This Earth Day, we’re spotlighting the impact of recycle:me — our takeback scheme helping customers recycle what can’t go in their household recycling bins. 

As the UK moves towards more standardised and sustainable waste practices, upcoming regulations are encouraging businesses to take greater responsibility for their packaging. Our recycle:me scheme has been developed in preparation for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) — a set of regulations which includes modulated fees based on the recyclability of packaging. While the final details of EPR are still being confirmed, recycle:me positions us ahead of the curve, supporting more sustainable choices and providing a solution for hard-to-recycle plastic beauty packaging.  

While much of the beauty industry’s packaging can’t be recycled kerbside which includes pumps, tubes and miniatures— recycle:me fills the gap. 

What makes recycle:me different 

Unlike many packaging takeback schemes that rely on in-store collection bins, recycle:me is accessible right from your doorstep. More importantly, it meets the government’s stringent EPR-compliant criteria: 

• Available to over 75% of the UK population 
• Accepts any brand, no matter where it was bought 
• Fully auditable with verified recycling partners 
• Free to use  
• Educates customers on what should go in their kerbside bins 

Plus, users are rewarded for recycling their items. 

With recycle:me, customers simply upload photos of their empty items in our app, get them approved, then choose whether to send them via post, drop them at a collection point, or book a free doorstep collection. It’s that easy — no printing, no labels, no need to leave your home. 

The impact so far 

Though still new, the numbers already speak volumes: 

• Over 20,000 users have signed up since launch 
• More than 8 tonnes of plastic have been diverted from landfill 
• High repeat usage suggests that once customers try it, they come back again 

The goal is clear: to prevent hard-to-recycle beauty packaging from ending up in landfill — a key step in our wider waste and circularity mission. 

What can and can’t be recycled 

Through recycle:me, almost all plastic beauty packaging is accepted, with one key exception: anything containing mirrors. Why? During the recycling process, items are ground down and sorted by density using flotation tanks. A mirror attached to plastic weighs it down, rendering the entire piece unrecyclable. 

Other than that, virtually all plastic formats that can’t go kerbside — pots, tubes, pumps, minis — can be collected and recycled through our scheme. 

What customers get in return 

For every five approved items, customers can currently earn a £5 reward. Rewards can be used as points or credit for LOOKFANTASTIC or Cult Beauty purchases.  

Why it works 

Feedback from our app users tells us that the convenience is what sets recycle:me apart. It’s flexible, easy to use, and free — with added incentives. Unlike other schemes that rely on physical stores or specific retailers, we collect from your doorstep, mirroring how we deliver to you. 

recycle:me is designed for real people, busy lives, and a future where recycling shouldn’t feel like a chore. 

This Earth Day, we’re proud of the impact we’ve made — and even more excited about what comes next. 

Help keep hard-to-recycle packaging out of landfill — download the recycle:me app today. https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/recycle-me/id6670749154