Feb 26, 2009 3:23 pm US/Eastern
Extend the Life of Your Favorite Cosmetics
(KDKA)
To help you stay on your beauty budget, here is how to use your cosmetics right down to the very end.
First know, if any product smells differently than when you bought it or it separates, throw it away. This could mean the preservatives are gone and bacteria may be present.
To use the rest of powder products such as eye shadow, blush or pressed powder, use a pin to loosen the remaining product from the pan and empty it into a plastic craft container. Assorted small containers can be found at a craft store in the bead section.
The products will now be a loose form. Eye shadow can be applied with a sponge eye shadow applicator. Blush can be applied with a blush brush and powder with a powder brush or cotton ball.
Also, a bit of blush powder can be mixed with a bit of Vaseline to make a lip gloss. Put in it's own small craft container and apply with a lip brush.
If you want any of the powder finer, you can use a pill crusher(found at your pharmacy). Just clean our before each shade and certainly have a separate pill crusher for your medications.
Lip pencils that have become too hard to use can be softened between your fingers before each use. If the lip pencil has formed a white crust from non use, you can dip the tip into baby oil. Lay the pencil on a paper towel overnight for the oil to soak in.
NEVER do this to an eye pencil! To prevent your eye pencil from getting hard, sharpen after each use. Replace an eye pencil every six months to prevent bacteria build up. Use a separate sharpener for your eye pencils and one for your lip pencils.
Never try to revive mascara. You can get a few extra weeks out of a tube of mascara by using disposable mascara wands(found at Sally Beauty Supply) when you start a new tube. Bacteria can build up in the tube with every use so don't "double dip" the first few weeks of a new tube. Otherwise, replace every three months.
Lipsticks that have broken, or are so low they can't be used from the tube can also be put into a craft container. Apply to lips with a lip brush. A broken concealer can be used this way too, just use your finger or a concealer brush to apply.
Nail polish get too thick? Add a bit of nail polish remover to the bottle and roll it in your hands to mix. Or, make a new shade and add another color from a fresh bottle. Just make sure the formulas are the same. Such as regular nail polish or quick dry polish. To help prevent polish from getting thick, wipe to the top of the bottle after each use with a cotton pad w/ nail polish remover. Polish that forms around the top of the bottle won't close tightly enough, letting air get in making the polish thick.
Get the last of lip gloss out of the tube with a long cotton tip swab.
Prolong the life of your pressed powder by leaving the plastic circle the compact comes with on the powder. This will prevent oil (from your face onto the puff) absorbing onto the powder. If you do get the "crust" that sometimes forms, use a child's(smaller and softer) tooth brush to gently scrape off the top.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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