5 DIY makeup products to try at home

Are you a self-confessed makeup addict who couldn’t possibly own enough beauty products? We mean, ‘enough makeup’ isn’t even in your vocabulary, is it? Do you find yourself going through an entire tube of foundation or that brand new eyeshadow palette in the blink of an eye and then having to nip down to the nearest Sephora to stock up all over again? Is this habit depleting your bank-balance at an exponential rate, especially when you need a quick and easy solution? Well you can officially stop worrying your pretty head because we have got the best solution for you! That’s right – DIY makeup – no cost, no harm to the environment – using 100% natural ingredients. So get to your homemade lab and start concocting!

Liquid Rouge  

This alternative to expensive store-bought cheek enhancer requires minimal effort to make and the result will be better than you can imagine and lasts for at least a month!

All you’re going to need is a tiny teaspoon of a food colouring of your choice, denatured alcohol, liquid glycerin and rose water. Since we are making rouge and not a cupcake, it would be advisable for you to stick to red, orange, pink and even a golden brown shade. You will also need 2 tablespoons of denatured alcohol and a small mixing bowl to put both ingredients in.

Dissolve the food colouring in the denatured alcohol, add the tablespoon of liquid glycerin and stir with a plastic or wooden spoon. Pour the 200ml of rosewater into a plastic bottle, add the mixture to the rose water and shake for a few seconds. Let the mixture sit for a few hours and you’re ready to go!

Tinted Lip Balm

Making a lip balm is going to be a little trickier – not because it is tough to make or anything, but because acquiring beeswax isn’t exactly the easiest thing. You can, however, order it online at a reasonable cost. Here’s an organic site you can order from!

Once you have the beeswax, you’ll need to grate it until you’ve got at least 2 tablespoons of it. Add the beeswax, 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, a chunk of red lipstick (for melting and colour) and 2 teaspoons of sweet almond oil, to a small sauce pan and bring to boil. Melt all the ingredients together, until there are no more visible beeswax flakes. Let the mixture cool as you continue to stir and drop in 10 drops of either peppermint, orange or lemon aromatherapy essential cooking oil. Once the mixture has cooled down, transfer it into little pot/pots for storing the lip balm and put in the fridge overnight until it has hardened.

Natural Eyeliner/Kajal

Want a simple way to get those sexy smokey eyes with ingredients at home? Save on that eyeliner and kohl by learning to make your own. Here’s how.

All you will need is a candle (the ones you get in bulk at Ikea will do), tablespoon or two of castor oil (depending on how much you want to make) and a stainless steel plate – that you don’t mind ruining a bit. Place the castor oil on the stainless steel plate/tray and place the lit candle directly below it, such that the flame licks the bottom of it. Keep it burning for about 20 minutes and remove it. You will notice a black collection of soot below the plate – that’s right – that’s what kajal is. Using the back of a spoon or a blunt knife, scrape the soot off and place it in a dry container. You should have a decent amount by now – enough for a few weeks’ use. Add a few drops of melted butter, or ghee (you can get this in stores), to the soot collection and store it in a steel container. You do not necessarily need to refridgerate this mixture but you should leave it to sit in room temperature for at least a night. You will need a thin eyeliner brush to use it.

Natural “Mascara”

Possibly the simplest recipe out of the lot –  this mascara replacement will work wonders on your eyelashes and promote its growth. Once your favourite mascara has dried up and seems irrelevant to use, do not throw it away. Simply pour castor oil into it! Apply a generous coat, both above and below your lashes in continuous stroking motions. For added benefit try to do this twice a day. Alternatively, you could sleep with the castor oil mascara on. Yes – you can even go out with the castor oil on your lashes – and they will still look as fab, without causing the least bit of harm to them. You should be able to see a drastic improvement in your eyelashes within a few weeks.

Lip Scrub

While this may not be an actual makeup product, maintaining and making sure those perfect pink pouts stay perfect and pink is just as, if not more, important! If you want naturally conditioned pouts that are constantly moist and kissable, pay close attention.

Grab two teaspoons of brown sugar, 1/2 tablespoon of honey, ½ teaspoon olive oil, two teaspoons of cane sugar and a small handful of finely chopped herbs and fruits of your choice. For an added kick, you could even throw some spices into the mix. We could recommend putting the mixture into a small glass container and we tend to like using cinnamon as our added spice, because of the scent and the taste.

The amount of each ingredient you are going to need, depends on the size of the container you are using. Usually, our measurements should work just fine if you are planning to make a small container, solely for yourself.

If you don’t have olive oil, you can always alternate it for coconut oil. Mix the olive/coconut oil with the brown and cane sugars first. Transfer the oil and sugar mixtures to a mixing bowl and add the chopped herbs and fruits, followed by the spices. Mix it all up gently until the granules are fine and dissolved. Transfer the entire mixture to an air-tight container and store in the fridge for at least 10-14 days. Once the mixture is ready for use, let it soften outside the fridge for a few minutes prior to applying on your lips. Remember to scrub generously and leave the remnants off (totally safe for licking off!).

Diya-Maya Tsering Bhalla