Recycling beauty products is a challenge, no matter how diligent you try and be. Due to the often intricate nature of bottles (metal springs in pumps, for example), the complications with colored- or darkened-glass, the plethora of plastic, formulas (like nail polish) that simply can't be recycled after use, embedded mirrors, and so on, even if you try your best, what you toss in the recycling bin likely still will end up in the landfill. It's, by all accounts, not a great situation for green beauty lovers. In fact, it's downright disappointing. The issue is there aren't great alternatives: Credo has a recycling program, and many individual brands have started doing refill initiatives in store or online. But this is only a small dent in the bigger picture. There are simply so many beauty products on the market and the fact is most of them can't be properly recycled.

As major retail players continue to navigate the ever-changing 2020 landscape, attempting to set themselves apart to consumers still proves to be a challenge. For Nordstrom, a brand that has reinvigorated itself in the better half of the last decade — with a fresh, editorial merchandising perspective and socially conscious initiatives — joining its costumers, and the world, on a push for environmental responsibility is its newest frontier. On Thursday, October 1, Nordstrom announced the launch of BEAUTYCYCLE, a new in-store beauty recycling program with global leader in the space, TerraCycle. The program, effective immediately, makes Nordstrom the first brand-agnostic beauty take-back and recycling program at any major retailer. Through BEAUTYCYCLE, customers can bring their empty beauty products to any Nordstrom or Nordstrom Local — regardless of brand or purchase location — to be recycled using boxes available in the beauty department. The retailer will then send the products to TerraCycle, where they will be cleaned and separated into metals, glass and plastics, and distributed for repurposing (think plastics into new park benches, metals into nuts and bolts). The program comes as Nordstrom set the remainder of its 2025 corporate social responsibility goals around environmental sustainability, where its team decided on three key impact areas of focus, including climate change, environmental impact of our products and services, and circularity. Through these goals, Nordstrom is committed to taking back 100 tons of beauty packaging to be recycled by 2025.

Luxury Daily's live news: US department store chain Nordstrom debuts BeautyCycle recycling program First major retailer to offer a recycling program for all brands of hard-to-recycle beauty packaging in partnership with global recycling leader TerraCycle.

Nordstrom customers can now recycle all brands of beauty packaging in-store. For this initiative, the retailer partnered with TerraCycle and Beautycycle, the first beauty take-back and recycling program accepting all brands of beauty packaging at a major retailer. Customers can now bring in their empty beauty product packaging to be recycled at any of Nordstrom’s full-line stores or Nordstrom Local service hubs in the continental United States. Through this program, Nordstrom aims to take back 100 tons of hard-to-recycle beauty packaging by 2025 to ensure it’s recycled. According to Nordstrom, many municipal recycling centers do not accept beauty materials and packaging, as they often contain a mix of materials that are not locally recyclable.

How it works

• Customers can bring their empty beauty products to any Nordstrom or Nordstrom Local to be recycled. Beautycycle boxes will be available in the beauty department.
• Nordstrom will send the content of these boxes to TerraCycle where they are cleaned and separated into metals, glass, and plastics.
• Those materials are then recycled based on the material composition. For example, plastics are recycled into a wide range of new products including park benches and picnic tables, while metals are reused as base materials for stamped product applications like nuts, bolts, washers, and rings.

What items can be recycled?

Customers can bring empty cosmetic, haircare or skincare packaging regardless of brand or purchase location. This includes:

• Shampoo and conditioner bottles and caps
• Hair gel tubes and caps
• Hair spray bottles and triggers
• Hair paste plastic jars and caps
• Lip balm tubes
• Face soap dispensers and tubes
• Lotion bottles, tubes, dispensers, and jars
• Shaving foam tubes (no cans)
• Lip gloss tubes
• Mascara tubes
• Eye liner pencils and cases
• Eye shadow and tubes
• Concealer tubes and sticks

Lots of news from the beauty industry, a new footwear collection, and more fashion news that made headlines in September.

• A new fashion documentary traces the life and design of Pierre Cardin.
• Now that temperatures are dropping in the northern hemisphere, leather face masks are on the rise.
• After 60 years, discount department store Century 21 is closing its doors.
• Nordstrom has announced it will stop selling products made of real fur and exotic animal skins by the end of 2021.
• Former J.Crew creative director Jenna Lyons is getting into the beauty business.
• Meanwhile, J.Crew is closing all six of its stores in the UK.
• Press-on nails are currently very popular as many people are postponing a visit to the nail salon.
• Canadian brand Mackage is branching out into footwear.
• The North Face is teaming up with Gucci for a clothing collaboration that celebrates the great outdoors.
• California is the first US state that will ban 24 toxic ingredients in cosmetics.
• Nordstrom is partnering with TerraCycle to create BeautyCycle, an in-store depository that will ensure your empty beauty packaging actually gets recycled.

FUN FASHION TRICK

Did you know that you can avoid static cling with a safety pin? If you place it on the inner hem of your garment, it will dispel the charge, and leave you cling-free.

