What to do with unwanted beauty products

Almost everyone has a drawer of beauty products they don't use: a foundation that looked different at home, a serum that didn't suit their skin, a gift set in the wrong scent, the second bottle bought in a sale. Shades are hard to judge in a store, skin changes with seasons, and gifts are a guess.

These products are not useless. Most are perfectly good for someone else; they are just in the wrong home. The question is how to move them on safely, before they expire.

Sealed and in date: the factory seal, shrink wrap or safety foil is intact and the product is within its expiry date. These have the most options.

Opened: anything you have used, even once, or whose seal is broken. Opened products that touch skin, lips or eyes are personal, and in most cases they can only be used up by you or thrown away.

Expired or changed: past the expiry date, past the period-after-opening shown by the open-jar symbol (for example 12M = 12 months after opening), or with a change in smell, color or texture. These should not be used or passed on.

Return or exchange it. If you bought it recently, check the store's return policy; many accept unopened beauty within their return window, and some accept opened products too.

Give it to someone who will use it. A friend, a sister, a colleague who wears that shade. It's the simplest option when you know the right person.

Donate it. Some shelters and community organizations accept new, sealed toiletries and cosmetics. Rules differ, so call ahead and ask what they need.

Swap it. On SwapMyBeauty you list sealed products for free and swap them with other members for products you actually want, without buying or selling. A swap happens only when every member approves it, and you pay only your share of postage and a small service fee of 5% of the value you receive + $0.70 (max $7.99) per completed swap.

For opened makeup, skincare, haircare and bath products, the hygienic choice is to use them up (as a body product, on weekends, for travel) or to dispose of them. They should not be swapped, sold or donated, and SwapMyBeauty does not accept them.

Perfume is the one common exception, because it is sprayed without touching the liquid. SwapMyBeauty's Second Love Club, a free pilot in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, lets members swap perfume in its original clear bottle with at least 70% left, plus cleaned brushes, non-electric tools and accessories, under strict rules.

Check your town's rules before throwing beauty products away. Liquids and aerosols may have special disposal rules, and alcohol-based perfume is flammable. Rinse empty containers where your local recycling program accepts them; some brands and stores also run take-back programs for empty packaging.

Ask for samples before buying a full size, swatch in daylight, keep receipts for 30 days, and give friends a short wish list before birthdays and holidays. Our guide to decluttering your beauty collection has a simple routine to keep it under control.