Creative recycling is undoubtedly the key word for conscious and eco-friendly gifts.
The Christmas period is one of the most productive for handmade cosmetics makers, busy with the preparation of homemade gifts that will amaze those who receive them.

Here you have some useful tips to help you to make amazing creative recycling packages for your gifts:

• Bottles and containers, preferably made of glass, should be accumulated over the year, recycling food jars, raw material containers, shower gel bottles and so on.
  
  
• Jars can be personalized with laces, ribbons, fabric scraps and decorations.
  
  
• Spare glasses can be reused as containers for creative gifts, like this body lotion that looks like hot chocolate with whipped cream!
   
  
  
  
  
• To add a tag to bottles, all you need is a raffia rope and some recycled cardboard that you can easily transform into labels. If you don't have a hole punch, you can make a practical and original hole with a simple cut that you can then fold to the side, as in the photo below.

• If you expect that the container of your handmade cosmetic will be kept in a humid environment, such as the bathroom, it is better to protect them with a layer of transparent tape.
  
  
• Used letter envelopes can be cut out to make rustic labels or small parchments with the ingredients and instructions for use of our DIY cosmetics. The one below is a package I made for my DIY sheet masks.
  
  
  
  
  
• The flowers and leaves that fall from the plants we have at home can be dried and converted into interesting decorations.
  
  
• Don't throw away ribbons, laces and small decorations you'll find on the gift boxes you receive during the year: they can be reused in a creative way.
  
  
• The raffia threads from the packages and gifts we receive throughout the year and the ribbons from the labels on our clothes should never be thrown away, just like the cardboard from biscuit boxes or tights.
  
  
  
  
  

• Try to avoid plastic packages and use paper instead, especially if you are giving solid cosmetics, like shampoo bars or solid body lotions (like this cute snowman).
  
  
  
• Tin boxes are resusable and perfect for handmade lip balms and lip scrubs. I suggest you my blueberry lip balm and lip scrub duo and the one that look like a sorbet!
  
  
  
   

• If during the year you get used to selecting and storing in a box everything you have on hand and that can be useful for this purpose, you will obtain a precious source of perfect material for green, low-cost, creative and high-quality Christmas gifts!
  
  
• Check this blog post for more Christmas gifts ideas, with some tips about how to plan and manage your handmade cosmetics gifts.