How to upcycle your beauty products & packaging

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How to upcycle your beauty products & packaging

Posted by Hannah McManus, 30th July 2021

Forget about chucking away packaging when you’ve finished a product. If you’re thinking about making your home more environmentally-friendly, there are plenty of ways you can upcycle and re-use your beauty product packaging. That means less waste going into landfill, and more useable stuff around your home (without denting your bank balance).

If you’re wondering how to upcycle your beauty product packaging, we’ve got your back. Read on for handy tips and tricks to help reuse those empties.

Eyeshadow palettes:

When you get to the end of your eyeshadow palette, it can be tempting to throw those tins in the bin. But with many boasting a beautiful design, there’s no need to get rid. Instead, clean out your palette and use it for extra storage on your dressing table. Eyeshadow palettes are particularly great for storing earrings, rings and other smaller items.

Deodorant tins:

If you’ve made the swap to natural deodorant, you might be wondering what to do with those little tins afterwards. In a handy, hand-bag friendly size, they’re perfect for popping in your bag for smaller essentials on the go. We’re thinking safety pins, earrings, hair bobbles and other little items that are helpful to have on hand. Not tried natural deodorant before? Check out our amazing range of vegan, cruelty-free deodorants here at FFS.

Old lipstick tubes:

If you’re anything like us, you’ve got plenty of lipsticks in your makeup bag. When you get to the end of your favourite, it can be tempting to throw away the tube. Before you do, think about whether you can reuse it (especially if it has a cute design). We love using ours for bobby pins, especially as these pesky little hair grips seem to disappear when you need one most. Simply clean out the tube, using a cotton bid to clear out any lipstick excess (top tip: scoop the excess into a clean tin to get the most out of your favourite lippy).

Old makeup brushes:

No matter how well you look after your makeup brushes, there comes a time when they aren’t useable anymore. If you want to avoid throwing them away, you’ll be pleased to know that there are plenty of ways to reuse them. If you have kids (or love doing arts and crafts yourself), they’re the ultimate addition to every art box. Use them for applying paint, glue, glitter or whatever else their next masterpiece needs. You could also use your makeup brushes in your cleaning caddy; they’re the perfect size for dusting smaller items.

If you have smaller makeup brushes, like eyeliner brushes, you could even use them to create your own nail art. The opportunities really are endless.

Empty candle jars:

Old candle jars are often the perfect size for storage. Use yours for storing your makeup brushes, scrunchies, hair grips or any other smaller items on your dresser. You could take your old candle jar into the kitchen to use it for utensils, cutlery, tea, coffee and much more.

You might want to repurpose your candle jars for other stuff around the house too. They make amazing planters for succulents or smaller plants, as well as a handy place to pop spare change.

Body oil or tanning drops bottles:

If you love our tanning drops, you might be wondering what to do with the bottle after it’s finished. Of course, you could re-fill the bottle up with your favourite oils (we love almond oil, coconut oil and rosehip seed oil here at FFS). Be sure to thoroughly wash out the bottle and dropper before you add any other oils.

You could also try making your own diffuser. These bottles are perfectly sized for adding your favourite essential oils and other diffuser ingredients, helping the scent gently circulate around your room. Look online for homemade reed diffuser recipes; there are plenty out there!