Sometimes, you just have to let it go. Turns out, I've been spending too much time trying to pry sifters from the tops of loose powder jars. McKay says hit the bottom of that container for all its worth, and when powder stops coming out, toss it.

Don't bother hacking into those air-less dispensers, either. These containers have a built-in "platform" inside that pushes product from bottom to top, so when it's out ... it's really out. "Air-less dispensers get more than what you get from a regular pump," says Frey. "They're really efficient and get 98-99 percnt of the product out." These containers have another advantage: "Because it doesn't allow any air in ... there's no exposure to oxygen so it doesn't go bad." Without that exposure to oxyben, companies can use fewer perservatives to keep them fresh.

Do we have to say it? Okay. I will. You're nuts if you even think about puncturing an aerosol can. These metal canisters contain gas (usually carbon dioxide) under high pressure. When you pierce the can, the sudden release of that gas = BOOM! Oh, and these containers are designed to deliver sprays and mousse in a specific form, so even if you manage to get inside the bottle without putting an eye out or blowing a finger off, you won't get any usable product out of it. Don't waste your time or risk a body part.