Mac Containers For Free Lipstick

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.

The Back to Mac program is a great initiative to help their customers recycle their old makeup products. In return for recycling, you receive a free Mac lipstick! If you and your friends shop for makeup at Mac, spread the word to them so they can stop wasting perfectly good packaging and take it back to the store. Sample our must-have products – simply select 3 complimentary samples at checkout. Free shipping offer valid on all orders SAR 250 and over. Orders not exceeding SAR 250 will incur a shipping and handling fee. For more information see our SHIPPING INFO. For details on how to return a product – see our RETURNS. 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. That means you can get a freebie (Free Mac lipstick) simply by trading in your old bottles and palettes that were headed for the recycling/bin anyway. Blub from Mac below: Because we share your commitment to the environment, MAC accepts returns of its primary packaging through the Back to MAC Program. Did you know you can get a FREE M.A.C lipstick when you return six empty MAC lipstick containers to one of their stores or counters? This Back to M.A.C initiative has been running for a long time now and means you can pick a brand new shade of lipstick for yourself worth around £15.

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.

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!

Mac

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.

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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?

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Mac Containers For Free Lipstick Kit

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

Mac Containers For Free Lipstick Sale

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Mac Containers For Free Lipstick Storage

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