donating make-up and skin care products to homeless shelters and the like?

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i understand that make-up and skin care can work/not work for certain people, not simply because they're "cheap" or "bad quality" (believe me, although i tend to splurge on lip products, i do own some really cheap eye make-up and they work wonders). although i have had much better luck since i started using high-end skin care, there are some really cheapo products that have worked well for me and some higher-end products that just SUCK. but a product that makes me break-out (because i have sensitive and oily skin) can probably be helpful for someone with dry skin.

  i read this story about a woman who donated her time and make-up artistry skills to women who were affected by the 2011 Japan earthquake/tsunami:  and i heard somewhere that in the US/Europe you can donate your make-up/skin care (that are far from being anywhere near their expiry dates/have only been recently opened) to homeless shelters/safe houses. or people who lost their homes in a natural disaster?   personally, i was taught in charm school to label my products with the date i opened them so i know when they will expire.
i currently live outside the US/Europe, and most stores don't have return policies (only one skin care company has a return policy).

i don't know. i guess most people donate clothes and food to those places. but i imagine there are women who just got out out physically abusive relationships and would have scars they would like to cover? maybe get them interested in something fun? maybe if they have no marketable skills and they're in a skill-building program where they get trained to be MUAs, it can be useful for them?

i personally don't know where to donate, but my first job was with a non-profit and i got to know some people who may know where i can send my make-up/skin care to. maybe i'll go contact them and ask around and get some advice.

i used to give them to my friends but i decided to quit doing that because they either earn a lot of money by themselves or have people to buy them make-up like that. i'd rather give it to people who can't afford it or don't even have a place to live.

so what do you do to your unused make-up? or skin care that didn't work out for you? if you've donated your make-up/skin care products before, i would really love to hear about your experiences.   Links to competing beauty forums removed due to ToS.
 
At work, we have a bin out during Christmas season for extra toiletries and cosmetics etc so people can donate and it is earmarked for a nearby Women's shelter. I usually clear my hoard stash for stuff I bought but decided I didn't want at that time and drop them in that bin. Once you find out where to donate, maybe you can organize something for your whole office. In theist, I would have just thrown those items away.

 
I read somewhere that there is a national (US) organization that collects makeup for prom for girls in economically depressed areas, like inner city or poor rural etc, they also take in used but dry cleaned dresses, accessories, shoes, etc. I'll see if I can look that up.

We were also recently talking about Temptalia and all the excess makeup she has, which she donates to a battered women's shelter. So you might want to email her and ask about the organization.

You could also contact your local red cross/red crescent since they are worldwide and they might collect it or give you ideas on where to donate.

 
http://www.thecinderellaprojectofnh.org/sister/index.php

This is my local one, they do accept makeup, including some used that can be sanitized. Nothing in jars that you use your fingers to dig out product, no used mascara or gloss. They do prefer unused product including samples.

http://www.donatemydress.org/donate.html

This is where you can find your local, you would have to contact them for whether they accept makeup and in what condition.

http://www.dressforsuccess.org/dfs_affiliates.aspx

This is another great project. They help disadvantaged women by giving them suits, and accessories, makeup, etc to prepare them for interviews. They also help them find jobs and help them with a work wardrobe once they are hired. They also have locations all over the world!

And you can always contact your local womens shelter/domestic violence program and ask if they accept these kinds of donations.

 
Originally Posted by divadoll /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Once you find out where to donate, maybe you can organize something for your whole office. In theist, I would have just thrown those items away.
you're lucky you have an office job. i work two jobs, but i'm an independent contractor, so i don't really know my coworkers (i haven't even met some of them, some i've met at a luncheon). i'm thinking, actually, since my friends have good jobs and/or have SOs who buy them stuff and can afford to hit/miss on make-up/skin care, i'll go ask them if they'd like to donate.

Originally Posted by DonnaJ /img/forum/go_quote.gif

We were also recently talking about Temptalia and all the excess makeup she has, which she donates to a battered women's shelter. So you might want to email her and ask about the organization.

You could also contact your local red cross/red crescent since they are worldwide and they might collect it or give you ideas on where to donate.
the Red Cross! thank you for that one. they have international presence. i'm thinking, apart from women shelters, maybe LGBTQ organizations too?

 
I actually work for a gov't agency... not really typical office work but our charities committee work really hard to raise money for lots of causes.  We do our own during the holidays.  Our section raised $100 for the Food Bank each year.  I'm starting a new job at the end of this month and my coworkers will consist of about 2 or 3 employees at each centre across Canada. 

 
Thank you all so much for the information about shelters that accept makeup donations. I don't have a lot of unused makeup, since I tend to buy only the products that I know work for me, but I'd gladly purchase some extras and donate them to charity. What a great idea.

 
Originally Posted by divadoll /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I actually work for a gov't agency... not really typical office work but our charities committee work really hard to raise money for lots of causes.  We do our own during the holidays.  Our section raised $100 for the Food Bank each year.  I'm starting a new job at the end of this month and my coworkers will consist of about 2 or 3 employees at each centre across Canada. 
that's pretty awesome.

