First of all, this is a legit thing. It’s a real trend. After stores close…under cover of darkness, resourceful beauty lovers are getting into their cars, driving out to stores like Sephora and Ulta, and going scavenging in dumpsters for beauty products.
Who knew?
I had no idea! — but it’s a big deal on YouTube, where people post videos of themselves going out to these dumpsters and dumpster diving for makeup. Then they share their hauls in videos.
Sometimes the products are brand new and completely untouched, but sometimes they aren’t. Companies discard products for a variety of reasons, from broken packaging to customer returns to expiration dates and inventory control.
Sometimes the items are sabotaged by employees before being thrown out to discourage dumpster diving. It’s called “souping,” and some dumpster divers go through a process to recover these destroyed products before they end up in landfills (props for resourcefulness). It’s fascinating!
I mean…I can see the appeal. It’s kind of like a treasure hunt worth potentially thousands of dollars in beauty products, and it’s also slightly dangerous and exciting.
But there are risks. Dumpsters are almost always on private property, so it could be trespassing. There could also be used syringes, old food and other health risks mixed in with the products (ugh!). The items might also be expired or subject to a recall. You can’t always tell.
I don’t think I’d do it at this point in my life…but I can’t say that I wouldn’t have considered it when I was 15 or 16 years old. If my friends had wanted to dig through the Sephora garbage on a Friday night to see if there were any unused Urban Decay palettes up in there, hmm… That would have been hard to resist. I don’t know.
Would you ever go beauty dumpster diving? Or have you done it before? Let me know!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
OMG! I had no idea this was a thing but I’d totally be down for it if a friend wanted to go. Yes, it could be dangerous but it could also be exciting! Think of the haul you might come away with if you avoid those little bracelets!
Thanks once again for expanding my worldview.
Yep, I sure would. It’s just a total waste to destroy/discard things. You can clean them with alcohol to disinfect them. This society is too wasteful by far.
I’m with you – – I might have done it in my younger days, but I’m not sure I would now. However, I can be talked into most things by a good friend. 😉
I admit that I’m really tempted to do this but I’m also aware that there are security cameras everywhere now. If I had a trustworthy associate, I think I’d give it a try. I’ve found unopened, still in original packaging mid and high end products at Goodwill before (Josie Maran lotion; Pacifica eyeshadow palette; Laniege water bank moisturizer; Sonia Kashuk brushes). Treasures are out there!
A lot of Target’s clearance items wind up at Goodwill. From cosmetics to household goods. I don’t know if these are charitable donations or they buy them in bulk to attract buyers. But I do know that I have found a good deals there.
Ah, that makes sense why I’ve found the Laniege, Pacifica, & Sonia Kashuk brushes. And they were like $2 each. Score! ?
My aunt goes dumpster diving behind different stores (she’s gotten me a coffee table, lamp, and shelf from Pier1!) but technically it is illegal.
I think the amount of waste is awful so I’m glad some of these products are being rescued and put to good use. That said, I’ve been around lots of dumpsters in my time and it would take more than beauty products to get me into one of those things. 🙂 Though, I’d totally be the lookout! Beauty stores should have a discount bin for all of that stuff, anyway. Opened, broken, buy as-is. That would save everyone some trouble. Admittedly, not the same kind of illicit fun, but definitely less stinky.
I think it is an absolutely disgusting idea. Rummaging around in a highly contaminated dumpster and then bringing products back home just to save a few bucks exposes the “diver” (and anyone else in the home who comes into contact with these products or the surfaces where they are placed prior to being properly sanitized) to all kinds of nasty microorganisms, viruses, and bacterias. Unless the “diver” plans on wearing a hazmat suit and then properly sanitizing the suit and all packages and the products prior to bringing them into the car or home, the “diver” is spreading contamination and exposing herself and others to major health risks. Is scoring products the “diver” may or may not actually want worth exposure to something like MRSA? Sorry, there are far better ways to curb waste than pulling germ covered products out of a germ ridden dumpster.
I got lots of my furniture in college by dumpster diving, lol! Although, since the resurgence of bedbugs, I’d be much more careful.
And, in several neighborhoods I’ve lived in in the Philadelphia area, it’s considered perfectly reasonable to check out what people have left at the curb for pickup before the ragpickers come to haul it away. I’ve found some great stuff that way!
I admit when I’m grateful when I find someone who is willing to accept my (carefully sanitized) used makeup that I’m not going to use anymore because I’ve found something better, but I would be reluctant to accept used makeup myself. People can unknowingly pass along skin infections of various kinds.
But diving for new, unused makeup? Sure! If I knew a good place to try. I’d go in armed with heavy-duty protective sleeves and gloves, though, and I’d want a good light. I think it’s ridiculous that it’s illegal. Really — protecting the trash from being stolen???
