8 DIY Ways to Repurpose Your Old Lipstick
We’ve all been there: Handbags laden with countless tubes of lipstick we forgot we even owned, looking a little worse for the wear. If you’ve ever wondered what to do with those sad-looking lip colors and don’t have the heart to toss them out just yet, you’ve come to the right place. Believe it or not, a leftover tube can do more work than you ever thought possible. Check out these tips for salvaging your old lipsticks, and let us know which tricks you’ll be using in the comments below!
Lip Gloss: Mix your lip color with Vaseline either on the back of your hand or on a plastic compact using a lip brush. While doubling as a human palette to mix your new gloss might not sound like the ideal situation, mixing makeup on your hand actually warms up the product, helping it to glide effortlessly onto the lips.
Lip Stain: Looking for a more subdued lip color? Try this trick: Apply a light layer of lipstick onto your lips, then use a lint-free blotting paper to remove excess color. Apply one more light layer, and blot again. This way, the color is being pressed into your lips, rather than sitting on top of the lips in multiple layers.
MORE: 15 Things That Happen When You Start Wearing Lipstick Full Time
Lip Liner: Take a small lip brush and dip it into your lipstick. Allow the brush to dry for a few seconds so that the product has a tacky consistency. Next, line your lips just as you would with a lip pencil, and fill the rest of your lips in with your color of choice. The best part? If you’re having trouble finding a liner that matches your lip color, now you have your own homemade liner that’s sure to blend seamlessly.
Cream Blush: Mix a bit of lipstick and a drop of argan oil with a stippling brush on the back of your hand. Lightly dab this onto the apples of your cheeks, following the application of your foundation. Choose a subtle shade of lipstick for this, as a deep cherry red won’t translate on the cheeks as well as say, a pinky-peach.
Eye Color: At the Ashish fall 2014 runway show, makeup artist Sharon Dowsett placed pink lipstick on the outer corners of the models’ eyelids for a playful princess vibe. If this look doesn’t quite tickle your fancy, try using a nude or brown color for a glossy, translucent eye color.
MORE: Red Lip Rule Book: Finding the Perfect Shade For You
Custom Color: Ever dreamed of being a makeup mixologist? Place two (or more!) colors onto an old microwave-safe plate, mix them together, and microwave for about 5 seconds. The result? A brand new custom color that can be placed into an empty tin.
Tinted Lip Balm: Take a half-used tin of lip balm and add about a quarter of a tube of lipstick to the tin. Mix it around using either your finger or the end of a spoon to create your very own tinted lip balm.
Layer Like a Pro: If you’ve ever considered trying the layered lipstick look, what better time to try it than when you have a whole bunch of old colors lying around? Use a lip primer to prep lips for your new custom color, then apply shades using separate lip brushes to avoid the colors mixing on the tube. Voilà!
