40 Creative Ways to Upcycle Beauty Packaging

If you’re currently spring cleaning your beauty stash and feel tempted to toss out bottles of expired skincare, hang on to your trash—they’re about to become new-found treasures.

Upcycle your beauty products and bring life back to old spray bottles, glass droppers, jars, and more. Plus, I know you secretly don’t want to part with cute packaging, so here’s your excuse to hold on to it and help our planet in the process.

Read on for helpful ways to reuse skincare containers this Earth Month and every day after!

Spray Bottles

Setting sprays, fragrances, facial mists—these beauty staples are typically housed within bottles with nozzles that unscrew, making them perfect for refilling and repurposing. Here’s how you can get the most out of your spray bottles after cleaning thoroughly:

1. Fill with water and conditioner for a DIY leave-in spray. Or mix a little water and deep conditioner for an easy-to-apply hair mask with 360° coverage.

2. For travel-size spray bottles, refill with skincare and/or hair care. Slip into your carry on and go!

3. Add water and mist houseplants.

4. Use to spray clothes with water when ironing.

5. Fill with laundry detergent and target tough stains.

6. Add water and place in the refrigerator. Spritz yourself when needed to refresh on hot days, after workouts, or when you need a pick-me-up.

7. Fill with hydrogen peroxide and spray on to disinfect minor wounds.

8. Pour in DIY sanitizing solutions or other household products to sterilize any part of your space.

9. Fill with Windex and spray to clean windows and shine up mirrors.

10. Pour in oil or melted butter and spray on baking and frying pans for non-sticky results.

11. Create a DIY wood cleaner to polish furniture.

12. Fill with a marinade and spray on food before grilling.

13. Add in dressing and mist on salads or veggies for a light coating of flavor.

14. Make your own air freshening fragrance and spritz throughout your space.

Glass Droppers

Out of serum? Use this mild inconvenience to your advantage by refilling the old bottle and utilizing the glass dropper in brand new ways:

1. Fill the bottle with hair-nourishing oils and use the dropper to target your scalp and ends, quenching parched skin and strands.

2. Pour in nail polish remover and target acetone on your nails to effectively remove chipped polish.

3. Water smaller houseplants with more control and precision.

4. If you have multiple bottles/glass droppers, fill each with different essential oils for aromatherapy sessions as well as face and body massages. Also, add a couple drops of your favorite oils to your body lotion for extra benefits.

5. Use as an aesthetic vase for small flowers or a single rose.

6. Fill with homemade bitters or alcohol and add to spruce up drinks.

7. Use it as an oil and vinegar dispenser.

Tubs and Jars

From small eye cream jars to tubs holding body butter, these beauty containers are easy to upcycle and oftentimes double as décor.

1. Can’t part ways with pretty packaging? Use beautifully designed jars as jewelry boxes and store necklaces, bracelets, and more. For smaller pieces, like rings and earrings, keep in eye cream jars or lip balm pots.

2. Place cotton balls or swabs inside and place on your vanity for easy accessibility or seal up the tub and take with you on the go.

3. If you have multiple small jars, completely clean to store mints. Pop the containers in each of your bags, so you’re always feeling fresh.

4. Pour trail mix, candy, and more into medium-sized jars for a perfectly portioned snack.

5. Place tea light candles inside glass containers for unique holders.

6. Use as a storage container for reuse-able false lashes.

7. Got a broken powder, eyeshadow, or blush container? Crumble the remaining powder and add to a small pot or jar. Add a couple spritzes of rubbing alcohol (using your upcycled spray bottle perhaps!) and pat down the makeup. Keep adding rubbing alcohol and compressing the powder into place. Let dry to salvage.

8. Medium to large tubs can hold hair elastics, bobby pins, and scrunchies.

9. Clean and save false nails in a jar to reuse later.

10. Use containers to stash small items ranging from push pins and thumbtacks to paper clips and safety pins.

11. Place your keys inside, so you never misplace.

12. Fill with sand and seashells for cute table décor.

Pumps

You’re familiar with pump-style bottles holding facial moisturizers and cleansers, but these containers deserve more credit. Resist the urge to toss these helpful bottles and reuse in the following ways:

1. For your post-COVID trips, fill travel-sized versions of these bottles with shampoo, conditioner, and various hair care formulas.

2. Pour in liquid detergent, and pump the perfect amount into the slot of your dishwasher.

3. Buy a large bottle of antibacterial hand soap, fill multiple bottles, and place at every sink in your space. Simply refill when ready!

4. Fill up with body wash and better control the amount dispensed to help conserve.

5. Pour in laundry detergent and pump the perfect amount into washing machines.

6. Create new and improved versions of your body lotion and face cream, by mixing moisturizer with a few drops of essential oil (using your upcycled dropper!) then refill the bottle.

7. Pour in hand sanitizer or make your own and pop in your bag.