A TikToker went viral last year for an incredibly creative hairstyling hack.

The scoop

Dtinajero15 (@dtinajero15) gave new meaning to "reduce, reuse, recycle" by repurposing no fewer than 10 empty prescription bottles to curl their hair.

@dtinajero15 Reduse, reuse, recycle ♻️ #hairstyle #hair #fyp #fypシ #fypage #mentalhealthmatters #mental #physical #health #diyproject #diyprojectsideas #mentalhealthawareness #design ♬ Boy's a Liar - PinkPantheress

"I don't own hair rollers so I had to improvise," they wrote at the beginning of a 46-second video.

Not that it matters what you look like when you're curling your hair, but the bottles-turned-rollers were so inconspicuous that many people who watched the video didn't even realize what was in the creator's hair.

"I was like u literally have them in ur hair and then you showed us what it is," one user said.

How it's working

Reusing plastic keeps it out of landfills and the ocean, where it breaks down over hundreds of years. As it breaks down, it pollutes the air with planet-warming methane and the water with toxic chemicals. The gas produced in landfills accounts for 12% of global methane pollution.

Plastics never fully degrade. They break down into smaller fragments to become microplastics — and microplastics have been found everywhere.

When we make efforts to reduce plastic waste, we take care of Earth one step at a time — and that can add up.

If you're not hirsute, there are many other ways to reuse those orange cylinders, including by donating them to a homeless shelter, animal shelter, or other facility, as another TikToker showed.

You can also check local guidelines to see if the bottles are recyclable. Either way, make sure you first throw any unused medication in the trash — don't flush it down the toilet.

If we reuse even just 10% of plastic, we will eliminate half of the waste that reaches our waters, the World Economic Forum reported. That's because only 2% of plastic is effectively recycled, so "we need to focus on eliminating waste."

To join the movement, buy from plastic-free brands and lower your consumption of plastic.

Other ways to keep your hair in check

Beyond RX bottles for hair care, you can also take advantage of hair removal offers this holiday season. TCD's affiliate partner LaserAway is a trusted leader in aesthetic dermatology, and their medical team is offering up to 75% off a suite of hair care packages including hair removal, body sculpting, and skin rejuvenation to look and feel your best this year.

And because LaserAway has over 200 locations across the country, you likely won't have to travel far (over-tapping into time and fuel) to reach your nearest med spa.

What people are saying

Commenters were thrilled.

"THE WAY MY JAW DROPPED," one said.

Another wrote: "Iconic to see this on earth day. She's stable, she's eco-friendly."

"The toilet paper roll do the work too," someone else added.

The creator even got a shoutout from Healthline, which stated: "The definition of feel good, look good."

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more, waste less, and help yourself while helping the planet.