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