Or maybe you’re sick of having to leave that last drop of product in its container because you just can’t reach it? Before you give up and spend a small fortune replacing your favourite products, check out these tips from the team at cosmetify.com on how to fix or recycle your broken makeup.
Cracked eyeshadow
You’ve probably dropped your eyeshadow at some point - or even maybe an entire palette - whilst hurriedly trying to get ready in the morning. Fortunately, there are ways of salvaging the sad and crumbled mess on the floor with a little isopropyl alcohol (aka rubbing alcohol).
Try to gather as much of the remaining crumbled product as you can and place it back in the pan. Wind some cling film around it to keep it in place and, with your fingers, press on the pieces until what you have resembles smooth powder.
Next, unwrap the eye shadow and add a few drops of rubbing alcohol. Once the product is malleable, use your fingers to mould it back into the pan. Once it resembles its original self, leave it to dry.
Finally, clean up the edges of your compact or palette with a cotton swab, ensuring that although any pretty patterns once imprinted on your eye shadow have disappeared, at least the compact can look brand new.
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Broken lipstick
Whether you have a favourite lipstick that you wear all day every day, or you have a whole range of colours to choose from depending on your mood, you’ve probably experienced the heartbreak of your lipstick snapping. Unless you have a lipstick mould, it’s near impossible to restore the product to the original condition. However, with a touch of heat and an old lip balm container, you can still get some good wear out your favourite shade.
Start by spooning out the remaining product and place it all in a microwave safe bowl. Heat it up for 10 seconds and repeat until it is in liquid form.
Pour this liquid into an empty lip balm pot or tube – or even a tiny jam jar taken from a hotel breakfast buffet. Once cooled, it’s ready to use!
Alternatively, if there’s barely any product worth saving, you can turn this shade into a cheek stain by using a spoon to smooth the broken product into an empty compact.
Top tips for luscious lips
Under-pigmentation of products
Ever feel like your product has lost its pigmentation or isn’t having the effect it once did? The likely culprit here is that a hard film has formed over the top of your makeup due to a build-up of oils from dirty brushes.
The solution? Tear off a piece of sticky tape and place it firmly over the top of the product. Tear it away slowly and repeat until you are no longer pulling off a gleaming film.
Once this layer is removed, your favourite powder is ready to use again. Just remember to wash your brushes at least every two weeks to prevent a greasy build-up occurring.
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Clumpy mascara
Prolong the life of your favourite mascara (so long as it’s still within its use by date) by placing it in a glass of hot water for three minutes. This will loosen up the clumps, making it ready to give you enviably long lashes.
Eye makeup masterclass
Getting those last drops
When the applicator will no longer reach the remaining product, we are all guilty of giving up and finding a replacement.
This is where cotton swabs and beauty spatulas have their time to shine. Use them to scrape away that previously unreachable product and then you can decant it into an empty container to ensure you get every last drop out of your product.
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