Most people are particular about perfume. From the notes to how the fragrance interacts with their personal chemistry and skin, scents are personal. But your moods, tastes, and olfactory appreciation can change over time, leaving you with lots of perfumes you've stopped using. These five hacks for recycling old perfumes are brilliant because they eliminate waste, clear out precious 'n' premium vanity space, and give previously loved and forgotten scents a new lease on life. They also allow you and your world to smell their very best.
And no, we're not talking about layering former faves with new ones. While that's certainly recommended, it's hardly a hack because it's too easy.
Mariya Nurislamova, Fragrance Expert and CEO of Scentbird, a monthly subscription service that brings you a 30-day supply of the best new aromas to your nose in small vial form, provided several alternative uses for perfumes whose bottles are doing little else than collecting dust and cluttering shelves.
If you've outgrown J. Lo's Glow or Britney Spears' Curious, you need not drag them out and re-introduce them into rotation. If you flat out don't like them, you can repurpose them creatively. They will also trigger memories of the period during which you once wore them, since scent is so closely tied to memory.
Therefore, these hacks will allow you to indulge in nostalgia while stimulating your sense of smell.
1. Room Diffuser
You can transform a perfume into a room diffuser by spritzing a small blast on a light bulb. "It will make your home fragrant and you can alternate moods in each room," Nurislamova told Bustle exclusively via email. Each room can feature a different scent that matches its purpose. If it's your bedroom, try something calm and lavender-infused. If it's a nursery, opt for fresh, soft, or powdery scents.
2. Humidifer Add-In
If you want to breath easy while stacking Zs, the waft of a comforting, familiar scent can lull you to rest. "One small drop of perfume in a humidifier water container will fill your bedroom up softly with a gorgeous scent of your choice," Nurislamova suggests. Mmm.
3. Use In Linen & Underwear Drawers
If you have accumulated Scentbird samples or mini vials from frequent Sephora trips, you can make effective use of these aromas. "Throw them in your underwear or linen drawer and let their last few remaining vapors fill your wardrobe with delightful scents," encourages Nurislamova. It's like a sachet — only better.
4. Bath Add-In
A scented soak is always a great way to unwind from the various stresses of the day. You can add a drop or two of "old" perfume to your bath water before taking a dip. Nurislamova calls it "a cozy way to de-stress." Don't use more than two drops, though. Perfume is meant for external use and you want to be careful when trying this hack — and any hack, really!
5. Hair Fragrance
This hack comes directly from us. Have you ever engulfed someone in a long hug and inhaled their delish-smelling hair? Of course you have! An easy and fun way to use up the last vestiges of a once-loved perfume is to turn it into a hair refresher. You can spritz a cloud into the air and walk through it so it sinks into you strands. Or you can mist your locks directly. It's like building foundation coverage. You can opt for a light layer to conceal imperfections and blemishes or you can build fuller, more even coverage. The same concept applies here.
These hacks are clever and leftover Eau de Whatever doesn't become waste. If all else fails, you can always "re-home" prior perfumes by passing them on to your bestie.
