Are you trying to start or perhaps maintain a more sustainable beauty routine? Or maybe you can’t bear parting with your favourite aesthetically pleasing perfume bottle once you have enjoyed the last spray? If either of these scenarios sounds familiar, have you thought about upcycling your old perfume bottle instead of throwing it away?
Of course, you could recycle it or even refill it(check out the fabulous range of refillable scents we stock), but by upcycling it, you could give your beautiful old perfume bottle a new lease of life! Not only is this a great way to maintain a more sustainable beauty routine, but it means you can enjoy the bottle time and time again.
Here, we share our favourite ways to transform an old perfume bottle into a decorative piece you can proudly display in your home.
Display Flowers
One way to reuse perfume bottles?Turn it into a vase to display beautiful flowers that can instantly lift the mood of a room. A perfume bottle is dainty enough to display on smaller surfaces, yet still big enough to hold a selection of your favourite stemmed flowers.
How to make a perfume bottle flower vase:
- Soak your perfume bottle overnight to remove any unwanted labels
- Gently ease off the perfume cap
- Fill with water and your favourite florals
Make a Diffuser
Thanks to the elegant design of a perfume bottle, they make great DIY room diffusers. To create your diffuser, you’ll need an empty perfume bottle, a pair of pliers, bamboo skewers, unscented or lightly scented carrier oil (such as baby oil or almond oil) and essential oils of your choice.
How to make a perfume bottle diffuser:
- Prepare your old perfume bottle by soaking it in warm water to remove any unwanted labels
- Carefully, with a pair of pliers, remove the perfume bottle cap
- Mix 30% essential oil to 70% carrier oil and pour it into your empty perfume bottle. You can experiment with the measurements to get your desired scent
- Place your bamboo skewers into the oil, let the skewers absorb a little of the oil, and then turn them around
TOP TIP: Rotate your bamboo skewers once a week to enjoy the aroma for longer.
Make a Candle Holder
If you love creating an atmospheric environment at home, then why not use your perfume bottle as a candlestick holder? Here’s what you need to do:
How to make a perfume bottle candle holder:
- Carefully pry the cap of the perfume out of the bottle and insert a candle into the opening
- To prevent the candle from falling out, melt a small section at the bottom, which will insert into the neck of the bottle
- Allow to set and then you’re ready to light!
REPURPOSE INTO MINI TERRARIUM
Extend the life of your old perfume bottle by transforming it into a mini living terrarium. Not sure how? Here’s what you need to know:
How to make a perfume bottle terrarium:
- Carefully remove the cap of the bottle
- Add a little sand into the opening at the top
- Follow by adding a thin layer of activated charcoal to keep it smelling nice and fresh, and then a sprinkling of soil
- Turn the bottle on its side and shake gently to flatten
- Arrange some moss into place with tweezers and gently press it down to finish
Light up the room
If you want to make your space look completely magical, you can’t go wrong with some form of twinkly fairy light addition. Transforming your empty perfume bottle into a beautiful decoration is simple and only requires three steps!
How to light up a room with your perfume bottle:
- Start by cleaning the bottle in warm soapy water and drying it completely
- Carefully remove the cap of the bottle
- Gently push a set of mini battery-powered string lights into the opening of your clean, empty perfume bottle.
And voila! You’ve created a cosy, warm atmosphere in minutes.
USE AS A DECORATIVE ELEMENT
Interior lovers, this one’s for you. What better idea for what to do with old perfume bottles, than to double them up as décor or works of art. Whether it’s Valentino’s Donna Born in Roma fragrance with iconic glass studs, or YSL’s Libre design that comes wrapped with the brand’s logo, there are plenty of perfume bottles worth displaying on bookshelves or side tables. If you're feeling inspired to redecorate, give it a go yourself!
Get Festive with a Christmas ornament
Is there a better way to celebrate everyone’s favourite time of year (and reuse your perfume bottle at the same time) than coming up with DIY Christmas decorations of your own?
