Ever wondered what to do with those empty beauty containers piling up in your bathroom? We’ve got you covered! Upcycling these items not only reduces waste but also lets you get creative with repurposing them around your home.
From organizing small accessories to crafting unique decor pieces, the possibilities are endless.
By giving new life to our empty cosmetic packaging, we can embrace a more sustainable beauty routine while saving money and expressing our creativity. We’ll explore seven ingenious ways to transform those old containers into practical and stylish items.
Get ready to see your empties in a whole new light as we dive into the world of beauty upcycling!
1) DIY Planters
Empty beauty containers make fantastic DIY planters.
We love giving new life to our used moisturizer jars and face cream pots by turning them into cute homes for succulents and small herbs.
First, we thoroughly clean out the containers and remove any labels.
A little soap and warm water usually does the trick.
For stubborn residue, we might use a bit of rubbing alcohol.
Next, we drill or poke a few small drainage holes in the bottom.
This step is crucial for healthy plants.
If we’re feeling crafty, we sometimes paint the outside of the container or add some decorative touches.
We fill our upcycled planters with a well-draining potting mix suited for the type of plant we’re using.
Succulents are perfect for smaller containers, while herbs work well in larger ones.
These DIY planters are great for brightening up our windowsills or adding a touch of green to our desks.
Plus, we feel good about reducing waste and giving our beauty empties a second life as mini gardens.
2) Travel-sized Containers
We’ve all been there – trying to pack our favorite beauty products for a trip, only to realize they’re too big for carry-on.
That’s where empty beauty containers come to the rescue!
Clean out those small jars and bottles from your empties stash.
They’re perfect for decanting your go-to organic face creams, serums, and cleansers into TSA-friendly portions.
Got an old lip balm tube? Give it a good wash and fill it with your signature natural moisturizer.
It’s compact and easy to apply on the go.
Those tiny sample pots make great homes for homemade face masks or exfoliants.
Mix up a batch of honey and oatmeal scrub before your trip, and you’ll have a refreshing treat waiting in your toiletry bag.
Don’t forget about empty atomizers! They’re ideal for pure essential oil blends or DIY toners.
A quick spritz can be so refreshing after a long flight.
By repurposing our empties for travel, we reduce waste and keep our clean beauty routine intact, no matter where we roam.
Plus, it’s a fun way to customize our travel kit with all our favorites.
3) Jewelry Holders
Empty beauty containers can make fantastic jewelry organizers.
We’ve found that compact cases are perfect for storing small earrings and rings.
Just give them a quick clean, and they’re ready to use.
Larger cream jars work wonders for necklaces and bracelets.
We like to add a touch of eco-friendly flair by lining them with soft fabric scraps.
It keeps our precious pieces from getting scratched.
For a cute display option, we repurpose old perfume bottles as ring holders.
The long necks are ideal for slipping on multiple rings.
Plus, they add a touch of vintage charm to our vanity.
Don’t forget about those sturdy moisturizer tubs.
We’ve turned them into stylish catch-alls for our everyday accessories.
A quick coat of non-toxic paint transforms them into chic decor pieces.
By upcycling our beauty empties, we’re not only organizing our jewelry but also reducing waste.
It’s a win-win for our style and the planet.
4) Makeup Brush Stands
Empty beauty containers are perfect for creating cute makeup brush stands.
We love repurposing foundation bottles or powder compacts for this eco-friendly DIY project.
It’s super simple to do.
Just give the container a good clean, remove any labels, and voila – you’ve got a chic new home for your brushes.
For a natural touch, we like using glass jars from face creams or serums.
They look gorgeous on any vanity and keep those organic bamboo brushes neatly organized.
Plastic compacts work great too.
Cut small slits in the lid to hold brushes upright.
Now you’ve got a travel-friendly brush holder that closes up tight.
Get creative with decorating! A coat of non-toxic paint or some pressed flowers can turn your upcycled container into a one-of-a-kind piece.
This project is a win-win.
