10 Brilliant Ideas What To Do With Old Perfume Bottles

Are you looking for ideas on what to do with old perfume bottles? Say no more.

Below are 10 innovative and eco-friendly things you can do with old perfume bottles, even if you are busy or not artsy.

But you might be thinking:

Do you really need to make an extra effort and find other uses for old perfume bottles instead of throwing them in the trash?

Well, we are sure you can relate that good perfumes can go for hundreds, even thousands of dollars. 

So it only makes sense to find ways to get a little more of your investment, and you can do so with your old perfume bottles. Wouldn’t you agree?

Moreover, finding ways to reuse, recycle, and repurpose empty perfume bottles instead of throwing them in trash bins (like most people do) will reduce waste in landfills.

(While you’re here, you might also want to check out our buyer’s guide to zero waste perfumes)

Heck, you can even make money with old perfume bottles! Let’s find out how.

1. Reuse old perfume bottles as candle holder

If you love doing DIY crafts using repurposed materials, then this one’s for you.

With an empty perfume bottle, you can have a stylish candle holder and like the #1 idea on this list, it is pretty easy to do.

In fact, you won’t even need to clean your old perfume bottles, unless you want to.

So how do you make a candle holder out of an old and empty perfume bottle?

• Pick a candle size you want to use for this project
• Choose an empty perfume bottle with a mouth opening that can fit the candle you choose
• Remove the lid and anything that blocks the perfume bottle’s mouth
• Empty all the remaining contents of the perfume bottle
• Insert the candlestick in the perfume bottle
• Light when needed

Now, this design is good only for stationary candle holders.

But if you want to be able to move your candles, you will need to devise a handle for the bottle since it will be hot to the touch.

2. Repurpose old perfume bottles into hand sanitizer container

Did you know that you can have a stylish carry-on hand sanitizer container using old perfume bottles? That’s right!

We love this idea since it is very timely and practical during this time of pandemic. It doesn’t require much work either!

Just open the lid of your empty perfume bottle and pour your hand sanitizer or ethyl alcohol into it.

Put the lid back and you’re good to go!

Its the perfect match for your eco-friendly face mask.

For optimal effectiveness, use non-sticky or alcohol-based hand sanitizers as they will not stick to the perfume bottle’s straw.

3. Use old perfume bottles as flower vase

If you’re brainstorming what to do with your empty Chanel perfume bottles, this one is perfect.

You can use your favorite perfume bottle to make lovely flower vases to take advantage of its decorative elements.

This idea doesn’t need a lot of work as well.

You only need to find an old perfume bottle large enough to hold a flower or an indoor plant.

Then you can remove the lid or the cover of the bottle, wash it with water and let it dry.

Put fresh flowers on the vase and voila! You now have a stylish flower vase in your dining table.

Alternatively, you can add soil on the perfume bottle and use it as a planter for small flowers and small plant succulents.

Chanel bottles in particular, which their unique shape, makes an appropriate material to use for decorative objects such as flower vase..

4. Turn old perfume bottles into stylish lamps

Another great usage of old perfume bottles is as a lamp.

The preparation is the same as the #1 entry on this list (using an old perfume bottle as candle holder) only this time, you will need a wick and oil instead of a candle stick.

You will also need to wash the bottle with water this time and let it dry to remove any perfume remnants.

Once the bottle is dry, pour oil and add the wick. Now, you have a DIY light feature using an old perfume bottle.

You can use it for romantic dinner or during brownouts.

Note: Be careful in using oil lamps as they are known to be fire hazard.

5. Make a terrarium out of old perfume bottles

Now, this idea can require a little more time and dedication than the other perfume bottle hacks we’ve shared so far.

Nonetheless, a terrarium made of old perfume bottles is a much more fulfilling project to accomplish. You can even sell it for handsome prices.

Here’s what you need for a perfume bottle terrarium:

• Medium to large empty perfume bottle
• Teaspoon
• Sand
• Clay granules
• Activated charcoal
• Compost
• Rocks and pebbles
• Sphagnum moss
• Succulents

With all the materials ready, you can start making your terrarium.

