I’m glad I had only thrown away a couple of panned out MAC blushes – all Pink Swoon – before I got to know about the Back To M.A.C Program. Haha, I wasn’t too adventurous in the past when it came to blushes. I still have another Pink Swoon in my stash, but the most often used blush now is Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso.

2 Pink Swoons saying goodbye.

Back to MAC Recycling Program. When you turn in 6 containers that have plastic (in their primary packaging, excluding cardboard boxes they come in), you receive either a free lipstick at a MAC counter in a department store or a free lipstick, lip gloss, or single eye shadow at a freestanding MAC store. May 30, 2013 One thing I love and appreciate from MAC Cosmetics is the fact that they share a mutual commitment to the environment. By returning 6 empty primary containers of your old makeup to a MAC counter in a department store or at an actual MAC store you receive a free lipstick (department stores - lipstick only) lipgloss or single. All you have to do is take 6 empty pots and plastic inserts back to a MAC freestanding store and you will receive a free lipstick, lipglass or eyeshadow of your choice. Please note MAC counters will only allow you to trade in 6 Back2MAC empties for a free lipstick. Pan eyeshadows are cheaper in the long run.

Back To M.A.C is the company’s recycling program, and is one of its five social initiative programs.

• .Complimentary lipsticks limited to those with a retail price of $36.00, and excludes all those from limited life or Viva Glam collections. Customers will be notified if any shades are out of stock. Since 100% of the retail selling proceeds of Viva Glam Lipstick is provided to organisations that help people living with HIV/AIDS, these colours.
• Feb 28, 2019 The company's Back-to-MAC program encourages recycling by accepting six containers of any Mac product in exchange for your choice of lipstick - for free.

The program is pretty clear-cut – return six M.A.C primary packaging containers in exchange for a free MAC lipstick of your choice. The lipstick cannot be from the M.A.C Viva Glam program as 100% of the purchase price of any item from that program contributes to the M.A.C AIDS Fund. I think they used to offer lipglass and eye shadow too, but now it’s only lipstick.

So you can pretty much bring back anything MAC, except for samples, applicators (like puffs, sharpeners, curlers), false lashes, cases, etc.

From MAC website:

Most primary packaging of M·A·C products is accepted as Back to M·A·C 'currency.' M·A·C does not accept the following as a part of the program:

1. Secondary packaging of any sort [paper box, plastic/cellophane wrapper, shopping bags, etc.]
2. Samples [sample containers, special/trial size products for promotional/seasonal kits]
3. Cosmetic applicators/tools [disposables, puffs, sponges, scissors, spatulas, swabs, sharpeners, tweezers, curlers]
4. Accessories [bags, belts, makeup cases, lashes, Blot Film].

If you are unsure of whether an item is considered a ‘primary packaging’, simply bring it to a MAC counter or see if your item falls into any of the categories below.

I brought home 2 lipsticks in exchange for 10 eyeshadow pots and 2 blush pans! YAY!!! 😀

I didn’t choose the colors on a whim, though; I spent a long, long time picking the top 2 that I liked – a pink and a coral. It must have been 3 or 4 trips to various MAC counters, asking the opinion of several MUAs before I decided on See Sheer and Speed Dial.

Really, never judge a book by its cover. I was not entirely positive the shades the young and trendy-looking MUAs picked for me previously suited my taste that well. Then on the last visit, it was a slightly um, older and less hip-looking MUA that served me. She picked See Sheer and Speed Dial and I LOVED how they looked on me straight away!

I told her I wanted a pink and a coral, but unlike the others who simply chose a general pink and a random coral and shoved it into my hands, she actually stood in front of the lipstick counter for a while and gave thought to her selection. Talk about professionalism! Wootz! 😀

Back To MAC Program lipsticks are marked with a cross. And apparently they keep different stock for normal purchases and Back To MAC. If you want a color that is not stocked for the Back To MAC Program, they will not give you one from the normal inventory. That was what happened with my See Sheer. Raffles City MAC ran out of stock so I had to get it at the Ngee Ann store.

I think Back To MAC is an excellent recycling program. It not only helps us to correctly dispose of plastic containers, but also encourages us to depot our eyeshadows to save space! Some people immediately depot their eyeshadows to put in customizable palettes like the Z-palette and accumulate enough to exchange for a MAC lipstick!

It’s a pity only MAC in Ngee Ann City Singapore sells the refill pans. They cost about SGD5 less than the potted ones. MAC should sell those refill pans in all Singapore stores so we can save money and the environment!

Oh, another thing. One of MAC’s five social initiatives is MAC Cruelty-Free Beauty, and the company prides itself on not testing on animals. This seems to have changed though and there have been cries of outrage from bloggers (like Phyrra) who feel betrayed that their trust has been trampled on. What are your views?

April is commonly known as Earth Month so you might be stepping up your recycling game or making a conscious effort to buy more sustainable beauty products. While it’s something we should be doing all year round, April is a good reminder to kick us into gear. The MAC lipstick exchange recycling program can help in a small but important way by letting you recycle old products in exchange for a free new one. Yes, I said free.

It’s not a new program, as Allure points out, but it’s one that’s popping up on Reddit and Instagram as of late, which might mean people are taking advantage of the program more than ever. To enroll, all you have to do is join the MAC rewards program. It’s free to join and easy to reap the benefits. Sort of like Sephora Insider, MAC’s reward program has three tiers depending on how much you spend in the store: Lover, Devoted and Obsessed. Most importantly, each level includes the Back-to-M·A·C program, so no matter how much dough you drop, you can get a freebie.

When you finish a MAC product, make sure you hold onto the component it comes in. Return six empty containers and you’ll receive your complimentary product, either a Lipstick, Lipglass or Single Eye Shadow worth up to $17. Pretty cool, right?

Find out more info on the loyalty and recycling program over on MAC’s website now.

How Many Mac Empties For A Free Lipstick

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