Make lipstick with crayons

Kids' crayons? Yes! Making your own lipstick takes only about 10 minutes, costs next to nothing and allows you to choose from a dizzying (and unconventional) array of colors.

Is it safe? Even though Crayola does not publish a detailed and specific ingredient list, they do formulate their crayons so that toddlers can eat a whole box of the stuff without suffering anything more serious than a stomach ache. Crayons consist mainly of paraffin wax and non-toxic pigments. Wax is a major component in any lipstick or chapstick, and crayons' pre-mixed pigments will give you more choices, at less cost than either food coloring (I've tried that too) or the powders and gels cosmetic suppliers will sell you.

This recipe works surprisingly well. The colors last longer, and stick to your lips better than regular commercial lipstick. No need to worry about evidence left on shirt collars, or on cigarette butts carelessly left in ashtrays... although sometimes, depending on the specific crayon color, the pigments might need a little extra smacking of the lips to disperse evenly.

So get your kissers ready for Valentine's day, and don't forget to vote for this instructable if you like it! I have a special fondness for chocolate...

Step 1 Containers and molds

Commercial lipstick is poured into molds to obtain a nice, slanted, rounded shape, but sometimes it comes in containers which look similar to chapstick tubes, with the top cut at an angle. I recycled one of those for the lipstick in the crayon picture, but I also used regular chapstick containers I had left over from making my chocolate chapstick, and tiny little plastic jars. It's a little harder to apply lipstick in a chapstick tube, but tins (or tiny jars) work really well if you have a brush. It's also much easier to pour the hot wax into a tin.

If you really want the real lipstick shape, you can buy molds at various suppliers. Most of these vendors cater to people who are making cosmetics for sale and not for personal use, so they sell trays with fifty or so molds, but Making Cosmetics sells a three stick mold. I decided I could do without the pretty shape, and stick with something easy and cheap. A good source for chapstick and other containers is called Specialty Bottle. They do not sell lipstick molds but they have a nice selection of tins, jars, and bottles, and no minimum quantity. Many other vendors sell similar items, and I'm not endorsing (or affiliated with) anybody.

Comments

[thatdamnragdoll]

I've been having some trouble with getting the crayon-shea-oil mixture to be as opaque as I'd like. I've experimented with it a lot, but I just can't seem to get it right. What's the magic ratio for those of you who have gotten it to work?

[Mauigerbil]

Oh fine. I used only olive oil and a pink crayon. Only a touch of olive oil, or it will be too watery! You need to let it dry in the freezer for awhile, just so that it will be a little dry but still mostly liquid. Then, get a piece of foam or a soft sponge to apply. It is best to make in a paper cup that is disposable, and then cut most of the cup off so that it is easy to apply. The pink crayon blush gives a very natural look when mixed with a magenta

[Mauigerbil]

I altered your recipie and made blush! The Great And Powerful Trixie does not tell her secrets!

[mygibzone]

I must try this! I hate how expensive makeup is. I love your resourcefulness!

[Queeniewtfbbq]

Great 'structable. I decided to go with three colors. I made a tiny pot of black, a slightly larger pot of pinkish-nude, and a big pot of a wine colored lipstick. For reference, I used just black for the black, a mix of 'Mauvelous' and 'Melon' for the nude. I feel like it has more depth than using a stick of regular flesh-toned crayon. I used 'Brick Red,' 'Scarlet,' and just a tiny bit of 'Cerulean' and 'Violet Blue' for the wine.

If you don't have any of the butters on hand, they're easily substituted with various food-grade oils you have around the house. I used olive and sesame. However, your lipstick will probably be much more opaque.

Thanks again. Such a cool idea. I might get some cheap, pretty tea cups and do something along the lines of the Nars kabuki-themed lipstick set. http://www.narscosmetics.com/holiday-gifts/modern-kabuki-holiday/~/kudoki-kabuki-lip-set

[shortone]

http://www.instructables.com/id/For-the-Diva/

Just thought I'd let you know I included you in my guide! I'm not sure if the pictures are showing up properly because my internet is a little weird, but hopefully I'll figure it out tomorrow :)

[belsey]

Thanks!

[Katty May]

Thank you so much, I never have much make-up and I have little sisters with tons of crayons. I think this makes a realy good gift, but I've only ever made one batch, and that was about half an hour ago. Also I just thought I'd say, this makes a realy nice eye-shadow, I tried it with blue and it looks realy cute. Thanks again.

[101hellokittys]

thanks! i was searching for a green lipstick for my halloween costume, and this really worked! i used olive oil and cocoa butter and it really was just amazing. thanks again!

[belsey]

That looks great! I'm glad it worked out, and thanks for posting the picture!

[elombaard]

I am a makeup artist and this so cool for fantasy makeup. Can't wait to try it. Thanks for the great idea.

[258]

Plump, GaoLiangZe, simple sense is comfortable lip color, can draw down a lips, soft, smooth, sexy god color.MAC lipstick, ensure the permanence of formula can provide around-the-clock wet ze, comfortable feeling. Double lip present the absolute light feeling, crystal color and luster show excellent

[neetz]

this is the neetest instructable i ever saw! i already made red and it works better then real lipstick ! and to top that of it only took like five minutes!
very good!

[neetz]

thanks for the quick response! il try it out!

[neetz]

could you use olive oil or canola oil instead of jojoba oil?
thanks

[belsey]

Yes, you can substitute the jojoba with any number of comestible oils, including olive or canola (though I haven't tried either). Depending on the oil it might taste or feel slightly different, but it should work with any.

