Monday, May 18, 2009

How I De-tube and Melt My Lipsticks



Being a makeup artist, sanitation is the MOST important thing. You never want to spread germs from client to client so keeping a clean kit is very important. Regular cleaning of brushes, spraying of alcohol on your tools and pencils, and wiping down of powder products. Also, using separate lip brushes and scraping your lip products on a palette.

My lipsticks were seriously overpowering my kit as far as space goes so I decided to find a way to save space and help keep things more sanitary. I "de-tubed", as I like to say, the majority of my lipsticks. It was a hard decision because I love the little tubes and found them so portable, and I especially loved my limited edition tubes. Plus, think of all the Back 2 Mac you can do!



I have found that it is a whole lot easier to just use my palette knife and scoop out a little lipstick onto my palette and then to use a lip brush on clients.


The lipstick I am going to be de-tubing and melting today is Fleshpot. I've decided to put it in my Pink Palette next to Bubbles. I am using a little jar set from Joann's. You can find it here.



So lets start!

1. Get your tools together! I usually use my palette knife, but any item that can help you scoop is acceptable.



2. I use the lighter to remove the lipstick label...



...and stick it on the bottom of the empty jar.



3. Using your cutting tool, slice your fully rolled up lipstick at the base and into the jar.







4. Using then end of your spoon or scooping tool, slide it into the lipstick tube near the edge.


5. Slowly scoop out the lipstick and put it in the jar.






Fleshpot I found was very ...stiff. Maybe it was just the tube I got, but it was a little hard to cut through, it also made this process a little messier than usual for me. When getting all the lipstick off the spatula, i got a lot on the side of the jar which isn't usually the case.


6. Get all the excess you can out of the tube.





7. Your jar of lipstick should look like this.





8. Next Place it in the microwave. I have found that warming it up in the microwave for no more than 45 seconds at a time is perfectly safe for the lipstick as far as color, texture, and preservation. It still has that vanilla scent when solid again!






9. Slowly remove your jar from the microwave and it should be fully melted. If not, reheat for 15 second intervals until fully melted. Then let it cool off on a flat surface.


Here is the lipstick 45 seconds after microwave removal.






And here is the lipstick 5 minutes after microwave removal, completely solid.


Place in your palette and you're good to go!








I only cut down half of St. Germain, Fresh Brew, and Bubbles (not shown) for my kit and saved the tube for myself since I use them often.



The ones I didn't detube at all were Pure Rose from Ungaro, Fashion Mews from HK, Hi Top from Fafi, and Strayin from HK. Cause who says you have to de-tube everything!




I hope you enjoyed reading this step by step tutorial on how to de-tube and melt your lipsticks. Don't be afraid to try some new fun things with your makeup.

xoxo,
Jaimie

24 comments:

  1. awesome idea ! love the post.

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  2. thanks! i always wondered how people de-tube lipsticks!

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  3. I've been wanting to do this to the rest of my lipsticks for awhile now, but I just can't part with some of the pretty tubes. Plus lipsticks in the tubes look so much prettier during Makeup Party/Bar setups. For the ones that I have melted down, instead of using my palette knife to cut them from the tube, I use a tissue and gently pull the lipstick away from the tube. It comes out easily and u get all of your product out.

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  4. wow...this is a great tut!!!you've done it so well and clean!

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  5. Thanks for the tut!! seems very easy to do!! thanks!

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  6. Jaimie you are one smart cookie

    118

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  7. nice! very informative! I may need to give this a whirl!

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  8. wow that looks so cool! but I can imagine myself making a mess if I do it, haha you are good :)

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  9. That's so pretty! Have you ever made your own lip moisturizer??

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  10. microwave.. what an great idea! i tried doing this with those tin eyeshadow pans and figured a way to melt the lipstick within the pan with a candle and a spoon since i can't microwave the tins.

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  11. cool de-potting! now you can go back to mac and get more lipsticks hahaha

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  12. do you think i can melt it on a pan and out it in a small palette?

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  13. Great tutorial! What an easy way to depot lipsticks.

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  14. hey thats a great idea! i've been looking for a way to melt my lipsticks. thanks for this.

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  15. By pulling gently it gets everything out from the inside nice and clean. Give it a try! Let me know how it goes.

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  16. Oooh I found this so fascinating, I would totally mess this up no doubt, but you have done it perfectly!!!

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  17. Hey girl great blog! Where did you get the palettes and round containers from?

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  18. This is so cool & really helpful.

    Where can i purchase the jar & spatula?

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  19. That was an excellent tutorial, thank you!

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  20. Hey does anyone know where to get clear cases like the ones she stores all the jars in?

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    1. Hi Madison! I got this from Joann Fabrics. http://www.joann.com/bead-organizer-63inx48in/9035874.html#start=17

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  21. Absolutely love this, thanks for the ideas.

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  22. Can I do this to mix lipstick colors? I can never find a GREAT pink that doesn't make me look like a clown.

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