necessity is the mother of invention. if you are anything like me, and it's quite possible if you are reading this blog, you have a whole lot of makeup lying around that you don't use. oh sure, when you are in the actual business of cosmetics you tend to collect makeup like dust. it's not necessarily intentional, it just happens. but even women who do not acquire their makeup from working for a company can just as easily accumulate without even realizing it has happened. you go out looking for a new shadow, end up with a couple, never use them. like it in the store, hate it home, but maybe you still think someday you could like it again. or you thought you could wear that particular shade of lipstick with everything because in style magazine said so.
sound familiar? i myself have more makeup than i will ever need to get me through the rest of my time here on earth. though i continue to give stuff away and throw out the old, my collection somehow has not gotten any smaller. but like many women i know, you just always think in the back of your mind, "i may have a need for this at some point." just like those jeans in the back of your closet that you haven't worn in a few years – you are positive that you will eventually lose those extra pounds and don them once more! (then when you do lose the weight you just want new jeans.)
hallelujah, this blog today contains some fun ideas for getting around to using your unusables! i was inspired to blog on this subject while searching my endless cache of lipstick for the perfect shade of poppy. i have a special event coming up in which looking flawless is of paramount importance. i knew i had a shade that would correspond beautifully with my outfit, but it was far too matte for this time of year. i also had a gloss i liked, but i definitely wanted fuller coverage. i knew that dior addict made a fantastic shine formula with moderate color, high sheen and not too much sparkle. but $26, plus nearly 10% sales tax and a trip to the mall? i can do better than that. so i did.
as i mentioned, i had several colors i liked, each with their own unique property. unfortunately, none of them possessed all the qualities i was looking for. so i used a toothpick and shaved a little off this one, and a little off that one, and maybe just a smidge off another one and transferred it into a little container. my container? in this case i used an empty bobbi brown eye shadow pan. coincidentally, bobbi brown sells empty pan palettes for a very similar purpose – but mixing isn't usually mentioned as a selling point. these handy pans can be used for all sorts of things! if you can scoop it, scrape it or pour it in there, you'll have whatever you need in a pint-sized container ready at your fingertips. japonesque makes empty palettes in every conceivable size and shape. just think of the possiblities – makeup, toiletries, skin care . . . great investment if you crave portability.
so after a little mixing of products, drag out the hairdryer! the heat should be high enough to somewhat melt the lipstick, but not the container. this is generally why i try and reuse shadow pans; they are typically metal and will conduct the heat more efficiently. voilà! you have your very own shade of lipstick! but don't stop with lipstick. i also like to mix my own eye shadows. it gives a completely different look versus simply layering a color over another color. in this case, of course, you wouldn't be able to melt the product together. but scraping a modest amount of a few colors make a great loose shadow. (for this you may want to rethink the container.) i've also been known to mix a small amount of a clear lip gloss, carmex-type product or eye cream with shadows. presto – creamy shadow or maybe even a new lipstick shade! feel free to mix a lipstick or shadow with a dollop of your favorite moisturizer for a fab cream blush! (cream blushes are beautifully sheer and wonderful for dryer skin!)
got kids? got kids' markers? are they non-toxic? grab a red, pink, or even orange for a quick lip stain underneath a lipstick, gloss or chapstick. don't laugh, i've done this! it shows up much lighter on the lips, and it will stain, but you'll still be able to wash it off when you're ready. sadly, i cannot take credit for this idea. i remember hearing about the band poison using markers when their beloved eyeliner wasn't available before a show. ahh, the eighties. on a side note: do not use marker for eyeliner.
the moral about mixing really is about making it your own. you control the amount, the color and the intensity. make an evening out of it; go through all those products you never use but won't part with and let your imagination run wild. how cool would it be to pull out a signature shade at a party? and keep in mind that a lot of makeup mavens started out this very same way!
sound familiar? i myself have more makeup than i will ever need to get me through the rest of my time here on earth. though i continue to give stuff away and throw out the old, my collection somehow has not gotten any smaller. but like many women i know, you just always think in the back of your mind, "i may have a need for this at some point." just like those jeans in the back of your closet that you haven't worn in a few years – you are positive that you will eventually lose those extra pounds and don them once more! (then when you do lose the weight you just want new jeans.)
hallelujah, this blog today contains some fun ideas for getting around to using your unusables! i was inspired to blog on this subject while searching my endless cache of lipstick for the perfect shade of poppy. i have a special event coming up in which looking flawless is of paramount importance. i knew i had a shade that would correspond beautifully with my outfit, but it was far too matte for this time of year. i also had a gloss i liked, but i definitely wanted fuller coverage. i knew that dior addict made a fantastic shine formula with moderate color, high sheen and not too much sparkle. but $26, plus nearly 10% sales tax and a trip to the mall? i can do better than that. so i did.
as i mentioned, i had several colors i liked, each with their own unique property. unfortunately, none of them possessed all the qualities i was looking for. so i used a toothpick and shaved a little off this one, and a little off that one, and maybe just a smidge off another one and transferred it into a little container. my container? in this case i used an empty bobbi brown eye shadow pan. coincidentally, bobbi brown sells empty pan palettes for a very similar purpose – but mixing isn't usually mentioned as a selling point. these handy pans can be used for all sorts of things! if you can scoop it, scrape it or pour it in there, you'll have whatever you need in a pint-sized container ready at your fingertips. japonesque makes empty palettes in every conceivable size and shape. just think of the possiblities – makeup, toiletries, skin care . . . great investment if you crave portability.
so after a little mixing of products, drag out the hairdryer! the heat should be high enough to somewhat melt the lipstick, but not the container. this is generally why i try and reuse shadow pans; they are typically metal and will conduct the heat more efficiently. voilà! you have your very own shade of lipstick! but don't stop with lipstick. i also like to mix my own eye shadows. it gives a completely different look versus simply layering a color over another color. in this case, of course, you wouldn't be able to melt the product together. but scraping a modest amount of a few colors make a great loose shadow. (for this you may want to rethink the container.) i've also been known to mix a small amount of a clear lip gloss, carmex-type product or eye cream with shadows. presto – creamy shadow or maybe even a new lipstick shade! feel free to mix a lipstick or shadow with a dollop of your favorite moisturizer for a fab cream blush! (cream blushes are beautifully sheer and wonderful for dryer skin!)
got kids? got kids' markers? are they non-toxic? grab a red, pink, or even orange for a quick lip stain underneath a lipstick, gloss or chapstick. don't laugh, i've done this! it shows up much lighter on the lips, and it will stain, but you'll still be able to wash it off when you're ready. sadly, i cannot take credit for this idea. i remember hearing about the band poison using markers when their beloved eyeliner wasn't available before a show. ahh, the eighties. on a side note: do not use marker for eyeliner.
the moral about mixing really is about making it your own. you control the amount, the color and the intensity. make an evening out of it; go through all those products you never use but won't part with and let your imagination run wild. how cool would it be to pull out a signature shade at a party? and keep in mind that a lot of makeup mavens started out this very same way!
