Love. Bobs & Jars: Reuse, Recycle, Reclaim, Refurbish, Relove, Refabulous.

Sometimes you buy the lotion because it comes in a really nice glass jar. Or because it's housed in this huge tub that feels luxurious when you dip your fingers in and looks snug while sitting in your cabinet. I mean, when so many of the same products make the same promises with negligible differences, why not go off packaging? That's what you're paying for. ...

So why not reuse the packaging.

Silver bells & Cockleshells.
Promise you won't feel contrary toward these 8 ideas.

In this post, I show you 8 ways to use 2 different everyday packaging products to make your life simpler &, well, more creative. And, of course, to make our Earth healthier.

Rules of Thumb?

1. When you find a glass jar. Particularly a glass tub. Keep it. Only good can come. If--if--you're going to toss it. Toss it into the recycling bin.
2. Not sure if you're on Pinterest. (...Still locked out.) But if you haven't noticed, Mason Jars--and all things resembling--are in. In in in. They will always be in. Or if not in, at least useful. Save your glass jars, people. Save them.
3. Cosmetics packaging? Hm. Expensive. And ah. Beautiful. Why waste? You can definitely work it. Believe.

Recycle. Reuse. Refabulous.
Back Row: St. Ive's Collagen Elastin Facial Lotion: Tub. Wegman's Organic Salsa: Glass Jar.
Front Row: Aldi's Lacura Face Cream: Glass Jar. Sephora Instant Moisturizer:
Glass Jar. Vichy Night Cream: Glass Jar.

How to Use?

1. Glass Jars:

If it's Mason-like: Bevis. Teas, Cognacs, Wines, Water. It's sand & heat & retail's naturally made tumblr all for us to enjoy. Second thought: candles. Stick one in & burn it down. Candles. Third: flowers. Center piece, done.

If it's jar-like: Homemade body scrubs. You will see above, in the Lacura brand (love it!) tub, I concocted a brown-sugar body scrub. Completely edible. Great for rough lips. Super simple to make. (Find the recipe I use here at The Beauty Department.) My fav way to use is on tender legs right after a shave. The brown sugar is gentle enough to remove any lingering skin bits & the Extra Virgin, extra moisturizing. Plus, when it's glass, it looks especially elegant perched on the shower shelf.

I also like to keep a spot of EVOO in my Sephora jar. Right bedside the bedstand. Paired with a Q-tip & nothing more, this once empty jar becomes my nighttime solution to dried & cracked & ripped cuticles. I beg you to find a less expensive & more effective solution than this.

Mini-glass jars: Travel. Trust. So long as the packaging uses thicker glass--which it will; no company wants their goods breaking or cracking during shipping & stocking--and so long as it's not too heavy, use it to pack. My micro-mini Vichy jar is a great travel token for jewelry, like earrings, and even vitamins when I have 0 room in space and weight for a clunky container. Just be sure of 1 thing: if it originally packaged lotion, wash it right before traveling with anything else. 

If it's Food-like: Other food. The Wegman's jar above is a great example of both Mason-like and, well, Food-like. If I don't want to drink out of this, I can absolutely store pasta sauce in it. The heat won't affect its constitution. And the lid will secure tightly. Presto!

2. Plastic:

Large, Medium, or Small: Body scrubs, of course. These things were made for oils & bits of granulated scrubbies. Just rinse well between each use.

Travel: Jewels, jewels, & more jewels. Especially with a hefty tub that many of the St. Ive's lotions & scrubs come in. From chunky bracelets to chained necklaces to dainty earrings. These tubs not only help you travel, but also, they help you accessorize in that packed/not-quite-so-packed stage.

* * *

Aside from being cute & trendy & creative. You should reuse these bobs & jars because, well, why not? Resourcefulness is so underrated these days. Not only will you save some money in buying totes or plastic bags or luggage accessories. But perhaps most importantly, you really will save our natural resources from being depleted. That can only be ridiculously good. If anything.

* * *

Refabulous.

(send me pics 

of your own 

Reuse, 

Reclaim, 

Relove 

ideas!)