Sunday, November 23, 2014

DIY Eye Makeup Primer

Sorry, guys, this is another week that these posts most likely won't interest you...unless you enjoy wearing eyeliner, mascara, and eyeshadow.  Most ladies have experienced, at one time or another, that infuriating moment when you realize that some, or all, of your eye makeup has worn off, leaving only remnants of it on the crease of your eyelid.  Eye Makeup Primer has been the God-send to solve this problem, but it's usually somewhere in the ballpark of $8 and up...and up...and up.  Today we're going to make a homemade, inexpensive, two-ingredient recipe for our own primer that'll cost you 90+% less than the major makeup brands, as well as rival their results.



To Complete This Project You Will Need:

  • Body Butter or any Thicker Lotion (Scented or Non-Scented depends upon you & your skin sensitivities.)
  •  Liquid Foundation Makeup
  • Lip Gloss Pots or Craft Bead Containers
Body Butter is essentially just a thicker lotion, usually "whipped" with a very creamy consistency.  It can be found at many drug store retailers and superstores, and even more specialty stores like Victoria's Secret & Sephora.  Depending on how fancy you want to get and the brand you're interested in, prices can vary from around $3-$5, all the way up to ~$20.  I bought mine on clearance from Kmart for just under $3.   

Liquid Foundation can also be found almost anywhere, from dollar stores, to drugstore retailers, to any superstore.  If you're trying to make this product for as cheap as possible, I'd definitely recommend a foundation from somewhere like Dollar Tree, Dollar General, etc. where you'll only have to pay $1.  If you already have a regular foundation brand that you normally use for your face, by all means, use that for our project as well.  I'm not a huge wearer of liquid foundation, but I always enjoy Cover Girl products (especially since P&G always puts out Cover Girl coupons!)  This tube was about $5 after coupon.

Lip Gloss Pots may be a little challenging to find in local stores sold as, "lip gloss pots."  Luckily, I found mine at Pat Catan's craft store in a package of 12 for about $3.50 in the jewelry storage section.  You may be able to find similar bead containers at stores like Walmart with craft sections.  Additionally, stores with Travel/Trial item sections carry small, round containers with twist off lids, perfect for this project, for just $1 for 2. 




First, squeeze or pour (if using a bottle) about a nickle-sized amount of the liquid foundation into the storage container. 


Next, scoop in some body butter.  I just used my finger to scoop it out and put it into my storage container.  It was probably about a tablespoon.  I was just trying for enough to fill my container most of the way.

            


Mix your ingredients together with a toothpick, or similarly sized item, until the primer has an even color and smooth consistency.  If you like a thicker primer, either add more foundation from the beginning, add less body butter, or once you've mixed the initial amounts together, add more foundation to achieve more thickness.
      
         


Do a quick test spot if you'd like to get an idea of how the primer might look & the results it'll give you.  In the picture below, the eyeshadow on the top was applied over top of primer that I blended into my hand.  The eyeshadow on the bottom was applied to just a clean, dry section of my hand without any primer.



Once you're happy with the color and consistency of your primer, it is ready to use!



Voila! You've Made Your Own Eye Makeup Primer!
Thank You & Enjoy!

DIY Charcoal Face Scrub/Mask

If you're like me, there's probably something about your skin you're not in love with. I've always felt like I had big pores & blackheads on my nose & cheeks, even though they're not really noticeable to anyone but me, but we all know that doesn't really matter in the land of insecurities.  Alas & henceforth, today we're going to be making a charcoal face scrub/mask with just a few ingredients.

(Image by Huffington Post on their website: {http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1643224/thumbs/o-CHARCOAL-PRODUCTS-570.jpg}.)


To Complete This Project You'll Need:
  • Activated Charcoal Capsules
  • Aloe Vera Gel
  • Honey
  • Sugar
  • Water
  • 2-4 oz Storage Container
  • Mixing Bowl/Spoon

Activated Charcoal capsules can be found at most health stores or pharmacies, but are a little pricey. I bought a 100-count bottle from GNC for $9.99.

Chances are you probably have the other ingredients somewhere around the house, so let's get started!




First, break open 2 charcoal capsules and pour into your mixing bowl.




Add 1/2 teaspoon of water to the charcoal. Allow to bubble & sit for a couple minutes, so that the water is mostly absorbed.


Next, squeeze in about 2 teaspoons of aloe vera gel.





We'll then add about 2 teaspoons of honey.



Lastly, pour in 1 teaspoon of sugar. 


Mix all of the ingredients together until you have a smooth, even consistency.


Spoon your mixture into your container, & you're ready to try it out!


You can use your charcoal mixture as a slightly abrasive facial scrub or as a mask. 
It is IMPORTANT, that since this contains aloe vera gel, to NOT apply it or wash with it around your eyes. It can cause extreme eye irritation.
If you choose to use this cleanser as a mask, once applied, let it dry for about 20-30 minutes. 

Once you rinse your mask off, you should notice some changes to your skin. I definitely thought my pores/blackheads in my nose looked drastically reduced & cleaned out. 

Depending on your skin type, this mask could dry you out a bit. I tend to have semi-dry, sensitive skin, & I was a little dried out after rinsing off the mask, so I simply applied some of my daily facial moisturizer.

Lastly, this batch creates enough for probably about 2-3 uses, so if you'd like to make enough to fill your container or just have some on hand, I'd recommend doubling or tripling the recipe.

Voila! You've Made Your Own Charcoal Face Scrub/Mask!
Thank You & Enjoy!