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Verify: Dumpster diving for makeup at Ulta?

Arlington Police say they found two teenage girls in a dumpster behind an Arlington Highlands Ulta Beauty store late Saturday night claiming they were looking for discarded makeup.

ARLINGTON -- Two teens looking for beauty products in the dumpster nearly wound up in an ugly situation.

Arlington Police say they found two teenage girls in a dumpster behind an Arlington Highlands Ulta Beauty store late Saturday night. They claimed they were searching for discarded makeup.

"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 said via email. "We began checking, and there are a lot of people claiming that but we think it's a hoax."

There are indeed many videos on YouTube and Facebook with young women purporting to find thousands of dollars worth of makeup discarded in dumpsters behind stores like Ulta. In what are called "haul" videos or "live dives," they document the process of pulling out used products and cleaning them up.

"I think it's kind of gross," said Tori Strunk, an Ulta customer who said she's heard of the videos but would never use a product pulled out of the trash.

"I don't think I would go that route," said Deja Jones, another customer.

Arlington Police say the two teens found only garbage, but they could have been ticketed for criminal trespass. Instead, they were given a warning by the officer.

In a statement to WFAA, Ulta Beauty spokesperson Karen May wrote:

"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."

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