Dumpster Diving for Make-Up is Not a Great Beauty Tip
Two Arlington teens were in hot water after they were caught dumpster diving for make-up behind Ulta.
Surprised by this? I just did a quick YouTube search of 'Ulta dumpster diving.' It returned 59,200 results, and all 20 on the front page looked legitimate. How many people are watching these videos? The top hit has been viewed 1.6 million times.
Because I was curious, I watched the video below. It's 13 minutes, and it shows a mother and daughter digging in a dumpster right outside the back door of an Ulta, finding brand new products and free gift items that have been tossed.
This video was published just a couple of months ago on March 5, and already has over 400,000 views. The girl claims she has found $4,500 worth of product in this dumpster, but if you watch the news story above you'll learn it is not all fun and games.
"The girls said they saw this thing on Facebook claiming you could find tons of makeup in Ulta's dumpsters," Arlington Police Lt. Chris Cook told WFAA via email. "We began checking, and there are a lot of people claiming that but we think it's a hoax."
They also reached out to Ulta spokesperon, Karen May, to get the brand's perspective. In a statement to WFAA she discouraged the practice.
"Health and safety is a top priority for Ulta Beauty and we strongly discourage the unsafe, and sometimes illegal practice of “dumpster diving. We are aware that individuals sometimes assume the risks associated with this practice and retrieve discarded products. Ulta Beauty, like other retailers, disposes of products for a reason. All products that are damaged, used, expired or otherwise unsaleable or unsuitable for donation are disposed of in accordance with applicable laws, rules and regulations. These products should never be retrieved or used."
Personally, I love Ulta. I shop there all the time. Probably too much. I shared my make-up routine last Spring, and all the products came from Ulta, legally purchased in the store or online. No dumpster diving for me!