Would You Buy Your Makeup Used?

You probably buy used clothing without a second thought, but would you do the same with your makeup? Website Glambot let's you buy and sell used makeup, from the shade of lipstick that wasn't quite right to the concealer that doesn't match your skin tone. Consider it the land of misfit makeup, a place where you can go to get cosmetics for less, or sell your own and make a little cash on the side. Although it might seem like a great idea, people have mixed feelings about the concept of used beauty products.

According to Glambot, the site boasts a selection of rare, limited edition, and discontinued items. Glambot gives you a chance to revamp your entire makeup collection for less. Turning your makeup graveyard into a money pit sounds great, but is it really sanitary?

In a recent interview with Business Insider, Glambot's founder Karen Horiuchi said that "Glambot cleans and sanitizes everything that comes in the door," using heat and alcohol to make the products anew, and from the looks of their Instagram page, some of the products do indeed look completely untouched.

Still, some people are a little skeptical. Refinery 29 spoke to dermatologist Howard Sobel, and found that it may not be as easy to sterilize makeup as Glambot makes it sound.

"No matter what method Glambot is using, even if effective 90% of the time, you cannot know for sure what bacteria, infection, or fungus has been left behind on the remaining 10%," Sobel told the website.

Some doctors, on the other hand, say that it's okay to share makeup, with or without sanitizing, unless the person you're borrowing from has an obvious infections such as cold sores or pink eye, which are easy to transmit. Dr. Neal Shultz believes that it's okay to wear your friend's makeup, because the preservatives in the products are there to help fight against bacteria.

Horiuchi told Bustle via email, "I started the site because I saw that there was a need for an intermediated secondhand marketplace for makeup [...] I think users may be skeptical at first but after their first purchase, we usually win them over! 30% of first time customers come back within 30 days of their initial order and a whopping 60% of first time customers place their second order within 3 months of their initial order."

Glambot isn't the only site for buying and selling used makeup. They might all have different approaches, but many similar websites are out there. Here are just three.

1. Fancy Hills Boutique

This site allows for women to submit their gently used makeup for credit to their store. Although they don't take makeup brushes or lipgloss, all the other products are fair game.

2. Maubs

Think of this site as an Etsy for old makeup. They allow you to set up your own profile, upload images of the products you want to sell, and get to making that money.

3. MuEx

Makeup Exchanger is a U.K.-based site that regulates everything that goes up for sale. They also provide you with a full how-to guide for sanitizing products, should you choose to buy or sell something used.

If you're interested in scoring some used products, just be smart about it. Do your research and make sure you're purchasing from a trusted seller.