Something as simple as tying a ribbon around the top of your old perfume bottle and hanging from your tree makes an effective and unique ornament.
Finish with a glittery spray paint for a hint of sparkle.
REVITALISE WITH A FACE MIST
Everyone loves a good face mist; it can leave your skin hydrated and glowy in a matter of seconds after all. So, why not reuse an empty perfume bottle by refilling it with a refreshing, homemade face mist?
How to use an empty perfume bottle for face mist:
- Rinse your old perfume bottle in hot, soapy water
- Fill a quarter of the way up with water
- Top up with several drops of the essential oil of your choice.
Lastly, you can keep your clothes dazzlingly fresh by upcycling an almost empty bottle of perfume into a wardrobe refresher. Top up your empty perfume bottle with water and use your favourite scent to subtly refresh clothes that have been hanging in your wardrobe for a while, or ones you just want to wear again.
Alternatively, you can leave an almost empty bottle of perfume open in your wardrobe and let is naturally diffuse into your clothes.
Perfect for days when you've been way too busy to stick a wash on!
Are you need of a declutter? Or maybe you are not in a crafty mood.
You can always recycle your empty perfume bottles with The Perfume Shop.
We're as passionate about minimising our impact on the planet as we are about perfume. So over the last few years, we've been working hard to make changes that matter, from consciously reducing our carbon footprint to launching 100% recyclable, vegan, and cruelty-free own-brand collections.
Find out more about the goals we've committed to, what we've achieved so far, and how you can help us make a difference ...
Ros Kirby has worked as a copywriter for over 10 years, covering make-up, skin, hair, fragrance and more. Currently hooked on morning jogging, she spends the evenings binge watching dramas on Netflix and discovering the latest hero beauty products to add to her stash. The perfume that’s always in her basket? Narciso Rodriguez For Her – it’s a cult classic that never gets old!
How to upcycle your perfume bottle
Are you trying to start or perhaps maintain a more sustainable beauty routine? Or maybe you can’t bear parting with your favourite aesthetically pleasing perfume bottle once you have enjoyed the last spray? If either of these scenarios sounds familiar, have you thought about upcycling your old perfume bottle instead of throwing it away?
Of course, you could recycle it or even refill it (check out the fabulous range of refillable scents we stock), but by upcycling it, you could give your beautiful old perfume bottle a new lease of life! Not only is this a great way to maintain a more sustainable beauty routine, but it means you can enjoy the bottle time and time again.
Here, we share our favourite ways to transform an old perfume bottle into a decorative piece you can proudly display in your home.
Display Flowers
One way to reuse perfume bottles? Turn it into a vase to display beautiful flowers that can instantly lift the mood of a room. A perfume bottle is dainty enough to display on smaller surfaces, yet still big enough to hold a selection of your favourite stemmed flowers.
How to make a perfume bottle flower vase:
- Soak your perfume bottle overnight to remove any unwanted labels
- Gently ease off the perfume cap
- Fill with water and your favourite florals
Make a Diffuser
Thanks to the elegant design of a perfume bottle, they make great DIY room diffusers. To create your diffuser, you’ll need an empty perfume bottle, a pair of pliers, bamboo skewers, unscented or lightly scented carrier oil (such as baby oil or almond oil) and essential oils of your choice.
How to make a perfume bottle diffuser:
- Prepare your old perfume bottle by soaking it in warm water to remove any unwanted labels
- Carefully, with a pair of pliers, remove the perfume bottle cap
- Mix 30% essential oil to 70% carrier oil and pour it into your empty perfume bottle. You can experiment with the measurements to get your desired scent
- Place your bamboo skewers into the oil, let the skewers absorb a little of the oil, and then turn them around
TOP TIP: Rotate your bamboo skewers once a week to enjoy the aroma for longer.
