Sunday, May 11, 2014

Quick Tip/Trick #1: How to Fix a Shattered Compact/Powder Shadow

I'm going to start a little series of posts on my blog about my quick tips and tricks for beauty, fashion, and all things life related.  If I have any helpful knowledge that I use from time to time, I want to be able to share it and hopefully help anyone who needs it!  Look for the new tab up at the top of my page labeled "TIPS/TRICKS" to keep up with this series :]

Anyway, here is my first tip/trick:  how to fix a broken/shattered powder compact or shadow, or basically any powder product in a container -- blush, bronzer, eyeshadow, anything!

It happens to the best of us.  You are shuffling around your makeup drawer and accidentally drop your favorite eyeshadow.  You reach into your purse and pull out your powder foundation to touch up, only to open it and see a crumbled mess.  But instead of falling into a pile on the floor and crying, have no fear! There is a way to fix it!

All you need is a little tool to crush up your powder and smooth it out, and some 90%+ rubbing alcohol.  In a few steps and a few hours, your powder product will be useable again!


Sadly, when I was cleaning up the top of my desk, I watched my NYX blotting powder fall to the ground in slow motion.  Since it's a really delicate powder, I knew the fate my poor compact had suffered without even looking.  


Insert tears here.  But no, not really, because I knew there was a way to fix it.


First, take something flat and little (I used the opposite end of my Tweezerman tweezers, but any little tool will work!  I also like using a small, dull butter knife) and start crushing up the powder even more.  Yes, I know this seems counter intuitive, but trust me gurl.


Keep crushing it until it becomes a loose powder.  Some products will be easier to crush than others.  Because mine was a blotting powder, which is already really fine and translucent, it was very easy to do this.  If you're fixing a dense, compacted eyeshadow, it'll be a little more time consuming.  But don't stop mashing and crushing until it's like the consistency of flour.


When it's all done, it should look like this.


Make sure you are using a 90%+ solution of isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol for this.  What it does is binds the powder product together and then as it dries, it completely evaporates, leaving only a solid powder again!  So the higher the alcohol content, the faster it'll dry and evaporate.  And don't try to use anything else for this step, like eye drops, contact solution, hydrogen peroxide, etc.  -- the KEY is using a high percentage rubbing alcohol!  If you use any other watery solution, your compact will stay wet and never completely dry correctly.


Depending on the size of your compact or container, add a TINY bit of alcohol at a time, mixing it to create a paste.  A few drops at a time will do.  Remember: you can always add more, but you can't take it away.



Keep adding and mixing until your powder turns to something like peanut butter (mine actually happened to be the color of peanut butter, too!  But obviously if you're fixing, say, a purple eyeshadow, it'll be purple).  


Really try to smooth it out on the top.  Your compact was most likely smooth and flat to begin with, so try as hard as you can to flatten the paste out on the top.  This is easier said than done, because trying to flatten peanut butter with a spoon is almost impossible.  So it won't come out perfect, but do the best you can!


Clean up around the edges with a tissue or a cotton swab, just to make it look a little neater.


It should look like this when you're all done!

Now -- leave it on a windowsill, counter top, or anywhere that you won't be tempted to keep checking in on.  This part is hard, because you don't want to disturb it or touch it for at least a few hours.  You should preferably leave it untouched overnight!  And make sure you don't cover it up!  Leave the product uncovered while it's drying, so the alcohol can completely evaporate.

When it's all dried, it'll look like a powder again!


Look!  I know it sort of looks like the surface of the moon, but whatever.  With a few uses, it'll be pretty flat and back to normal again!  Your powder product has been saved!!


You can also take a cotton swab again and clean up the little bits of powder that dried on the outside of the compact.. but really, who's looking that closely at your makeup.  As long as it works!


Test out the dryness of your powder by gently rubbing the surface and feeling for dampness or sponginess.  If it feels solid and powdery, and on your finger it looks like the powder it used to be, then you're all done!

Just remember to keep a little bottle of rubbing alcohol with you, and whenever fate decides to take one of your favorite compacts or eyeshadows away from you.. now you know what to do :]

xojaybee

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