By now you’re obviously overflowing with enthusiasm, excited for your new minimalist skincare routine and ready to throw 90 per cent of your belongings in the bin. But slow down and remember a huge part of this is about reducing waste. That means finishing up what you have before you rush to replace or ditch it. 

Once you’re done with your empties, it’s time to get rid of them. Chances are if you’re interested in skin minimalism, you’re already likely starting to think about the impact of waste and perhaps are trying to stick to products packaged in recyclable materials. 

Unfortunately, the design, packaging and materials of most cosmetics and skincare mean they’re not suitable for regular curbside recycling – even if they’re made from glass or metal. Luckily, TerraCycle exists. They've partnered with leading retailers and brands including MECCA, David Jones and Priceline (in partnership with Maybelline) to give empties a second life. 

A quick check of their website will help you locate your nearest drop off point and get a sense of what products that location is able to accept. If you don’t live near a deposit point, you can also take advantage of one of its “ship in” programs.

While you might need to spend a few minutes sorting your empties, overall TerraCycle is less complex to navigate than regular council-specific recycling programs. Yes, that means you won’t be squinting to see if that’s a 5 or a 6 code on the bottom of the bottle.