How to make a terrarium with an empty perfume bottle

• Use the teaspoon to pour about 1 inch deep sand in the perfume bottle.
• Add a few rocks and pebbles to fill in the tiny spaces.
• Add a few spoonfuls of activated charcoal on the top of the rock and sand layer.
• Next, add some clay on the top and a thin coat of sphagnum moss after.
• Add some compost on the top most layer of the terrarium.
• Plant your succulents on the top.
• Congratulations on making your new DIY terrarium.

You can display your terrarium at home or you can do this to recycle perfume bottles for cash.

6. Sell old perfume bottles to collectors

How would you like to make money from old perfume bottles? We know you do.

Well, if you keep empty perfume bottles from popular brands and artisans, this is for you.

There are collectors who will happily pay you money for empty vintage perfume bottles that are rare or from an iconic brand.

But you might be thinking:

“Are old perfume bottles worth anything?”

Or, “Can I sell empty perfume bottles?”

Well, did you know that a Galle French Cameo perfume bottle can go as much as $17,500?

Yes, that much dough for an empty old perfume bottle!

But of course, those prices are reserved for the very rare pieces and empty designer perfume bottles..

The more common selling price for empty perfume bottles range from $3 up to $10.

The price will highly depend on the uniqueness of the bottle or if it was made by an iconic designer.

How to sell old perfume bottles?

The best places to start selling pretty bottle of perfumes would be online as you will make your collection available for as many collectors worldwide.

You can consider posting your old bottles of perfume on eBay, Gumtree, Etsy, Craigslist, or Mercari.

You can also join Facebook groups and online marketplaces to get more eyeballs on your collection.

Furthermore, you can search for online stores and auction house that accepts antique perfume bottles.

7. Return old perfume bottles for the seller

Contact your perfume bottle manufacturer via phone or email.

While rare, some manufacturers will accept the return of their own bottles back for recycling.

Moreover, other perfume retailers will accept the return of your old perfume bottles in exchange for a discount on your next purchase. Win-win!

8. Use old perfume bottle as essential oil container

It’s as simple as it sounds.

A good and practical way to reuse old perfume bottles would be as essential oil containers.

This is especially helpful if you buy essential oils in bulk and in large containers.

9. Use old perfume bottles as reed diffuser

Reed diffusers are extremely popular in home fragrance right now. And if you’re into this trend, we have another use of an empty perfume bottle for you.

Yes, as a reed diffuser.

Take one of your old perfume bottles. 

Remove the lid and any covering in the bottle’s mouth. Wash it thoroughly with clean water and let it dry.

Then, pour in some fragrance oil, pop in your reeds and wait for the wave of pleasant aroma to engulf your home.

10. Send empty perfume bottles to recycling facilities

And last but not the least on this guide on what to do with old glass perfume bottles is to find ways to recycle your old perfume bottles.

Start by calling your local recycling facilities and ask if they accept perfume bottles for recycling. 

Next is to find out what types of glass your local recycling accepts. Some local recycling plants do not accept crystal bottles.

You can check what kind of glass your perfume bottle is made by checking the bottom of the bottle.

See if your perfume bottle has a number inside a triangular arrow symbol. Here are some basic glass recycling guide:

• 70 is for mixed glass
• 71 is for clear glass
• 72 is for green glass
• 79 is for gold-backed glass

Finding what kind of glass your perfume bottle is made will help you determine if your old perfume bottles will be accepted in your local recycling facilities.

Now, what if your local recycling plant doesn’t accept your old perfume bottles collection?

In that case, you’ll have no choice but to sell or donate your old perfume bottles instead.

You can also try to find out other ways and better ideas to reuse empty perfume bottles in addition to the ones we shared in here.

The important thing is that you will find a more environmental and economical way to recycle old perfume bottles.

Final Thoughts

There you have it, folks.

Instead of throwing old and empty bottles of perfume in trash bins (like most people do), we hope this post has given you plenty of fresh ideas on what to do with old perfume bottles next time.

As we just showed you, there are many things you can do with old perfume glass bottles that will benefit both you and mother Earth.

Until then and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.

Frequently Asked Questions About What To Do With Old Perfume Bottles