We all have some skincare products that didn’t really work for us lying around. Maybe we picked them up in our never-ending search for the holy grail products that’ll give us perfect, flawless and healthy skin, maybe they were a present from a loved one that just didn’t perform as well as we hoped or maybe our skin has changed overtime and what used to work for us has now become useless. Whatever the reason, what should we do with skincare products that don’t work for us? Throwing them away would just be a waste, especially when they can still be put to good use:
1. Give them away to friends and family
Juts because a product doesn’t work for you, it doesn’t mean that it won’t work for someone else. If a moisturizer is too lightweight and not moisturizing enough for your dry skin, then give it to someone with combination or oily skin for example. Does a cream contain an ingredient that’s problematic for you? Donate it to a friend who can tolerate it. For instance, my combination skin breaks out horribly whenever I use a cream with Isopropyl Palmitate, but I have friends with dry skin that slather it on their faces daily and never got a pimple! What you’d gladly throw away may make someone else very happy.
2. Use them on your body
The skin of our body is different, and thicker than that of our faces and needs more moisturizing products. If you find that your moisturizer is too rich for your face, then use it on your body. The same is true for sunscreen, serums and other skincare products, even eye creams. Even if they don’t have a too rich texture but simply they don’t seem to do anything for your face, apply them on your body. It will just keep it hydrated and moisturized, which is something it needs anyway, and you won’t have wasted money by throwing away a barely-used product.
3. Return them to the store
Unfortunately this is not a feasible solution for everyone as return policies vary from country to country and in some places, beauty products can’t be returned at all. So, before spending your money on a product, especially if it expensive, make sure you know what the return policy of the store is and if they allow products to be returned, don’t hesitate to do so if something doesn’t work for you. If instead, you can’t return products, make sure you ask for a sample so you can see how a product performs before purchasing. If the shop refuses to give out samples, just leave and take your money where it is more appreciated!
What do you do with skincare products that don’t work for you?
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
Very useful post, thanks! I do use to recycle things I don’t like on my body
Hobbit84, thanks and you’re welcome. I like that too, it’s a nice way of putting products to good use.
I have a tendency to use my unwanted facial moisturizers as hand creams. They work very well! Also, unwanted hair conditioner can be used as shaving cream for my legs while shampoos can be watered down to use as hand washes and/or lingerie detergent.
Dao´s last [type] ..Get Hip with LOreal HiP Color Truth Cream Eyeliner in Eggplant
Dao, those are great tips and I love how you recycle everything. Well done! I prefer to use conditioner than shaving creams for shaving as it makes my legs so soft and smooth! But I have never used shampoo as hand wash/lingerie detergent. Must definitely try that, thanks.
I try to sell them in online forums so I can get some cash back and feel better.
Mandy, that’s a really nice way to get rid of something you don’t use and make some money while making some other people happy.
I usually go for the first one
My mom gets first dibs on everything that doesn’t work out for me, or is more suited to her skin type.
Makeup Morsels´s last [type] ..Outlet Haul
Makeup Morsels, how lovely of you, your mum is very lucky.
I bought a lot of Bath & Body and Victoria Secret body lotion which I never finish them up because they just aren’t moisturizing enough for my super dry skin! Giving them away is the best idea!
Nikki, I’m sorry those lotions aren’t moisturizing enough for you but your friends must be very happy to get such nice products. That’s nice of you to give them away so someone else can enjoy them.
Nice ideas. I would have been scared to use it on other parts of body if it particularly didn’t worked great the first time. But now I know what to do
At first it just comes to my mind that I should throw them away or wait till its expiry date is over.
LatestGirls´s last [type] ..10 tips for doing the prom makeup
Latestgirl, I can see why you were weary of using them on other body parts but the skin of the body is thicker and less sensitive than that of the face. So products that didn’t work well on your face generally perform much better on the body.
I use unwated hair conditnor on my legs, use unwated perfume as a garbage freshner. I havent had mush exerpirence with a product i didnt like because I study the product very carefully berfore buyinh and using.
Prettykitty, those are great uses, thanks for sharing. And that’s great that you do your research before buying. That saves a lot of money and disappointment.
Typo I meant buying not buyinh and before not berfore. XD
Prettykitty, no worries. We all make typos sometimes.