Other uses for hair gel?

So I've acquired several bottles of hair gel. I don't use gel, and Jon will only use a very specific kind, of which these are not. Any ideas as to what non-hair use I could put it to?

Alternatively, if someone wants a crapload of gel, drop me a line and I'll send it all to you.

Actually, now that I'm on the subject, what should I do with a bunch of eyeshadow and lipstick I'm not going to use on my face? They've all been used at least once, and none of them are fancy brands, so I doubt anyone would want them, but I'd prefer not to just pitch it all. Thoughts?

'Recycle' or Reuse?

So, I've had this question floating around my head for, like, forever.
Is it better/more ethical to modify a possession you have to make it more useful/pleasing to you, or to donate it to charity? (For example, reconstructing t-shirts vs. giving them to Goodwill.)

I'm having trouble deciding.

• I need to pare down, but I don't want to get rid of things that I could use and then find myself replacing them in a few months.
• I don't get a tax break for donations, but my mom and dad do, so I give them my stuff to donate along with theirs, but we're not talking anything more valuable than a few old cotton sweaters and t-shirts.
• I want to alter some clothes to make them more like things I like (v-necks instead of crews, for example), but I'd hate to cut them all up and then decide I don't like them, but now they're not good enough to donate.

I'm overthinking this, so I decided to post it and let you do the work instead!
(I also emailed it to Unclutterer.com, so if I hear anything from them, I'll post/link it.)