DIY Lipstick Palette

I am always looking for ways to improve my Pro Kit especially when it comes to organization.  I will definitely give you a tour of my kit so you can see what's all in it along with some of my favorite products that I take with me when I am on location.

I've always wanted to make a lipstick palette with magnetizable pans to condense my lipsticks since it's so hard to carry 30+ lipsticks with you.  I had some extra empty eye shadow pans that I use to press loose pigments so I decided to melt all my popular bridal lipsticks down into the pans and then placing them in  see-thru palettes (very similar to the Z-palettes) that I have been making (more about this later in a later post). 

Materials you will need

• lipsticks - any brand, texture or finish will work
• empty aluminum or tin pans - Personally I like to use tin because you don't need a magnet if you are using a magnetized palette.  I get all my pans at TKB TRADING you can get the traditional 26mm circle pan or other sizes and shapes they offer. 
• palette knife 
• labels - you can cut labels to fit the bottom of your pan or purchase pre sized labels
• hair straightener - I purchased a cheap hair straightener just to use for projects such as eye shadow depotting and for melting. 
• empty eye shadow palettes - many brands carry empty palettes from ELF to MAC which has dividers or Z-Palette.  I make my own, it's so fun to make! 

First take your lipstick and cut about 1/4 -1/2 of the stick to melt.   A palette knife or even a regular butter knife would work as well. The color that is shown is Wet N Wild Matte Lipstick 901B.  Swatches of my Wet N Wild Matte Lipsticks coming soon!

 Now smash the lipstick until you fill up the whole pan.  The palette knife helps smash and spread the product nicely.

 Place your pan on your hair straightener and watch it melt to a liquid constancy.  I keep the heat level on the lowest setting.  If you straightener does not give you option to change the heat levels just watch it carefully so it does not burn.  The pan will not harm your hair straightener just wipe it down before you use it on your hair. 

Naturally, you will see bubbles appearing, do not worry this is easy to solve.  Just take something sharp and pop them. Or move the bubbles to side and scoop them away. 

Once you feel the lipstick has melted, carefully remove the pan from the straightener.  The lipsticks is in liquid form, try to have a steady hand when doing this.  It is also very hot! Pretend the lipstick is a pizza and you are taking it out of the brick oven! A steady hand will do the trick.  You see there's a air bubble that I couldn't remove, once I took the pan away from the heat source it went away.  I spilled a little too. lol

 While you are waiting for your lipstick pan to dry, prepare your label.  Just found these labels at Office Depot.  You can even use a label maker such as a P-Touch, whatever you can find around the house will do. 

Once the  pan solidifies just add your label to the bottom.  Yay! You just created your own lipstick pan.  Be creative and create your own custom colors.  No more loose lipstick cases everywhere.  

 It's an addicting process, you literally want to melt down all your lipsticks you have into pans.  I have a ton of lipsticks but I really just wanted to have a set with all my bridal colors that I use regularly.

The completed project.  I know a lot of you are going to ask how I made the knock off Zpalette.. I will save this for a later post. :)

Have fun melting away!!!

DIY Brush Cleaner

 I have been making my own makeup essentials for the past couple of months including makeup remover and brush cleaner.  I find that these 2 products I tend to run out faster than the rest of my makeup products.  These things are expensive especially when you use these products on a daily basis and when you are professional makeup artist. 

I found this recipe on the web originally from Enkore Makeup (youtube beauty guru) I actually added the Witch Hazel (found out that my Smashbox Brush Cleaner has this ingredient in it).  When I make brush cleaner I usually double up on the measurements to make one large batch and then distribute in large bottles. Since I use brush cleaner almost every day making a lot was a better idea than having to keep making a small batch every week.  This recipe is great for deep cleaning and fast spot cleaning, I will demonstrate both methods.  

The ingredient brands are up to you, personally I like to use more natural ingredients.  All the ingredients that I used can be found at Target and are very inexpensive.  Check your local Dollar Store for supplies to mix your ingredients or for empty travel spray bottles to store the liquid.  I get all my little containers and bottles at Daiso, a Japanese dollar store (everything is actually $1.50, but the quality is very good). 

Mix the following ingredients together in a large container (I like to use a small pitcher that I designate just for making brush cleaner. The spout makes it easier to fill bottles:

- 1 cup of distilled/purified water

- 1/4 cup of 70% isopropyl alcohol

- 1/2 tbsp dish soap (I used J.R. Watkins Natural Home Care Dish Soap Grapefruit)

- 1/2 tbsp gentle shampoo (I used Comforts For Baby Body Wash/Shampoo - Mild Hypoallergenic Tear Free)

- 1 tbsp of leave-in conditioner (I used Pantene, this will help keep the hair of your brushes soft)

-2 tbsp of Witch Hazel

Gently stir to prevent suds from forming. If you do get foam just fill your bottles at an angle, the foam will stay in the pitcher. 

