If you are a dumpster diving fanatic like me and looking for a guide on dumpster diving at Sephora, you’ve come to the right place. In this extensive article, I’ll provide you with everything you need to know in order to have a successful dumpster diving quest at your nearest Sephora store. Moreover, I will also discuss the legalities and some of the best strategies while dumpster diving at Sephora. Let’s get started!
Dumpster Diving at Sephora
Dumpster diving is the act of salvaging the trash from the dumpsters and finding items that have some value to them. Majority of people dumpster dive in order to find valuable goods for personal use. However, in the last few years, dumpster diving has become a way to earn an extra income as a side hustle.
Sephora is one of the largest France-based retail corporations operating a multinational chain of beauty and personal care products across the world. Cosmetic stores like Sephora have top-notch customer satisfaction policies, hence they have adopted great return and refund policies. This means if I return a cosmetic item but the packaging is already damaged, it can’t go back on the shelves of Sephora. Most of the time, it ends up in a dumpster at Sephora. Therefore, while dumpster diving at Sephora, you often find cosmetic and personal care products with damaged or altered packaging.
Furthermore, Sephora features nearly 340 cosmetic brands, in addition to its own private label beauty products and fragrances. This makes Sephora a great place to go dumpster diving and find a variety of cosmetic and makeup products.
Related: Dumpster Diving at Ulta: A Comprehensive Guide
Is it illegal to Dumpster Dive at Sephora?
Generally speaking, It is not illegal to dumpster dive at Sephora. However, since most of the Sephora stores are considered private property, you need to make sure there are no trespassing restriction signs clearly visible on the premise. If you do not see such a sign, that’s a green signal.
On the other hand, if you can clearly see the No Trespassing sign at Sephora and still went to rummage through their dumpster, you may be cited for trespassing. This may lead to a lifetime ban. Or at worse, you may be charged with disorderly conduct, illegal dumping, or littering.
Therefore, if you are dumpster diving at Sephora and someone from the management asks you to leave the premise, you must leave immediately.
Additionally, I would also recommend you go over the laws and regulations for dumpster diving in your state to be 100% sure that you are not breaking any laws while dumpster diving at Sephora.
What is the best time to Dumpster Dive at Sephora?
Most of the Sephora stores open at 10 AM and close their doors at 9 PM on Monday through Friday. On weekends, they operate from 11 AM to 6 PM.
According to some Sephora employees, Sephora stores usually restock their shelves three times a week, usually between Mondays to Fridays. Keep in mind that there is no fixed schedule and time for restocking at Sephora, but once the store receives new shipments, employees refill the shelves right away, or if the shipment arrives in the evening, they will restock the next day.
Therefore, the best time to go dumpster diving at Sephora is 10 AM to 12 AM from Monday to Friday. This is because there are fewer employees working at this time and you will have a high chance of not being interrupted. Moreover, since new shipments in Sephora usually arrive early in the morning, you’ll have a better chance of finding treasures in Sephora’s dumpsters.
Weekends are also a great time to explore the Sephora dumpsters. Since the foot traffic at Sephora is highest during the weekends, the store expects to receive a higher number of returns and refunds during these days. Since we already understand that Sephora dumps the returns with damaged packaging, you may find a lot of returned cosmetics and fragrances at Sephora dumpsters during the weekends.
What to look for while Dumpster Diving at Sephora?
While dumpster diving at Sephora, the products you’ll want to hunt for are mainly dependent on your goals and needs. Some people go dumpster diving at Sephora in order to collect cosmetics and beauty products that they may sell for money. Some people are looking for these products for their own personal purposes.
In general, you’ll want to hunt for things with a high resale value. When dumpster diving at Sephora, items like perfume, makeup and cosmetics, hair care goods, skincare products, beauty devices, and accessories are considered treasures.
Also, remember that while dumpster diving at Sephora finding one product worth $20 is always better than finding 20 products worth $1 each.
Does Sephora throw away makeup?
Yes, Sephora is really popular for throwing away a significant amount of makeup each month. Sephora, a cosmetics and beauty retailer, has excellent return and refund policies. This means that if I return an item but the packaging is already damaged, it will not be returned to the shelves. The majority of the time, it ends up in a Sephora dumpster. As a result, when dumpster diving at Sephora, you’ll frequently come across makeup and personal care products in damaged packaging.
Does Sephora destroy returns?
Sephora does, in fact, destroy returns depending on the goods. The potential of cross-contamination is the main reason for destroying the returns. If a skincare product’s seal is broken, even if it hasn’t been used, Sephora must either destroy it, send it back to production units, or throw it in the dumpster to be properly destroyed.
How much money can you make Dumpster Diving at Sephora?
Dumpster diving at Sephora might earn you a lot of money. However, the majority of it will be determined by your luck and experience. We conducted a survey of ten full-time dumpster divers in Tennessee, and the results were, to say the least, unexpected. Dumpster divers were earning an average of $326.83 per week from Sephora alone, according to our findings.
I know a lot of trash divers who only dumpster dive at Sephora for a living. They scavenge valuable stuff from Sephora’s dumpsters and sell the Facebook Marketplace.
If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty, dumpster diving at Sephora is a terrific way to generate some extra cash. When you’re just starting out, however, it might not be enough to replace your full-time employment. As a result, I would strongly advise beginning with dumpster diving as a side hustle. You might pursue dumpster diving full-time once you’ve gained enough experience and are earning a good and steady income.
Final Thoughts
When dumpster diving at Sephora, keep a few things in mind. The first is to leave the premises as soon as possible if you are directed to do so by management. Furthermore, disinfect each object thoroughly, even if it appears to be clean. Finally, before garbage diving at Sephora, always make sure you have a plan and technique in place.
