What is upcycling? It’s a relatively new term that means reusing your finished beauty containers in fresh and unexpected ways. Not only will it save you money, but it also promotes sustainability and helps you maintain Earth-friendly status.
To learn more about the world’s plastic pollution crisis, check out this eye-opening article from National Geographic.
Benefits of Upcycling Your Beauty Packaging
Before we get into some of the specific tips and tricks for upcycling beauty products and containers, let’s take a look at the perks.
Benefits of upcycling include:
- Keeping materials out of the landfill
- Minimizing the use of natural resources
- Honing your crafty skills
- Doing your part to be Earth-friendly
- Boosts creativity and makes you feel good
Doing our part to support the environment can sometimes feel like a daunting endeavor. But just because you can’t solve the big issues on your own doesn’t mean your contribution is insignificant. Each individual making small changes can lead to a more planet-friendly global community in the long run.
According to Zero Waste, 120 billion units of cosmetics packaging were produced globally in 2018. You can encourage less waste by purchasing sustainable and refillable packaging. But you can also make a positive contribution to the environment by upcycling the finished containers you already have at home.
Upcycle #1: Reed Diffuser
Tall glass packaging makes a lovely reed diffuser. You can easily transform a bath oil bottle or perfume bottle into an oil diffuser that’s stylish and functional.
How to make it:
- Soak the bottle in warm, soapy water
- Remove any labels—Goo Gone works wonders
- Leave to dry
- Fill the bottle almost to the top with water
- Add 20-30 drops of your favorite essential oil
- Add peeled, dried twigs
Upcycle #2: Decorative Vase
Empty glass containers make attractive vases that elevate any space. No matter the size of the vase, you can add a flash of color and a hint of natural fragrance with your choice of flowers. Remember—you don’t have to fill the vase with water. Blooms like gypsophila and hydrangeas display just as beautifully when dry.
Upcycle #3: Jewelry Case
An empty eyeshadow palette makes a great custom jewelry case. You can also use your finished pallet as a mini sewing kit or to keep stationary items like stickers and paper clips. A single bronzer or blush compact works just as well.
How to make it:
- Carefully remove any remaining product with a pair of tweezers
- Pop out the inner metal trays
- Soak all parts in warm soapy water
- Leave to dry
Add rings, necklaces, bracelets, or sewing items.
Upcycle #4: Candle Holder
Any glass cosmetics jar can be used to house a tea candle. You can use multiple jars of various hues and sizes to display several candles at once, creating a colorful collection of flickering lights.
Although it’s not technically beauty packaging, it’s worth mentioning that you can upcycle candle jars, too. Remove any labels, clean the candle jar, and use it as a flower vase or makeup brush holder.
Conclusion
The best part of upcycling is that once you start, you see possibilities everywhere. An empty body scrub container is the perfect place for your new DIY beauty product. A used lipstick tube is just right for storing bobby pins. That old liquid eyeliner brush becomes an ideal nail art pen.
However you choose to upcycle, you’ll love flexing your creative muscles and helping the planet at the same time. At De Soap Boutique, our product containers are designed to be appreciated and displayed. We encourage you to have fun reusing and upcycling them.
Pro tip: our exotic candles are too gorgeous to throw away! When you’ve come to the end of your candle, consider upcycling its packaging as a holder for your cotton face pads or Q-tips, or a designated hair-tie receptacle.