I wouldn’t with makeup. Way too much chance for infection, contamination, allergic reaction etc. Plus it’s considered theft and I don’t want to risk legal action for some makeup. I worked in cosmetics in the past, and we did have to throw away or destroy returns (which makes sense – selling used cosmetics to customers is pretty gross and opens you up for all kinds of lawsuits – I get super annoyed by people who open up packages at the drugstore to test things and just put them back on the shelf contaminated and gross – it’s women of all ages). There were times people would hide old tester makeup and take it home instead of destroying it, but that’s still considered theft.
That’s kind of the price you pay for return policies though. If you want a lenient return policy, there’s going to be waste. If the returns aren’t destroyed, there’s a lot of incentive for associates to return things unnecessarily so they can take them home or resell them.
I’m totally okay with looking in people’s trash for other things – especially things like scrap metal or things that can be sold for scrap metal, tires, furniture (with caveats to be careful because of bed bugs), etc. We have a giant wooden tiger from a carousel at my parents’ house that got thrown away because it was a little broken. I love that thing, and am going to try to convince my husband we should bring it to our house downstate because it’s mine. But, you know, the caveat is on private property, you’re taking the risk of legal action. You have to decide whether the risk is worth it or not to you. We as a society do throw a lot away that could be used otherwise.
Oh no, never! The thought of all the contaminants that could be on the products is more than enough to put me off, my toes are curling just thinking about it. I am quite happy to pay for my nice clean products straight from the counter in store thanks very much!
Remember how many more tons of food restaurants and groceries used to throw out before programs started to redistribute perfectly good canned goods, “extra” fresh produce, and sealed packages of day-old bread to people and organizations who could use it right away? That’s a business model someone could apply to this!
Stuff that isn’t sold should be donated! Plenty of women and men who can’t afford skincare and makeup that could really use it for job interviews or school! It’s so wasteful.
I’m not sure I’d dumspter dive though.
Same as you Karen– I can’t say I’d do it now (unless a bunch of friends were doing it, then it would just be a silly adventure I couldn’t resist), but when I was younger? Heck yes.
BTW, your little angel is just beautiful, and looks so much like you! Mine is 2.5 now and I can tell you it just gets better and better. 🙂
After college I lived in New York City where it was considered ok to pick through things left on the curb on trash day. My friend got a really good chair and lamp that way. I would never bring home upholstered furniture, but if I was younger I’d consider it. It all depends on if the dumpster had food waste that made it smelly. If it was a dumpster that was just used by one store and it just had paper and packaging and makeup, I’d do it. But if it was shared with a restaurant, probably not. I find that smells are hard to get rid of. Or maybe I just have an overly sensitive nose.
I know that sales associates often get testers, so why not if it reduces waste.
I wouldn’t do it, but I live in a college town and the week students move out they leave furniture on street corners, and I’ve picked up one of those plastic drawer units, which I washed and keep makeup in
Gross. I wouldn’t and even when I buy drugstore I check for seals and if none are present then I check for usage. Like some lip glosses have a clear part at the top that when you pull out the wand brings the gloss up and then you can confirm that it has been used. I check deodorant because for some reason people apply it and put it back on the shelf. That said I wish drugstore makeup came with testers, it would make picking at least foundation and concealer much more esier.
If I could get furniture/house stuff by dumpster diving I would do it. Shoes maybe…tools…stuff that would be easy to clean. Makeup is tempting but if it wasn’t brand new in a package and DRY/CLEAN idk if I could use it on my face. I would try dumpster diving at some diff stores though, if I could. I’m on a budget. Who knows what you can find. It’ll prob never happen though BC I really don’t know anyone to to with.
What REALLY worries me is that people might be doing this and then selling the stuff online. 🙁 ever since I found out about this I haven’t participated in any Reddit swaps or buys and I’m scared of ebay too. Unless someone can show me their receipt I’m sleeved out now.
Ditto on the reselling concerns.
Ew…never thought about the resale potential. That’s why I’m skeptical when I see that an Ebay seller has 25, 50 of a product.
No. I would not do this. I would probably do,it for food if I were starving. I mean, I would do it for sure, but for makeup? No. Goodwill, vlearance, yes, but not out of the trash.
No absolutely not :/ I won’t even use tester makeup on my face, I’m not about to use something out of the trash!
I would never do this. I wish these companies would consider sending their unused products to women’s shelters. This is quite a luxury for many of these women and would certainly be nice to pay it forward.
I’ve heard of this too! I don’t know if I would really crawl into a dumpster for used makeup but maybe if someone wanted to pass the bags down to me! lol
I’m way too much of a germophobe to do this, haha, so nope!
It’s unlikely a beauty dumpster diving will ever happen here in the Philippines, so I doubt I would do it. Heck, even so and if I go anywhere in the US, I still doubt I would.
Ewww, no way would I consider doing this!! I did make my poor husband dumpster dive once when I accidently threw out my engagement ring. He found it. So diamonds – yes. Makeup – no.