We keep containers out of landfills and give our pure, plant-based brushes a stylish new storage solution.
5) Stationery Organizers
Empty beauty containers make awesome desk organizers! We love repurposing those cute little jars and bottles to keep our workspace tidy.
Lipstick tubes are perfect for storing small items like paper clips or pushpins.
The slim shape keeps everything neatly contained and easy to grab.
Larger cream jars work great for pens, pencils, and markers.
Their wide openings make it simple to see and access all our writing tools at once.
We’ve found that old perfume bottles add a touch of glam as bud vases for our desks.
A single flower brightens up the space and brings a bit of nature indoors.
Don’t toss those compact cases! They’re ideal for corralling sticky notes or small notepads.
The mirror inside is handy for quick touch-ups during the workday too.
Even empty nail polish bottles can find new life organizing office supplies.
We use them to sort and store small items like thumbtacks or rubber bands.
6) Candle Holders
Empty candle jars make perfect holders for new candles.
We love giving these containers a second life by transforming them into chic candle holders.
First, we clean out any leftover wax.
A quick stint in the freezer often does the trick – the wax pops right out when frozen.
Then we give the jar a good scrub.
For a natural vibe, we sometimes leave the glass as-is.
Other times, we jazz it up with eco-friendly paint or wrap it in twine for a rustic look.
These upcycled holders work great for tea lights or small pillar candles.
We’ve even poured our own soy wax candles into them.
It’s a lovely way to keep enjoying the beautiful containers from our favorite pure, organic candles.
Plus, it reduces waste and adds a personal touch to our decor.
7) Storage for Hair Accessories
Got a bunch of hair ties, bobby pins, and clips scattered everywhere? We’ve been there too.
Empty beauty containers can come to the rescue!
Those cute little jars that once held face creams or masks are perfect for corralling small hair accessories.
No more hunting under the couch cushions for lost bobby pins.
Larger containers like body lotion bottles can be repurposed to store bigger items.
Cut off the top, and you’ve got a nifty holder for headbands or scrunchies.
We love using clear containers for this purpose.
It makes it super easy to see what’s inside at a glance.
Plus, it adds a touch of eco-chic to your vanity.
For travel, these upcycled containers are a game-changer.
No more tangled mess in your toiletry bag.
Just pop your hair ties into a repurposed lip balm tin, and you’re good to go.
Remember, these containers once held pure, organic products.
Now they’re continuing their eco-friendly journey by helping us stay organized.
It’s a win-win for us and the planet!
Environmental Impact of Upcycling
Upcycling empty beauty containers has a positive effect on our planet.
It reduces waste and promotes more sustainable practices in the beauty industry.
Reducing Plastic Waste
We’ve all seen the shocking images of plastic pollution in our oceans.
By upcycling our empty beauty containers, we’re taking a stand against this environmental crisis.
Every jar, bottle, and compact we repurpose is one less piece of plastic ending up in landfills or waterways.
Many beauty products come in plastic packaging that takes hundreds of years to decompose.
When we give these containers a second life, we’re extending their usefulness and keeping them out of the waste stream.
Some brands are already using eco-friendly materials like grasspaper for packaging.
This innovative material uses 80% less energy and drastically less water to produce compared to traditional wood pulp paper.
Promoting Sustainability
Upcycling encourages us to think creatively about waste.
It’s a fun way to embrace a more sustainable lifestyle and reduce our environmental footprint.
When we reuse containers for homemade beauty products, we’re cutting down on the need for new packaging.
This helps conserve resources and energy that would otherwise go into manufacturing new containers.
We can turn empty compacts into cute jewelry holders or use old jars to store cotton pads and Q-tips.
These simple acts promote a circular economy where items are reused rather than discarded.
By embracing upcycling, we’re sending a message to beauty companies that we value sustainability.
This can encourage more brands to adopt eco-friendly practices and packaging options.
Tips for Effective Upcycling
Upcycling empty beauty containers can be a fun and eco-friendly way to repurpose our used products.
