We’re all aware (or at least we should be) of the expiration dates of most makeup products in our stash (FYI, you can find them on the back of most products), yet we’re all guilty of clinging on to old faves. Obviously, we advocate binning those products that have been kept waaay past their expiration, but we don’t always manage to practice what we preach (#guilty). So, if you too have a tonne of broken, dried up, verging on empty products languishing at the back of your drawers, it’s time to hunt them out, ‘cus we’re sharing our top tips for reviving old makeup and extending its lifespan (just think of the money you could be saving too – win win).
MELTING LIPSTICK
We’ll admit, our lip colour wardrobe is extensive and, if we do say so ourselves, rather on point, so why is it that we find ourselves sticking to the same 3 lipsticks over and over again? Would we even be doing beauty right if we didn’t have at least one ‘your lips but better shade’ that we use to death, or a statement red we’ve been trying to make last since we first discovered lipstick? We think not. However, this doesn’t mean the rest of your (lesser used) lipsticks should go to waste. How about customising your very own lip shade by recycling shades you’ve previously disregarded? You can do this by melting two lipsticks together – bet ya didn’t think of that one, hey? Start by scraping out the remaining product, putting both on a spoon and hovering over a saucepan of boiling water (or alternatively, you can use a bowl in the microwave). Simply pour the melted liquid into a pot, allow it to cool and voila, you’ve got a whole new colour. This method also works a miracle if one of your lipsticks has snapped off from the bullet (we know, we know, the thought is enough to bring us all out in hives).
ALCOHOL
We’ve all been there; lying on the floor in utter despair because your favourite eyeshadow or *god forbid* your holy grail highlighter has fallen off the bed, leaving you with nothing but a pile of shattered beauty dreams. Being face to face with a broken product is particularly heartbreaking for us beauty junkies, but fortunately, these products can be revived with our other go-to in life: alcohol. This is one of the best tricks for fixing damaged makeup, especially a product that has cracked or smashed in the pan. Collect all pigment together and add a dash of isopropyl alcohol until the powder becomes a paste. Adding alcohol makes the product malleable so that you can smooth it back into the pan. Genius.
ALL ABOUT THE ACETONE
So, you’ve gone to give yourself a fresh mani/pedi with your go-to Summer shade (y’know, the one you always use despite having a nail polish collection that rivals your local salon) and all you’ve found is a thick gloopy mess that looks more like children’s finger paint than smooth polish. Each time you open and close a bottle of nail varnish, air worms its way into the bottle causing the formula to thicken, thus hindering the strong nail game you’ve got going (and we don’t want that, do we?). Not to worry though, all you need is a bottle of acetone to fix the problem – just add a few drops to the polish and give it a good shake. Alternatively, you can clean the nail brush and soak the bristles in acetone before putting it back in the bottle. This hack will revive the shade for a few more uses, but after that, we suggest grabbing a replacement. How about checking out our range of nail polishes and adding one to your next box just in case?
A LITTLE SALINE
This is a super quick hack that anyone can achieve in mere minutes. If your mascara is underperforming and is as dry as your Friday night Martini, try soaking the tube in a mug of boiling water until the formula becomes wet again (ensuring the cap is tight and secure). If this fails to do the trick, it’s worth adding a few drops of saline solution to the formula. Don’t forget to give it a good shake!
A LITTLE TAPE WON’T HURT NOBODY
Do you have a face powder that looks more like the petri dish of bacteria you used to make during a Science class? If you answered yes, you need to grab yourself some tape. After a while of use, powdered makeup can develop a gross and weird looking hard film on top of it, which is usually caused by excess oils and unclean makeup brushes. You may also find that when your powders are showing signs of a hard film, the product is less pigmented and therefore less effective. To overcome this minor, slightly vomit-inducing issue (just imagine what it would look like under a microscope – actually don’t) gently press some tape against the top and it’ll be good as new.
