You know those mornings — you woke up a little late. Your alarm didn’t go off or you “snoozed” for too long or you just plain refused to get out of bed. But now, because of the extra R&R, you’ve got 15 minutes to get yourself together and the majority of that time is going to be monopolized by digging through the warzone that is your closet. So, what do you do about makeup? Lipstick. Lipstick is always the solution. It’s a beauty tool classic that always gives you that finished, put-together look. But what if you realize you’ve recently run out? Don’t worry, there’s a recipe for that (you’ll just have to work fast).
Just like when I created DIY foundation for your reading pleasure, I’m returning once more as your beauty guinea pig. This time, I’m taking a page from Kylie Jenner’s book and creating lipsticks.
It turns out, lipsticks are markedly easier to make than foundation, and surprise! They turn out pretty damn well, too. From sheer color to more pigmented options, making DIY lipstick isn’t as much of a Pinterest fail as you may think. Let’s take a look at some ultra-simple lipstick recipes and talk about what worked and what you may want to avoid.
1. Petroleum jelly + eye shadow
What you’ll need:
- 1 tablespoon petroleum jelly
- Eye shadow shavings in desired color
One of the absolute easiest recipes I found online was to combine petroleum jelly and an eyeshadow color. While this isn’t going to give you the matte, liquid lip of Kylie Cosmetics, it is going to give you quite the nourishing lippie, as well as one that ends up being pretty customizable.
To create your own lipstick, take 1 tablespoon of petroleum jelly and melt it down. You can do this in the microwave, but given I’ve had one too many things explode in a microwave, I decided to make my own double boiler. If you’re fancy and actually own a double boiler, good for you. However, making one is super easy. Fill a stock pot with water and bring it to a light boil. Then, using a heat-safe bowl, place it so that it is easily suspended over the water or sits in it. Boom! Double boiler. Add your jelly and let it slowly melt down.
Next, take an eyeshadow color of your choice (I used the Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Palette shadows) and using a sharp object like a butter knife or even a pair of tweezers, chip off the amount of color that you’d like. Once you’ve got your eyeshadow shavings, press them down using your fingers or a flat tool to get rid of clumps. Finally, mix the shadow with the melted petroleum jelly.
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This is where things get customizable. I found the more color I added to the jelly, the thicker and more matte the DIY lipstick became. While it never fully became a ‘90s-era matte, the sheen of the petroleum jelly certainly dulled with the opacity of the lipstick. Think of it as kind of a thick balm. If you want more of a glossy finish, add less eyeshadow. You’ll lose some of the lipstick’s opacity, but you’ll get more of a gloss-like finish.
Overall, this recipe was definitely a win. Not only did I already have both of these items on hand, but it was so simple to make and didn’t create a mess at all. Sure, there’s no cupcake scent or stay-all-day promises, but as a DIY project, this one is a win.
2. Crayons
What you’ll need:
- Non-toxic crayon pack
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon petroleum jelly
- Essential oil (optional)
Turns out, crayon lipstick is a thing and it works. Was there a lot of color pay-off? Yes! Did it smell like the crayon aisle of Target? Yes! Will I wear it again? Probably not.
Here’s the thing about Crayola crayons: They’re non-toxic, so before you tell me I’m going to die from putting crayon all over my lips, don’t. If it’s good enough for a 2-year-old to potentially ingest, it’s good enough for me.
Now that you know non-toxic crayons won’t kill you, you’ll utilize the double boiler again (no microwave for this one). Place the crayon color of your choice (or a mix of colors if you’re feeling dangerous) inside the bowl and allow it to melt. Once done, you’ll have a bit of a clumpy mess. Add a tablespoon of coconut oil to the melted wax and begin to smooth. Then, add another tablespoon of petroleum jelly. Once everything has reached its melting point, the smoothing will essentially begin to happen on its own. If you want to attempt to hide the smell of wax, you can add essential oils (but I didn’t). Pour into a container and let it set for half an hour in the fridge.
Once this mixture has set, it packs a punch. This was by far the most pigmented DIY lipstick I made, and if you’re looking for major color and tons of options, then this is certainly a great recipe to try. Honestly, there really are no pitfalls to it. For me, the smell of the waxy crayon was just a bit much, and I’m skeptical that essential oils can hide it. Plus, over time, this formula did dry out my lips a bit despite the oil and petroleum jelly. Overall, though, this recipe is a major thumbs up.
3. Custom DIY lipstick
What you’ll need:
- Variety of lipsticks of your choice
Welcome back to another too-easy-to-mess-up recipe. I am your host, Ms. DIY Disaster. OK, I’m kidding (kind of), but an option I found online was too easy and made too much sense for me not to try it out. While some want to make DIY lipstick to know exactly what’s on their bodies and what they could be ingesting, others simply want a custom color. That’s where this recipe comes in.
If you’re searching for the perfect shade of lipstick, why not experiment with existing shades. For this recipe, you’ll need that trusty double boiler again (maybe I should just buy one?) to melt down your lipsticks. Simply take the colors you’d like to combine and, using a butter knife, slice roughly a quarter of an inch off, adjusting the sizes for color distribution. Here’s a warning: This gets messy. From peeling the lipstick off the knife to washing your hands before moving on to the next color, it’s just messy. You have been warned. Once the lipsticks have melted into the perfect color, pour the mixture into a container and let it sit overnight in the fridge to be sure it’s set. Another option for this is to shop for ultra-affordable lipsticks at drugstores. My personal suggestion is Wet N Wild’s lipsticks since you can find them for as low as $2.75 each at some stores.
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Like the crayon recipe, this mixture packs a pigmented punch, and that makes sense given that, well, it’s made of lipstick. Once set, all you need is a lip brush to apply, and the only reason this creation wasn’t my favorite was because it felt a bit like cheating. Did I create my own custom lipstick? Yes, but given that it wasn’t from scratch, I just can’t name it as the top choice.
Looking for more useful DIYs? Check out our DIY natural cleaning products tutorial below.