Guest post by Aisling O’Connor

There are so many green beauty products out there and ways to repurpose old make-up, but what do you do with empty make-up contains aside from putting them in the bin? Upcycling is not just for old clothes, you can also upcycle empty make-up packaging! Here are seven ways to upcycle empty make-up cartilages into something new. These ways to upcycle old make-up are so simple, that you don’t need to be crafty to make something useful! 

Donate mascara wands to an animal shelter

Mascara is one of those products that goes straight in the bin when they’re empty, but they don’t have to go to landfill. Mascara wands are so small and fine that they’re ideal for brushing mites and dirt off of small animals like possums. The most well-known wildlife refuge that accepts wands is the Appalachian Reserve in the US. The Wands for Wildlife movement is so popular that they now can only accept donations twice a year, so hold onto your wands until they’re ready for more. Make sure they’re thoroughly cleaned before mailing them, as they can’t use wands that have dirt or bacteria growing on them! 

Alternatively, if you own a small pet like a hamster or a guinea pig, you can clean your mascara wands and use it to brush them. 

Use empty tubs to store homemade facemasks

Empty tubs of moisturizers and creams are perfect for storing a homemade facemask because they have an airtight seal. Making your own facemask is even better for the environment than buying single-use masks that come in unrecyclable sachets. There are so many facemasks that can be made with leftovers! 

Make sure to wash and dry the container thoroughly before putting something new into it. Another tip for keeping your mask fresh for as long as possible is to avoid putting wet hands into it. Depending on the ingredients you might have to store it in the fridge. 

Personally, my go-to DIY facemask is an exfoliating scrub made from coffee grounds and coconut oil. As the coconut oil is anti-bacterial, the scrub very rarely gets moldy or needs to be thrown out before I’ve gone through it.

Use lipstick to store bobby pins

Empty lipstick or roll up chapstick cartilages are ideal for storing bobby pins! As they close securely, they can be kept in your handbag, without needing to worry about them spilling everywhere. Plus, you’ll always have enough bobby pins when you need them. Before upcycling your lipstick, make the most out of the product. Just because it can’t twist anymore, doesn’t mean that it’s time to get a new one; if you have a lip brush you can still use the lipstick until it’s completely run out. This will also save you from digging out the rest of the product later on when you do want to upcycle the container.

Scrap out any remaining lipstick with tissues, baby wipes, and q-tips to make sure the cartilage is clean. Although it’s the ideal size for bobby pins, you can store anything small in here; for example, you can roll up some plasters and have a tiny first aid kit in your purse for small cuts. 

Make a diffuser with old perfume bottles 

Perfume bottles are beautiful so it’s always a shame to throw them out when they run out. With this idea for upcycling empty make-up containers, you can hang out to your old perfume bottles and give them a new purpose. It will also save you money as some diffusers can be very expensive. 

To make a perfume bottle diffuser, you need to remove the top and spray nozzle of the bottle. Then select an essential oil scent you like, and buy some sticks.

Make an earring holder with EOS lip balm 

EOS lip balms are still very popular, but what do you do with them when they run out? As it turns out, they can be upcycled into a cute container to store small items. Once the little plastic grate is taken out, and the remaining lip balm has been removed, there’s plenty of room for storing earrings or even other trinkets, or pills. 

Reuse liquid eyeliner 

I hated going through so many felt-tip eyeliner pens and having to throw them out when they were empty, so when I switched to eyeliner in a tub I realised I can reuse the pens. The pens are designed to help create perfect eyeliner flicks, so you can get more precision reusing them than buying brushes specifically for eyeliner. Make sure to thoroughly wash the pen before using it, and regularly wash them afterward.

Use small containers for travel tubs

Every summer I see travel containers on sale everywhere and always ask myself if they’re really necessary. Small make-up containers such as single eyeshadows and eyeliner tubs can be cleaned out and used to store a little foundation, moisturiser or any liquid product for traveling. 

The bottom line

Although this list of ideas for upcycling empty make-up containers hasn’t gone through every single make-up product you might own, it’s covered enough bases that many of your old products will find a new use. Whatever can’t be upcycled, should be cleaned and disposed of properly; whether that means going in the general waste or the recycle bin. You can also look into getting green beauty products which are often zero-waste or biodegradable, to avoid waste next time!

Author Bio

Aisling is a 23-year old Irish blogger from thisdreamsalive.com and pricklypineapples.ie. She loves coffee, the environment, and dogs. 

If you enjoyed this article, check out my recent post on what to do with old makeup.

Chat soon x