With a little creativity and the right approach, we can transform these empties into something new and useful.
Cleaning and Preparing Containers
We always start by giving our containers a good clean.
Warm soapy water usually does the trick, but for stubborn residue, we might need to soak them overnight.
For plastic containers, we avoid using harsh chemicals that could break down the material.
Once clean, we make sure to dry them thoroughly to prevent any mold or mildew growth.
For containers that held oil-based products, we find rubbing alcohol works wonders to cut through the grease.
If there’s any leftover label adhesive, a bit of coconut oil or lemon essential oil can help remove it gently.
We also sanitize our containers by boiling them briefly or using a natural disinfectant spray.
Choosing the Right Tools
We’ve found that having the right tools makes upcycling so much easier.
A small craft knife is great for precision cutting, while strong scissors work well for thicker plastics.
We love using non-toxic, water-based paints for decorating our upcycled containers – they’re safer for us and the environment.
For glass containers, we might use etching cream to create pretty frosted designs.
When working with metal, we make sure to have fine-grit sandpaper on hand to smooth any rough edges.
We also keep a stash of eco-friendly glues and adhesives for attaching decorations or combining different container parts.
Creative Inspiration
Upcycling empty beauty containers lets us breathe new life into our empties.
We’ve got some fun ideas to transform those bottles and jars into eye-catching decor and handy storage solutions.
Transforming Bottles into Home Decor
We love turning pretty perfume bottles into mini flower vases.
Just rinse them out, remove any labels, and add water with a few small blooms.
Old lotion pumps make great soap dispensers too – we fill them with liquid hand soap for a chic bathroom accent.
Spray bottles can become plant misters.
We use them to gently mist our indoor herbs and air plants.
For a boho vibe, we string fairy lights inside large clear bottles to create unique lamps.
Don’t toss those colorful glass jars! We paint them with non-toxic paint and use them as pencil holders or makeup brush organizers on our vanities.
Using Jars for Storage Solutions
Small jars are perfect for corralling tiny items.
We use clean lip balm tubs to store earrings, rings, and other jewelry when traveling.
Larger cream jars become homes for hair ties, bobby pins, and other accessories.
In the bathroom, squeaky-clean facial moisturizer jars hold cotton swabs and rounds.
We’ve even upcycled eye cream pots into pill boxes for vitamins on-the-go.
For crafters, empty compacts transform into mini palettes for mixing small amounts of paint.
Makeup remover jars become brush cleaning stations – we fill them with gentle soap and water to swish our brushes clean.
Frequently Asked Questions
Empty beauty containers offer a world of creative possibilities.
We’ve got some fun and practical ideas to breathe new life into those empties.
Got empty makeup jars? Ideas on what to do with them?
We love turning old makeup jars into mini planters for succulents or herbs.
They’re perfect for windowsills or desks.
Clean them thoroughly, add some soil, and pop in a small plant.
Any clever hacks for repurposing old skincare containers?
Travel-sized containers are a game-changer! We clean out our empty skincare bottles and fill them with our favorite products for trips.
It’s eco-friendly and saves space in our luggage.
What’s a fun project I can do with my empty face cream jars?
Jewelry holders are a great way to upcycle those jars.
We paint the lids in pretty colors and use them to store rings, earrings, and small necklaces.
It’s both decorative and functional.
Found a bunch of empty containers, how can I give them a new life?
Makeup brush stands are super easy to make.
We take tall, cylindrical containers and fill them with coffee beans or small pebbles.
They look chic on our vanity and keep our brushes organized.
Looking for tips on reusing makeup containers—any thoughts?
Stationery organizers are a favorite of ours.
We clean out compacts and use them to hold paper clips, pushpins, or small erasers.
It’s a neat way to keep our desk tidy.
Who knows some cool DIYs for those empty glass bottles and jars?
We’re fans of turning glass bottles into reed diffusers.
We fill them with essential oils and water, add some reeds, and voila! Our home smells amazing with these natural, homemade air fresheners.