Best Makeup Tips – Tips for Stretching Your Makeup’s Life & Homemade Makeup Tips

Makeup Tips – Tips for Stretching Your Makeup’s Life

Things can be tough at times, which can make it difficult to keep purchasing your favorite makeup items when the cosmetic companies suggest. Well, your makeup can last longer than you realize, plus there are ways to save money by not tossing the leftovers in the trash.

•Lipstick can be used up to 2 years, as long as it doesn’t smell or look funny. So when you are down to the very bottom of your tube and only have that little nub left, don’t toss it out. Instead scrape it into a container for later. A great container to use is an empty lip gloss or single eyeshadow pot, just as long as you clean it first.

So what’s the best way to scrape your lipstick tube clean? Simply take a Q-tip and remove the cotton from the end. Once all traces of cotton are removed you can use it to scrape the remaining lipstick from the tube and place it in the empty pot for later. If you want to get really creative, you could mix different shades to make your own, once you blend them together.

•Lip gloss works the same way as lipstick and will last up to 2 years. There really isn’t a great way to scrape and conserve lip gloss, but what would you do if you ran out of it? If you want a to make your own color of lip glass, take a clean an empty lip gloss pot, add a little petroleum jelly, and then add a little of your leftover lipstick that you have scraped. If it doesn’t blend together well you can put it in a microwave safe container and heat it up for a few seconds. Just make sure you don’t overheat it, and don’t apply it unless you check the temperature first.

•Pressed face powder will normally last for one year or longer. Quite often you can’t get all of the powder out of your compact because the powder is stuck in the corners or breaks apart, which makes it hard to carry in your purse. There is no big save for this problem, so you will have to buy a new pressed powder, but you can save the leftover powder in a container and use it as a loose powder at home.

You can purchase a small travel-size container from any store, just as long as it has an open mouth top so you can reach the powder with your brush, or you can use a small storage container cup. It doesn’t matter what you use as long as the container has a lid to keep the powder inside. In order to make the pressed powder usable, make sure you crush it so is similar to the consistency of loose powder.

•Concealer, depending on the formulation, can last around 8 months. If you are using a stick concealer that looks like a lipstick tube, you can scrape the leftover concealer into a clean container, just as you can with your lipstick. Squeeze-tube concealers and other concealers where you cannot get into the container will be very difficult to save any remaining product, unless you perform surgery on the package and that could be very messy.

Instead, if you are using a concealer that cannot be opened to scrape and you are in need of a concealer, simply use the semi-dried foundation makeup that collects around the cap of your foundation bottle.

•Blush can last around a year before you need a new one. If you have a favorite powder blush that you use almost daily, try the same trick mentioned before about the pressed face powder. Put any remaining breakage and crumbs into a container, crush to make it easier to use, and then store it with a lid for later use. If you are using a cream blush and it is in a pot container, you can scrape the sides by using the Q-tip method mentioned in the lipstick area, smooth it out evenly, and continue to use it until completely finished. Just make sure to keep the pot for future storage uses.

•Mascara should be tossed every 6 months, since it is worn so close to your eyes. The thing about mascara is that there really is no way to scrape out mascara for later without it drying out. So how can you conserve on mascara? Well, most companies will try to tell you to ditch you mascara every 3 months, when you can actually keep it for 6. Another tip is not to pump your mascara because this gets air into the container, which will make it dry out faster and flake while on your lashes. A final tip is if you buy department store brands, don’t be afraid to ask for mascara samples while you are there. Most cosmetic companies will have samples of mascara for you to try, and the sample tube can last for 1-2 months. But if that tactic fails, then look for gift time because many gifts with purchase have a mascara sample inside

Homemade Makeup Tips

If you have ever looked in your medicine cabinet, pantry, or refrigerator you may have noticed that there are several food or general beauty items that you could actually use for homemade makeup. When you’re in a pinch for a lip stain, eyeshadow, or face powder there is no need to make a mad dash to your local pharmacy. Instead head for your bathroom or your kitchen.

Lips

There are several lip staining items lying around your house right now. Four of the best items for staining are beets, kool-aid, Jell-o, and dark colored berries and fruit (such as raspberry, blackberry, and pomegranate). In a pinch you can mash beets and fruits or open a packet of Jell-o or Kool-aid and apply it to your lips by using a Q-tip. For an easier application, you can also mix any of the items with a small amount of petroleum jelly or olive oil. Out of all of the recommendations, using mashed beets will stain your lips the longest because it will stay in place while eating, talking, drinking, etc. Which ever item you decide to try, please remember to watch your teeth when applying it. After all, you don’t want to have berry-stained teeth while at work or on a night out.

The kitchen isn’t the only place you may find ideas for a new lip stain or lip gloss. One peak into your makeup collection may give you several quick ideas for a stand-in lip product. If you are in search of a gloss, then add an eyeshadow to a little dab of petroleum jelly or Vitamin E, mix together, and add to your lips. If you are in a big hurry and can’t find you lipstick, then simply use your favorite blush stick on your lips, such as Clinique’s Blushwear Cream Stick (Compare Prices).

Color isn’t the only thing you can get from items around your home. If you don’t need a lip color, but you can’t find your lip gloss or lip balm then there are easy fixes you can use at home. One of the best lip gloss/balms I have found from at-home products is Vitamin E capsules. If you have these in your home you can poke a small hole in a capsule with a needle and then squeeze a little onto your lips. It gives great moisture, shine, and it’s also healthy to boot. Other items you can try in a pinch are petroleum jelly and several oils such as olive oil and grape seed oil.

Eyes

When using products around or on your eyes, you need to be careful and not irritate them. Most of us have liquid food dye, but did you know it also comes in a powder form as well? You can find them at various cooking stores and even some major craft stores. If you already have some you can grab a non-scented baby powder, add a dash of your favorite dry food coloring, and mix together until you get the color you want. You can apply this dry or you can mix a little of the powder mixture with a dab of petroleum jelly or Vitamin E, until you get a nice cream eyeshadow. Since the eyes can be such a sensitive area, I would recommend staying clear of using powdered herbs on your eyes unless you are already aware of whether the herb will not irritate your eye area.

Face

If you are fair-skinned and have ever run out of face powder, then you should have thought of grabbing the un-scented baby powder. Baby powder works wonders with many things cosmetic, and using it as a setting powder is one of them. Simply tap a small amount into your palm and then gently press it into your skin with a makeup puff. If you don’t have a puff then you can use cotton balls. Once you apply it, gently buff the remaining powder away so you don’t look chalky. As a side note, you can also use baby powder in your hair to absorb excess oil between shampoos.

Cheek color can also be made at home in a pinch. Remember the beets in the “Lips” section? For a quick and easy cheek color, mix a small amount of mashed beets with petroleum jelly or Vitamin E, and mix until smooth. This will work like some of the famous lip/cheek stains, such as Benefit’s Benetint (Compare Prices). If you don’t feel like mixing things from the kitchen, then grab a lipstick and dab a few dots on your cheeks, then blend for instant color. If you want a powder blush, simply take a small amount of baby powder, and mix it with some eyeshadow scrapings.

In the End

Any of these ideas can work in a pinch or as an everyday product, so experiment and see what you come up with. Who knows, you may mix something that becomes your new favorite makeup item. Then once you are more comfortable with making your own color, you may want to mix some beautiful gifts for friends and family during special occasions and holidays. Remember, makeup is supposed to be both beautiful and fun, so make sure you enjoy yourself when concocting the next makeup must-have.