[Petalostemon]

Hi, I love this idea thank you so much! I'm really big on lipstick, ravishing red colours especially, so I had to try it out. I made mine with cocoa butter and jojoba oil because that's what was available. I made 6 different batches so that I could experiment, they all came out great but I have just one question. Is there a way I can make the final product less glossy? I want it to be more thick and rich and uhm..... pasty I suppose? I tried lessening my portions of butter and oil but it still seems to go on quite glossy. Is there a way to make it thicker and matte? Or is it just a glossy kinda' lipstick? Either way I love it and I'm so glad I don't have to go out and hunt for the perfect shade!

[belsey]

You can vary how glossy it is by playing with different types of oil and proportions. Castor oil will make it more glossy, and using a bit more butter (like cocoa or shea) and less oil would definitely make it more pasty -- shea might be better because cocoa butter is harder at room temperature, which might make the lipstick too difficult to apply if you've cut down on the oil.
I've noticed also that when you make a fresh batch it tends to be more glossy, but after a day or two and it sets completely it's not so glossy.
Hope this helps...

[Petalostemon]

I've also noticed that it got a bit less glossy over time an I'm surprised by how long the colour lasts! Thanks so much, I'll experiment some more.

[12koolgirl]

Can you melt the mixture in the microwave?

[belsey]

Yes, but you need to be careful, because wax can sometimes ignite if it's heated too high and too long -- that's why I much prefer the controlled temperature double boiler heating.

[irishwhistle]

Interesting... and we have such a lot of old crayons around here, as well as a 12-year-old girl who just started make-up... but a lot of the ingredients, while familiar, are a little bit exotic for my usual shopping list. Where might you find things like jojoba oil, shea butter, lanolin, etc, if you don't usually keep them around for other projects? I have to think that this would make it a not-so-inexpensive project, also, for someone like me who only has the crayons so far, which is a shame because when I see something like this I just want to head straight in and try it.

This would be great for Halloween... yellow-green lipstick, or if I remember my old crayons right... green-yellow instead. That always confused me. I suppose these days they just call one of them chartreuse.

[Kaffe]

Whole Foods might have it, as well as any 'health' store.

[belsey]

I'll update the instructable with more details, but the short answer is I've found these ingredients in health food stores, grocery stores like Trader Joe's (for the jojoba oil) in pharmacies (cocoa butter, jojoba) and even on the streets of Brooklyn (African incense vendors usually also sell tubs of shea butter). Also lots of online stores, like the source I linked to for purchasing the mold. You can also replace the jojoba or castor oil with pretty much any high quality vegetable oil in your kitchen cabinet. Texture and taste will vary of course, but it will still work.

[glitterqueenofneworleans]

Very cool.  I work with kids and am always looking for cool DIY beauty products.  Has anyone tried this with unrefined shea butter?  I buy it at our local black arts festival every summer and have a big tub.  Just curious if it makes a difference. 

[SpiroExDeus]

Out of curiosity is that an arts festival for people of a dark colour or a festival for
Occultists of a sinister nature?

Ah the interesting double meanings that English can have.

[glitterqueenofneworleans]

Indeed.  The Denver Black Arts Festival is an afro-centric cultural affair.  As far as I know there is little of the Occult involved.  I can't say why they have chosed to call it the Black Arts Festival rather than the African-American Arts Festival.  Here is their website: www.denbaf.org/ if you would like to check it out yourself.  Interesting how the colors of my words has gone from black to red to green. . . how African. . .

[Kaffe]

Well you know there *is* the Denver International airport which is rather sinister if you ask me.

[belsey]

 It should work just fine -- unrefined shea butter has a smell some people might not like, but besides that it's great to use. If you add a drop or two of peppermint (or other) essential oil, that would take care of the smell.

[Helixthecat]

Fantastic!

I used cocoa butter and olive oil, with good results.

I set the molten lipstick in a paint palette and wrapped it up in foil like a bar of chocolate.

[belsey]

A paint palette is a great idea! I'll have to try that.

[nezumish]

I used vasoline and a dab of baby lotion with my crayon and it turned out beautifully. I also tried it with an off brand crayon. The results were not as well with it however. Stick to Crayola

[belsey]

Thanks for sharing your experiments!

[TTCdiygirl]

This is great! :)

[Nyctophilian]

I used Canola oil and regular table butter instead of the jojoba oil and shea butter, and it came out really well. The color is just a lot more subtle,but it still looks nice.

[belsey]

Wow, I'm surprised that it worked so well with regular butter... that's good to know. I would guess that your lipstick is softer than mine, because butter melts at a lower temperature than shea -- also I would store it in the refrigerator. Generally butter goes bad fast if you leave it out.

[biancalopez]

The way i solved the little hole in the middle: i waited until the phase in cooling when the outer edges are firm, but the middle is still a pasty liquid, and then crank the tube up a little bit until it starts to come out. then smooth it over.

[belsey]

That's an excellent idea, I'll definitely try it next time. Much easier than the slow cooling down I had been imagining.

[dyanii]

I love this! No doubt this has much less toxic crap chemicals as commercial lip stick and gloss, even though Crayola doesn't publish a list of ingredients for their crayons.  Anyways, I was wondering if you could think of any shimmery additive that isn't harmful or chunky (think NOT in any way resembling tween dollar store glitter gloss). Anyways, I love your blog and all your ideas so I thought I'd ask you, and perhaps a reader has some ideas as well.

[belsey]

You can melt down the "metallic" crayons for a subtle shimmery effect. You could also buy mica powders from an online supplier (they sell them here for example, but there are many other suppliers), and I've also tried the powdery type of food coloring designed to turn fondant gold, which you can find in specialty baking stores. The difficulty is getting the gloss to cool while maintaining the powder in suspension -- a tiny pinch of xanthan gum will help. The ancient Egyptians also ground up beetle shells but I've never been tempted to put that on my lips (or anywhere else on my skin for that matter). Have fun!