You can always twerk the recipe to your liking.  Don't add too much alcohol or else it will dry out your brushes and don't use too much soap as it will leave your brushes soapy if you are using it as a spot cleaner.  

all the  ingredients I used 

different bottles  to store the brush cleaner in

 To spot clean just squirt a little bit of liquid onto a paper towel.

 Take the brush and wipe it back and forth until all the pigment comes off the brush.  You will see the makeup on the paper towel.

 Deep cleaning is great if you have a ton of brushes that need to be cleaned.  I like to deep clean my personal brushes at least every other week or until I feel they are getting yuck. Place your brushes in some sort of cup or jar.

 Fill the jar with your home made brush cleanser do not exceed past the silver part of the brush (ferrule).  The bristles/hairs should be emerged in the cleaner.  For now the liquid is clear... just wait

 Swish the brushes around until you see the liquid turn color... YUCK!

 Look what the brushes left behind.. just think of all the build up if you haven't washed your brushes for lets say a month!! ACK!

Rinse your brushes with warm water while shaping the hairs.  Lay flat to dry over a table edge so that the brush head can dry all around. Do not place your brushes back into a cup or holder the water will fall into the ferrrule (silver part of the brush that holds the hairs together with glue).  Once water gets in there the glue becomes loose and hairs will start to fall off. 

---> these are my professional brushes I take with me on location.

I have used this recipe for almost 3 months now and I have not had any problems with my brushes.  I use my personal brushes every day so they do get a lot of use.  I love how it smells and it cleans my brushes very well.  Give this recipe a try, you will not need to buy brush cleanser ever again!!!

P.S. I will post my DIY makeup remover next week.. :) I love making my own makeup products!  If you have any recipes that you would like to share... please share away! :)

My Makeup Vanity/Storage/Armoire

Over a year ago my boyfriend and I moved in together, buying a condo in the city.  I love living in the city but finding room to fit both of our "things" in a 850 sq ft condo was very tricky.  I will admit I had a lot of "things" from clothes, makeup, and craft supplies scattered all over the condo, which then made our place look cluttered.  The biggest problem was my makeup collection and not having a place for me to sit down and get ready.  The lighting in the bathroom wasn't so great, I love doing makeup in natural daylight.  When we moved in I took over a little corner near the dining room table with all my plastic storage containers.  The boyfriend hated looking at all my makeup scattered all over the dining room table and not having  a place to eat.  Our 2 week project was set into action.  Both of us searched everywhere for something that would be practical, functional and at the same time look amazing out in the open in our condo.  I came across a website called

IKEA HACKERS

, a gentleman made a vanity makeup armoire for his hairstylist girlfriend.  They too had the same problem as ours, small space but need stylish storage. We twerked the design a little to fit all my needs; a place for me to get ready, storage for all my makeup and a nice area for me to do makeup on clients when they come over. 

I am completely in LOVE with the final outcome of my own little area, it is everything I ever wished for.  It took many trips back and forth to Ikea and a hefty amount of $$$ but it was all worth it.  This couldn't have been done without my loving, supportive boyfriend who puts up with me and my makeup collection.  Hope you enjoy my pictures!

The makeup armoire consist of 2 bookshelf type storage.  At Ikea you can customize the side of the frame, size, drawers, wood, and etc. The smaller unit with the mirror is where I have my clients sit in front of.  I use the top of the unit as a table to lay out all my products I will be using.  The mirror is a great add on for clients to see their new look. 

Behind the longer door is where you will find the "vanity" portion of my makeup booth.  The lights are powered by an outlet behind the unit, the boyfriend drilled a hole to wire the plugs to the back.  There is also a working power strip inside for me to plug in my curling iron and hair straightener, it is also wired to the outlet in the back of the unit.  The pull out table is so handy, and the magnetic brush board makes everything clutter free.  

The drawers filled with all sorts of makeup goodness! My palettes are organized by a CD/DVD liner to make the palettes stand.  

This is what is inside of the 2nd smaller unit.  Basically supplies, and surplus/brand new makeup.  The white storage containers are filled with MAC pigments.  

Can't forget my Zuca and MAC briefcase for on-location work.  I'll post pictures later of all the makeup that's inside this little guy. 

Now you know why I am so in love with my makeup armoire.  

Let me know what you guys think.