1. As consumers make a more conscious effort to buy sustainable products, these programs are a win-win. Makeup addicts take advantage of these promotions as it allows them to continue their obsessions guilt-free. Check out this site for more information on different companies that offer these recycling programs and how to get involved.
2. Does Mac still do the recycle program? M.A.C COSMETICS With their 'Back to M.A.C' recycling program, the glam cosmetic powerhouse will give you a free lipstick in exchange for six of your empties. Recycling is available in-store or online.

Week 3 - M.A.C's Social Glue to a Vibrant and Civilized Society

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

Mac Cosmetics Recycling Program

Ethics are the moral principle or values that govern the conduct of an individual or a group . Ethics are important because they are the rules and guidelines along with customs and traditions that provide principles of right action .M.A.C. cosmetics fall right into play when ethics are of concern. In the business world , ethical behavior is mandatory. Ethics come from ones personal morals and is up to them to stay true to both themselves and society to do the right thing .M.A.C has proved their position on corporate and social responsibility by making sure there products are not tested on animals and ensuring that their products packaging only be recyclable black and white and mainly made out of glass. They encourage consumers to recycle by given away a free lipstick of their choice if they return six empty containers of M.A.C product.

M.A.C has to be the the strongest cosmetic company showing great support for the fight against AIDS .Aside from campaigns , M.A.C has eve made a very popular lipstick -'Viva Glam' in 1992 which also comes with a condom , and has donated to various AIDS organizations and causes. Nancy Mahon is the senior vice president of M.A.C Cosmetics and executive director of the M.A.C AIDS fund , who considers herself not a 'Glamour Girl' but believes in the power of lipstick . M.A.C AIDS fund has donated $20 million to programs in 57 countries ,including South Africa, the Caribbean and the United States. M.A.C's non-profit AIDS fund program has now fell in the third-largest corporate donor to AIDS-related causes and is funded entirely by the sales of M.A.C's Viva Glam lip products. M.A.C has made $14 of Viva Glam lip products go towards the AIDS fund .
Viva Glam uses celebrity faces based on their ties to the cause. The biggest success in sales of Viva Glam came when former Baywatch star Pamela Anderson , an actress was open and honest and stated ' I have hepatatitis . No one should be ashamed of getting an illness.' Since her public announcment the company has given more than $128 million to various AIDS-related projects , including $4.5 million for a prevention and treatment intiative in the Caribbean.The commitment to the causes keeps the company's customers coming back for more M.A.C products and their employees from leaving the company.

M.A.C isn't only good at their business but they are strongly against cruelty and are big on treating their employees well. They also have high expectations. 'Our suppliers must comply with our Supplier Code of Conduct. The Code outlines our expectations on quality, health and safety, environment, labor conditions and human rights – including our zero tolerance policy regarding prisoners, slave labor and human trafficking.' They also have an ongoing audit process that includes independent third party assessment.
M.A.C talks about Ethics and have defined in many ways, they have showed social responsibility to the fullest extend which is why I will continue be a customer at M.A.C cosmetics.

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

Mac Cosmetics Back To Mac

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:

How Many Mac Containers For Free Lipstick

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].

Vsdc editor. 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.

How Many Mac Empties For A Free Lipstick

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. Recover my files con crack. 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?