Make A Customized Lip Palette With Your Favorite Lipsticks!

The finished product - 5 shades

        I'm a lipstick type of girl. I love the variety of colors, the different kinds of finishes (matte, shiny, shimmer, etc.), and just the feel of it on my lips. Hey, I'll even admit to being a hoarder when it comes to lip products. What I hate to admit is the fact that I usually have no choice but to throw away the lipstick that's stuck in the tube when I've used it down to the nub. Sure, you can take your lip brush and try to scrape as much of it out as you can, but it takes more time and effort than is actually necessary. Plus, with that technique, it's pretty flippin' hard to get a lot out. Another issue with the tubes is space (or maybe the issue is with my hoarding...). Whatever the issue is, you can completely rid yourself of the problem by removing the bulky packaging from the picture. Instead of cramming 15 lipsticks into your purse, wouldn't you rather have a handy palette that not only saves waste, but room as well?





Materials: 

• Palette with pans (Z palettes with metal pans are the best type) -- I used stackable makeup jars + one separate jar
• Lipstick (any type - I used 5, plus 2 to mix) 
• Candle
• Matches/fire starter
• Metal spoon/ladle
• Something to scrape the lipstick out -- I used the back of a cuticle pusher stick
• Protective mat (optional)

*all materials, including palettes can be bought online - my jars were from my local beauty store for $1.75

All of the materials I used.

My Lipsticks: 

My 5 lipsticks with my stackable jars

1. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in 616 Wink For Pink
2. L.A. Colors Professional Lipstick in BLC258 Hint
3. L.A. Colors Professional Lipstick in BLC248 Cherry Red
4. Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in 425 Plum Paradise
5. L'Oreal Color Riche Lipstick in 746 Pure Burgundy

• Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in 20 Pink & Proper + Flirt! Chickstick in 19 Sangria 

Instructions: 

1. First, lay out all of your materials on your mat (if you have one). Have your palette/pans ready or your jars open. Make sure they're clean and then light your candle. 

2. Next, using your scraper stick, break off your lipstick onto your metal spoon. Scoop the rest of it out and put it on your metal spoon with the rest of your lipstick. 

3. Hold your spoon over the flame, careful not to spill the melting lipstick or let it boil. If it gets too hot, but is not fully melted (small bubbles forming), then let it cool  and do it again. The best technique is to not let the spoon touch the flame and constantly move it around for even melting. 

4. Immediately pour into your pan or jar (it cools very quickly). Pour into two pans if it seems like it might overflow in one. Don't worry if it's not perfect, you can wipe off the sides later. If, for some reason, you want to redo it, just scrape it out when it's slightly cooler and repeat. 

5. Let the lipstick cool completely. Wipe your spoon and scraper stick before repeating with a different colored lipstick. 

From left to right: Wink For Pink, Hint, Cherry Red, Plum Paradise, Pure Burgundy (not yet cooled)

• Don't be afraid to mix colors. In a separate jar, I melted a Maybelline and Flirt! lipstick together to create a beautiful and unique shade. 

      I find that with palettes, you have more control over the color. You can apply a soft layer or lay it on thick and bright as if it were in a tube. Now, you can mix and match your perfect shade and give yourself a pat on the back for putting out time to do such a beneficial little project. Plus, with this trick, you'll never have to waste your favorite lipstick and you get more room for your other beauty needs! 

xoxo,

TrinaD. <3

How to Flawlessly Apply Lipstick or Lipgloss

Everyone knows that "practice makes perfect" but what if there were shortcuts? Chances are, your lipstick or gloss isn't always going to look photoshoot ready, but taking care of your lips and learning the best type of application for lip products can dramatically improve your results. With a swipe of pretty pink or fierce red, you can alter your whole persona...so why mess it up with feathering lipstick and uneven gloss? These tips and tricks will ensure you an impeccable pout, so purse your lips, my lovelies!