“The soul has been given its own ears to hear things the mind does not understand.” -Rumi Happy Friday!! Thank goodness it’s the weekend. I am looking forward to moments of destressing and relaxation, enjoying the crisp fall weather. As much as I love summer, there is something about the fall season that brings new hope and adventure.Fall has always felt like a new beginning. Maybe it stems from the start of school; new grade, new classes, etc. Maybe it’s the changing of the leaves and nature. Whatever the reason, fall has always brought a newfound optimism, that something wonderful is about to happen to me. And it usually does; change of apartments, new romances, growth in business, a new niece (in a month!!), etc. Whatever wonderful thing that this fall seasons brings into my life, I am ready for it! This past week was filled with ups and downs. We all watched the dumpster fire of a Presidental debate Tuesday evening. I immediately saged my apartment afterward. I had to get rid of the negativity ASAP! You know that meme of Ben Affleck smoking a cigarette outside looking completely disheveled and stressed? That is how I felt. I said to myself: I need a cigarette right now… and I do not smoke, at all. It was that stressful. But I do not need to tell you, you watched it and felt the same way. I know the media is calling to end the debates, but I think that is a terrible idea. More than ever we need to hear these two candidates stance on policies and a clear layout of their plans. I feel there are so many people who are not voting by party but by the candidate this year, so hearing from them is important. I encourage you to really do your research on each topic and VOTE! This isn’t the year to sit this one out. Even if you do not like either candidate, please do not sit this one out. VOTE VOTE VOTE!! Besides looking up how to obtain citizenship in London, this past week was busy. Monday I had a doctor’s appointment; regular check-up and got a flu shot. I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I would be going to my first in-house doctor’s appotinemnt since the pandemic started. Maybe because by now we are all so used to protocols. And it is a doctors office, knowing they know more about COVID and what to do than anyone else, helped elevate any hesitation. Also this week I had a webinar with RewardStyle. They talked about upcoming holiday strategies amongst current affairs. Since the holidays will be so different this year, I am rethinking my usualy holiday content. Maybe do less holiday styles and more gift guides. I am not sure what route I want to do. To start my day and the weekend off on the right note, I participated in Carbon38′s dance class this morning with my friend, Lindsay Howe. It was a fun, quick 30 minute IG Live cardio dance class. I have been working out in the afternoons since the pandemic started, so it was a nice change to wake up early and sweat. What I am watching: I caved and started watching Dancing With The Stars. I made a big huff and puff about them firing Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews and vowed to boycott it. But I am weak. The glitter costumes and salsa hips pulled me back in. I am glad that I decided to watch it again this year, as it is one of my favorite shows. It brings a lot of joy and I look forward to it each week– even if I have to fast forward through Tyra Banks. I’ve never been a fan of hers. This year’s contestants are really good– they are donig an amazing job for it being the 3rd week. Catfish creator, Nev Schulman, is by far the best one. I am very impressed by his elegance, strength, and ability to catch on quickly. He looks as if he is a trained dancer! If Nev doesn’t win I am rooting for AJ McLean or Johnny Weir to win. All 3 men are the best, so far. Another show I started watching is Hart of Dixie with Rachel Bilson, Jamie King, and the guy who played Jason in Friday Night Lights (the show). Anyway, I ran out of things to binge-watch and a few people had recommended the show to me. It’s been off air since 2015. I remember it while it was on The CW but never really interested me. But I was looking for a light-hearted, entertaining show and so I gave it a go. I really enjoy it! I don’t know if it would have kept my interest back in the day when it aired in 2011, waiting each week for a new episode, but I am enjoying binge-watching episode after episode. There are a lot of love-triangles, which I can’t make my mind up on who I want to end up with who (Please no spoilers!). I also love the small town, care for your neighbor, type story. It seems we all need a lessen in that these days. What I bought: Tuckernuck was having a major sale earlier this week. I bought this dress to work from home in. I bought it in an x-small, it is loose fitted. However, I may have to exchange it for a small (haven’t received it in the mail yet) as it does have sleeves. The x-small will work with my torso, but I am not sure if it will work with my shoulders and arms. We will have to see. I almost bought this dress instead (and may go back and purchase it), but ultimately went with the shorter length dress. I also bought this headband. I know I already have the white pearl headband, but that is for fancy occasions. I wanted a white headband for an everyday look. I believe you can never have too many headbands! This weekend I have nothing on the agenda but to enjoy the real first taste of fall. I may head uptown to Central Park to see if any of the leaves have changed. I know I need to run a few errands; get a new book, donate clothes, etc. I am also planning on watching Enola Holmes on Netflix. Seems to be having rave reviews. I hope the weather stays decently nice so I can go for a ran, as my running days are numbered with the cold seasons starting. Never been one who cares to run in the cold. No thank you! Have a wonderful weekend xo

As the first major retailer to offer a recycling program for all brands, Nordstrom pledges to take back 100 tons of beauty packaging by 2025.