Make a Candle Holder
If you love creating an atmospheric environment at home, then why not use your perfume bottle as a candlestick holder? Here’s what you need to do:
How to make a perfume bottle candle holder:
- Carefully pry the cap of the perfume out of the bottle and insert a candle into the opening
- To prevent the candle from falling out, melt a small section at the bottom, which will insert into the neck of the bottle
- Allow to set and then you’re ready to light!
REPURPOSE INTO MINI TERRARIUM
Extend the life of your old perfume bottle by transforming it into a mini living terrarium. Not sure how? Here’s what you need to know:
How to make a perfume bottle terrarium:
- Carefully remove the cap of the bottle
- Add a little sand into the opening at the top
- Follow by adding a thin layer of activated charcoal to keep it smelling nice and fresh, and then a sprinkling of soil
- Turn the bottle on its side and shake gently to flatten
- Arrange some moss into place with tweezers and gently press it down to finish
Light up the room
If you want to make your space look completely magical, you can’t go wrong with some form of twinkly fairy light addition. Transforming your empty perfume bottle into a beautiful decoration is simple and only requires three steps!
How to light up a room with your perfume bottle:
- Start by cleaning the bottle in warm soapy water and drying it completely
- Carefully remove the cap of the bottle
- Gently push a set of mini battery-powered string lights into the opening of your clean, empty perfume bottle.
And voila! You’ve created a cosy, warm atmosphere in minutes.
USE AS A DECORATIVE ELEMENT
Interior lovers, this one’s for you. What better idea for what to do with old perfume bottles, than to double them up as décor or works of art. Whether it’s Valentino’s Donna Born in Roma fragrance with iconic glass studs, or YSL’s Libre design that comes wrapped with the brand’s logo, there are plenty of perfume bottles worth displaying on bookshelves or side tables. If you're feeling inspired to redecorate, give it a go yourself!
Get Festive with a Christmas ornament
Is there a better way to celebrate everyone’s favourite time of year (and reuse your perfume bottle at the same time) than coming up with DIY Christmas decorations of your own?
Something as simple as tying a ribbon around the top of your old perfume bottle and hanging from your tree makes an effective and unique ornament.
Finish with a glittery spray paint for a hint of sparkle.
REVITALISE WITH A FACE MIST
Everyone loves a good face mist; it can leave your skin hydrated and glowy in a matter of seconds after all. So, why not reuse an empty perfume bottle by refilling it with a refreshing, homemade face mist?
How to use an empty perfume bottle for face mist:
- Rinse your old perfume bottle in hot, soapy water
- Fill a quarter of the way up with water
- Top up with several drops of the essential oil of your choice.
Want to know more about essential oils? Check out our blog: What are essential oils.
FRESHEN UP YOUR WARDROBE
Lastly, you can keep your clothes dazzlingly fresh by upcycling an almost empty bottle of perfume into a wardrobe refresher. Top up your empty perfume bottle with water and use your favourite scent to subtly refresh clothes that have been hanging in your wardrobe for a while, or ones you just want to wear again.
Alternatively, you can leave an almost empty bottle of perfume open in your wardrobe and let is naturally diffuse into your clothes.
Perfect for days when you've been way too busy to stick a wash on!
Are you need of a declutter? Or maybe you are not in a crafty mood.
You can always recycle your empty perfume bottles with The Perfume Shop.
Our Pledge to the Planet
We're as passionate about minimising our impact on the planet as we are about perfume. So over the last few years, we've been working hard to make changes that matter, from consciously reducing our carbon footprint to launching 100% recyclable, vegan, and cruelty-free own-brand collections.
Find out more about the goals we've committed to, what we've achieved so far, and how you can help us make a difference ...
About Ros Kirby
Copywriter
Ros Kirby has worked as a copywriter for over 10 years, covering make-up, skin, hair, fragrance and more. Currently hooked on morning jogging, she spends the evenings binge watching dramas on Netflix and discovering the latest hero beauty products to add to her stash. The perfume that’s always in her basket? Narciso Rodriguez For Her – it’s a cult classic that never gets old!
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