I recycled 5 old lipsticks at Boots and got £5 in points – here’s exactly how it works (and what they’ll take)!

Back to MAC is gone, but I still had a drawer full of old lipsticks. So I tried Boots’ Scan2Recycle scheme. Yes, it’s a little fiddly, but for 5 minutes of effort, I got 500 Advantage Card points – that’s £5 when you spend £10 or more.

Here’s how it went:

You start by signing up at the Scan2Recycle page (just search “Boots Scan2Recycle” or use the link below). Then you have to register each item you want to recycle. That means taking a photo, writing a short description (e.g. “used lipstick, brand X”), and submitting it. I did five old lipsticks – you can mix and match different products.

They approved mine instantly, though it can take up to 24 hours.

Once your products are approved, you’ve got 2 days to take them to a participating Boots store. I handed mine over at the counter – some stores have a special bin.

Then comes the timing bit: after dropping off, go back into your account and press ‘Claim Rewards’. That starts a 30-minute countdown. You now have half an hour to buy something worth £10 or more in-store, and scan your Advantage Card to get your 500 points.

The catch? If you press “claim” and don’t complete your purchase in that 30 minutes, you lose the claim and have to start again with new items.

Also – once your items are approved, you have 2 days to drop them off, and then 2 more days to press “claim”. So don’t leave it too long.

What they accept:

Lipsticks (like mine), mascaras, eyeliners, foundations

Shampoo and conditioner bottles

Deodorant sprays or roll-ons

Face creams, moisturisers, hand creams

Toothpaste tubes, razors, body wash bottles

Anything health, wellness, or beauty-related

Items from any brand – doesn’t have to be Boots

What they don’t accept: nail polish, perfume bottles, aerosols over 500ml, or electricals like toothbrushes and hairdryers.

Why Boots is doing this: Most beauty packaging can’t be recycled through household bins – it’s too small, mixed materials, or just not picked up. Boots works with a recycling partner who breaks it all down and reuses it. It’s part of their sustainability push, and a clever way to get us into stores.

So yes, it’s a bit of digital admin, but for five old lipsticks I was going to chuck anyway, I got £5 off my shop. Definitely one to try if you’re clearing out!