic we use with our Turn The Tide On Plastic campaign — it’s time we did something about it.

In 2015, one estimate suggested 61 per cent of cosmetics and toiletries were packaged in plastic — and that figure was expected to grow 12 per cent by 2019.

recycling the different plastics used in make-up and skincare products is complicated, because many materials are involved. This means that a lot of it will end up in landfill, where it will sit for an estimated 1,000 years until it decomposes.

However, some brands are making available refills that use less plastic — and also save you cash.

It’s not an easy option. The Body Shop used to offer a shampoo refill service, but stopped in 2002 because only 1 per cent of customers used it.

Even if there is a demand now, it’s a technical challenge, especially when many products have to be packaged in a sterile fashion.

Charlie Fowler is the founder of Magic Organic Apothecary, a beauty brand that sells natural beauty products packaged largely in recycled cardboard printed with vegetable inks. ‘refilling bottles is a complex challenge,’ she says. ‘Our products are oil-based and generally come in glass containers.

‘To make refills a viable option, we would need the glass returning, unbroken, and the container would need thorough washing.’

But some brands are rising to this challenge. So, if you want to do your bit, here are some of the best options around — from companies both big and small …

L’OCCITANE SHOWER OIL

FrENCH beauty brand L’Occitane relies heavily on natural ingredients and offers refills of its shampoos, conditioners, shower gels, cleansing foam, bath gel and hand washes. They come in pouches and you pour them into the original bottles. According to the brand, these refills save up to 80 per cent of the plastic used for the original products. Almond shower oil, uk.loccitane.com ORIGINAL: £19 for 250ml REFILL: £27.50 for 500ml (equivalent to £13.75 for 250ml) TOTAL SAVING: £10.50 (on two bottles)

DIOR FOUNDATION

YOU may not expect such luxury brands as Dior to concern themselves with sustainability. But the company offers some refills across its makeup, skincare and fragrance ranges, with refills of some creams available at a 15 per cent saving. The Capture Totale MultiPerfection Creme (£127 for the original jar, £108 for the refill, dior. com) comes in a beautiful glass jar, but you can buy a top-up. The refill for its cushion foundation comes with a new applicator. Forever Perfect Cushion Foundation, dior.com ORIGINAL: £35 for 15g REFILL: £25 for 15g TOTAL SAVING: £10

ESTEE LAUDER POWDER

ESTEE LAUDEr’S powder compacts were designed to be refilled. Some of its other make-up is also refillable — its Automatic Brow Pencil Duo and Automatic Lip Pencil Duo both retail for £20 (estee lauder.co.uk), but refills cost half that. You snap the cartridges into the original casing.

Estee Lauder Golden Alligator slim compact pressed powder, debenhams.com ORIGINAL: £41 for 3.8g REFILL: £15.50 for 3.8g TOTAL SAVING: £25.50

AVEDA DRY SHAMPOO

AS ONE of the more ‘natural’ beauty brands, it’s surprising that Aveda doesn’t have more refills. You’ll find refills for some of its powder make-up, and one-litre bottles of some of its shampoos and conditioners. But its dry shampoo is the most impressive. The refill comes without the pump that is on the original — pumps are often hard to recycle, as they contain both metal and plastic. You screw the pump from the original into the refill. Shampure Dry Shampoo, aveda.co.uk ORIGINAL: £23.50 for 60ml REFILL: £19 for 60ml TOTAL SAVING: £4.50 HOURGLASS LIPSTICK CULT cosmetic brand Hourglass does a sought-after lipstick in more than 30 shades. If you use it up, you can buy another — in the same shade or a different one — and save a wad of cash. Confession Ultra Slim High Intensity Refillable Lipstick, johnlewis.com ORIGINAL: £28 for 9g REFILL: £18 for 9g TOTAL SAVING: £10 CLEANING brand Ecover sells five-litre bottles of its products (enough for 20 refills) you can use to top up your bottle. Some independent shops have an in-store refill station, too. Check if there’s one near you by

emailing hello@ecover.com Ecover Lavender & Aloe Vera Hand Soap, biggreensmile.com ORIGINAL: £2.50 for 250ml REFILL: £28.79 for 5 litres (equivalent to £1.44 for 250ml) TOTAL SAVING: £21.21 (on 20 bottles) DEVELOPED in the Seventies as an environmentally-friendly beauty range made from natural ingredients, Faith In Nature sells its products in five-litre packs (enough to refill a usual bottle 12-and-a-half times). You’ll probably need the pump dispenser it sells (£4.50) and a bottle to decant it into. Grapefruit & Orange Shower Gel & Foam Bath, faithinnature.co.uk ORIGINAL: £5.60 for 400ml REFILL: £44 for 5 litres (equivalent to £3.52 for 400ml) TOTAL SAVING: £26 (on 12.5 bottles)

NK NATURALS BALM

THIS skincare brand encourages recycling. If you return an empty NK Naturals jar, you’re entitled to a 20 per cent discount on your next purchase, and the jar will be sterilised and re-used. Delicate Healing Balm, nknaturals.co.uk ORIGINAL: £25 for 60ml REFILL: £20 for 60ml TOTAL SAVING: £5

BRUSH ON BLOCK SUNSCREEN

BrUSH On Block is a broad-spectrum SPF 30 mineral powder sunscreen, available in translucent or tan and sold in a tube with a selfdispensing brush. The refills are almost half the price. If your brush is dirty, wash it through as you would a make-up brush. Brush On Block SPF 30, effortlessskin.com ORIGINAL: £25 for 3.4g REFILL: £13 for 3.4g TOTAL SAVING: £12

ECOVER HAND SOAP FAITH IN NATURE BATH FOAM