• Smooth your lips. Take a spoonful of sugar and add a couple sprinkles of water until it becomes a thick paste. Apply it to your lips generously and softly brush with your toothbrush for 30 seconds on each lip. Rinse off. Apply lip balm.
• Protect your lips. Apply lip balm (I prefer Burt's Bees Ultra Conditioning) a couple minutes before you do your makeup. This gives your lips time to absorb the moisture and soften. Blot off before you apply any other lip products.
• Line around your lips with concealer. This not only helps you reshape your lips how you want them, but also protects your lip line and keeps your lip products in line. Be sure to blend it in with your skin so that it isn't noticable.
• Line and fill in your lips. Line your lips with lip liner and fill your whole lip in with the same shade lip liner. This not only helps against feathering and smudging, but gives your lipstick/lipgloss something to hold onto.
• Apply your lipstick/lipgloss with a brush. Using a brush gives you more control over the product itself and where it is applied. You can reach the small corners and paint over each curve with ease.
• Blot and reapply. Give it a minute or two and blot (gently) before applying another layer of lipstick or gloss (you don't have to use a brush this time). Taking the time to blot and reapply really helps the product stay on longer and look even more vibrant.

Perfect lips don't have to take an insane amount of skill or time. These steps may seem like a lot, but when you actually do it, it's much quicker and gives you the results you want every single time. Follow these steps and I promise, you'll have no problem looking your best at any given moment.

xoxo,
TrinaD. <3

Blend Lipsticks and Glosses to Create Your Perfect Shade!



         Although the cosmetic aisle is home to hundreds of colorful lip products, finding the right shade for yourself can be challenging, especially since you can't try it out and see how it works for you before buying it. Sometimes a certain color is good, but it's just too orange, nude, red, or frosty. So of course, you can layer on the products and hope that it comes out evenly, or, you can blend them to create the perfect shade that you had in mind. It's quick, easy, and you can add certain things to personalize it. Make it a lip plumper or even add a sparkle of glitter. It's your call.

Materials:

• Vaseline (or you can use beeswax if you prefer something natural)
• Container (to store the lipgloss)
• Any lipglosses or lipsticks that you want to blend (I always recommend at least one lipstick - preferably frosty - because it's creamier and the color doesn't dull after time)
• Rosewater (optional - to soothe lips - do not use if you want to make a lip plumper)
• Clear glitter gloss (optional - I like to use it to add some sparkle if my other glosses don't have any already)
• Cinnamon Leaf Oil (optional - used to plump lips naturally)
• Stirring stick (I use an orange stick for nails)
• A dropper (if you are using rosewater or cinnamon oil)

TIP: To find YOUR perfect shade, gently pull your lower lip down and the color inside is what you should try to make your gloss similar to. It goes well with your skin tone and will enhance your natural beauty, however, if you are interested in making a bold colored gloss, then simply reach this tone and darken, lighten, or make it frostier.

1. Take your container and put in as much vaseline as you can. Fill it completely but do not overflow it. Also, leave some room to mix and add rosewater or cinnamon leaf oil if you wish.

TIP: Always add the lipsticks first since the colors tend to be more prominent in the end product. Although it does depend on the kind of lipstick. Also, I always use a spare lipstick for this since you'll be breaking sections off of it. Your normal lipgloss is fine, it will not get damaged.

2. Take your lipstick, and using the slanted end of the orange stick or using a plastic knife, carefully break off a small (you can add more later) chunk of lipstick and crush it in your container of vaseline before mixing it. Be sure the the mixture is smooth before adding anything else. If it is too light or maybe to dark, I would wait until you're done to add more lipstick or add more vaseline since the lipglosses will alter the color.

3. Add any lipglosses (any amount that you feel necessary) to the mixture. Be sure to stir in between each lipgloss. When you are finished, add more lipstick or lipgloss if it is too light or add more vaseline if it is too vivid. Add your clear glitter gloss to add sparkle if you haven't already.

4. This last step is optional: Add either 2-3 drops of cinnamon leaf oil to plump lips or 7 - 10 drops of rose water to soothe lips. Stir until gloss is well-blended. 

5. Test it out to see how it looks on your lips. If necessary, make changes.

6. Enjoy your new lipgloss that's in your perfect shade!

xoxo,

TrinaD. <3