Originally Posted by TeresaDouglas /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Thank you all so much for the information about shelters that accept makeup donations. I don't have a lot of unused makeup, since I tend to buy only the products that I know work for me, but I'd gladly purchase some extras and donate them to charity. What a great idea.
you don't even need to "purchase some extras", you know how we get sample-sizes of things when we spend a lot at a counter? or birthday perks from loyalty programs? i also noticed that in the US/Canada and Europe there are services like Birchbox and Glymm Box and stuff like that (and people on YouTube complain all the time about how "oooooh, i don't even need this stuff, it's not the right color/i don't have dry hair" or whatever, and i think "what a waste"). i get a lot of free stuff in my goodie bags when i attend beauty/fashion events (which i get invited to as a perk) and some of the stuff tend to be for people without acne prone skin (they always play safe and give your products for normal skin). some magazines will hold a giveaway and the prize is an ENTIRE BASKET of stuff (and you only entered for one item 
wink.gif
 or you don't like the colors you got). so, yeah...

i heard that if you're going to pass on your lipstick, you should scrap/cut your lipstick to keep it clean (throw out the part that was on your lips before). does anyone know how to sanitize things like eye shadow/blush?

 
Originally Posted by peppersasen /img/forum/go_quote.gif



i heard that if you're going to pass on your lipstick, you should scrap/cut your lipstick to keep it clean (throw out the part that was on your lips before). does anyone know how to sanitize things like eye shadow/blush?
You can wipe them with a tissue to remove a layer of the pressed powders and give it a spray of alcohol. 

 
Also, dip the lipstick in alcohol. You don't have to chop off the end, it will be sanitized from the alcohol, but lots of people chop it off anyway since many women will be skeeved just by it looking used. (I would! lol)

 
Quote: Originally Posted by divadoll /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I actually work for a gov't agency... not really typical office work but our charities committee work really hard to raise money for lots of causes.  We do our own during the holidays.  Our section raised $100 for the Food Bank each year.  I'm starting a new job at the end of this month and my coworkers will consist of about 2 or 3 employees at each centre across Canada. 

that's pretty awesome.

Quote: Originally Posted by TeresaDouglas /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Thank you all so much for the information about shelters that accept makeup donations. I don't have a lot of unused makeup, since I tend to buy only the products that I know work for me, but I'd gladly purchase some extras and donate them to charity. What a great idea.


you don't even need to "purchase some extras", you know how we get sample-sizes of things when we spend a lot at a counter? or birthday perks from loyalty programs? i also noticed that in the US/Canada and Europe there are services like Birchbox and Glymm Box and stuff like that (and people on YouTube complain all the time about how "oooooh, i don't even need this stuff, it's not the right color/i don't have dry hair" or whatever, and i think "what a waste"). i get a lot of free stuff in my goodie bags when i attend beauty/fashion events (which i get invited to as a perk) and some of the stuff tend to be for people without acne prone skin (they always play safe and give your products for normal skin). some magazines will hold a giveaway and the prize is an ENTIRE BASKET of stuff (and you only entered for one item 
wink.gif
 or you don't like the colors you got). so, yeah...

i heard that if you're going to pass on your lipstick, you should scrap/cut your lipstick to keep it clean (throw out the part that was on your lips before). does anyone know how to sanitize things like eye shadow/blush?
That's a great point about the sample-sized products that we get with department store counter purchases! Most of my makeup is of the drugstore variety, so I had that in mind when I commented on purchasing extras, but I do take some trips to the counters sometimes as well :) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />.
 
thank you for the sanitation suggestions. but... i just read that "acceptance of opened/used health and beauty products was prohibited by law, due to sanitary issues." someone mentioned it to me. and i'm glad she said so soon. i was just about to buy a whole pack sponge applicators or disposable mascara brushes since that's what MUAs do. is it also illegal to swap make-up/skin care products? i see a lot of people do that. i've never done it myself.

i hear people get extra products when they cut food coupons and then donate half of what they get? does it apply to make-up and skin care? are there coupons for that?

anyway, how do you ladies feel about donating magazines? i get sent/given so many free magazines also. and sometimes i get copies of magazines i already own. but i feel really bad/queasy about donating those. because those magazines are marketed for certain groups (i mean they feature designer make-up and high-end skin care). i really don't want to women in homeless shelters to be reading that because it's kind of like rubbing it in their faces that they can't afford them. on the other hand, they could learn how to apply make-up with those magazines or something. i'm torn. i'm more inclined NOT to donate magazines. they list each product's prices and i hate rubbing it in people's faces when they barely have a home.

 
I don't think donating magazines are offensive. I think they are extravagances that people of low income don't/can't afford to indulge in. $5+ per issue is a lot of money. You don't have to spend a lot of money to look current and fresh but it'd be great to have some styles to go by. Many of these women have just run into hard times, they weren't always poor. People need to feel normal and not always have to be in a sad reality. Magazines is just 1 way to escape. I don't alway have money to spend on a regular subscription of a magazine but if one is lying around at work or dr/dentist office, I'll pick it up and browse no matter how old the issue.

 

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