Dumpster diving isn't exactly the most glamorous activity. Despite this, YouTuber Shelbi Orme has brought a lot of attention to one of the craziest trends ever—dumpster diving for makeup.
While you may be thinking that nobody in their right mind would use somebody's old makeup from the literal garbage, it's actually not the worst idea. According to The Independent, Shelbi has collected over $2,000 worth of products in a single dive. That fact alone is enough to send me scavenging through my local Sephora's trash can!
Shelbi cites her interest in protecting the environment as one of the main reasons for her rescuing products out of dumpsters. By throwing out hardly used makeup, people are filling up our landfills much more quickly than necessary. When you think about how much waste is being created from such a prominent industry, it makes you want to at least #reuse, if you can't #recycle. So if saving $$ wasn't a good enough reason to do a dumpster dive, saving the environment surely is. After a little research, I actually started to find that dumpster diving—and not just for makeup—is actually a growing trend across the country. Environmentally-conscious people everywhere are saving everything from clothes to food from being wasted. It's not for everyone, but as a broke college girl myself, I have to wonder if I've been missing out my whole life!
Despite all the benefits, there are some precautions that need to be taken. It's a well-known fact that makeup can harbor harmful germs and bacteria, especially when shared between multiple people.That being said, Shelbi explains that she takes extra precautions when it comes to cleaning these used products, and even has videos on her channel on how to properly sanitize them. It's also a good idea to stay away from liquid formulas, such as lipstick or eyeliner, that are difficult to clean and could end up causing an infection.
People have been throwing some shade due to the unhygenic nature of dumpster diving, but Shelbi refuses to let that stop her. "You can watch what I do and decide if it is for you or not," the vlogger said in an interview with The Independent. Retweet, girl. I wouldn't let haters stop me from scoring super expensive makeup for free either!
If you want to try makeup diving yourself, check out one of Shelbi's "Tips and Tricks" videos so you can be prepared! Happy diving!