It is difficult to accept when your favourite makeup product breaks. We have all been there when you have dropped your favourite pressed powder and take a sigh of relief when you notice it is still together. Makeup can be costly to repurchase.

Repurposing broken makeup is a sustainable and cost friendly option, to avoid shelling out more money while being a conscious consumer. Buying what you need and making it last, not only helps you but our planet. Many of Cheekbone’s existing products include options that are refillable or reusable, making repurposing makeup a breeze. This includes our refillable classics palette as well as our tins that house our B/B Duos and Mattifying Moon Dust.

Depending on what product has broken, there are a variety of ways to extend the use of the product. We asked our in-house Chemist, Lexie, for her expert tips and tricks on safely and effectively repurposing your favourite products! 

Keep reading to learn more..

Powders

When you have a pressed powder product that is shattered, you can do several things to extend its life:

• Add some of the broken makeup into your favourite moisturizer. For example, if your favourite blush breaks, just mix some into your moisturizer to make a cream blush.
• Further crush the broken powder and use it loose. Our packaging of the B/B Duos and Mattifying Moon Dust are in tins that can be repurposed to store loose powders.
• Re-pressing the broken powder is also an option. Breaking the product up into smaller pieces, then adding a few drops of alcohol, and re-pressing with a cloth and pressure can help bring the product back into its original form. However, when doing this technique, make sure you allow the product to air dry before your next use. It is important to note that when doing re-pressing your powders, it is not guaranteed that products will perform the same as they once did.

Lipsticks

Lipstick bullets can break during application due to excessive pressure or drying out. They can be spread into a tin and used with a lip brush, or used as a cream blush for a subtle flush of colour. Our Sustain Lipsticks are perfect from lip to cheek.

There is also the option to re-melt the lipstick. Re-melt the lipstick with slight heat, using a double boiler method with boiling water to add ease of transfer into another container. Always make sure that the container you are transferring the lipstick into is clean and dry, to avoid any possibility of microbial growth. Keep in mind, that products are tested in their specific packaging prior to market and selecting similar material can help avoid any issues with storage.

Things to Avoid

• Mascara: If you find an issue with your mascara getting dry and clumpy over time, and the wand is no longer performing as expected. DO NOT repurpose the product, it is important to carefully select what you put in your eye area. If the wand breaks or the formula dries out, rather than adding water or any other additives to the product it is best to replace.
• Glass Storage: When products are stored in glass and break, they should be treated differently. The product and its container should be properly disposed of to avoid any possible danger from broken glass. None of Cheekbone’s current products are stored in glass, making it easy to repurpose broken products and their packaging and easy for travelling.