Make lipstick with crayons

Step 4 Application and uses

As I mentioned in the intro, depending on the color and the exact proportion of ingredients (it's impossible to be 100% precise and accurate when you are making such small quantities) sometimes the pigments don't disperse quite as well as commercial lipstick. If you are applying it with a brush this is not really an issue, because the brush will smooth and even everything out, but if you are using a tube you may need to smack your lips more than usual, or smudge them with your fingertips.

After making my first few colors what should have been obvious from the start finally struck me: this doesn't need to be just lipstick, it can be used as rouge, or face paint! However, I do not recommend using this to paint the area around the eyes. Some pigments are approved for lips and skin but not for the eyes, and since the specific ingredients are not listed on the crayons I would not risk it.

Update: jfarn01 had a great idea which I want to point out here. Crayons can also be used for making colored shoe polish -- it just so happens that I had already posted a recipe for shoe polish here. Just replace the candle in that recipe with 3 crayons of the color of your choice, and you can finally have a polish which matches your shoes.

For up to date news on what I'm cooking up, check out my new blog.

Comments

[kperez6]

Thank you very much!!! Me and my friend have already made 3 of those!!! We totally love it! right now am wearing it and it looks really pretty!!!!!!! Thanks again!!!

[mon_star]

awesome tutorial. I can see how this could be incredibly addicting.

[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.

[elombaard]

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

[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.

[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.

[pretty wicked dino]

Can you do this with oil pastels?

[belsey]

 I wouldn't. Crayons are designed so toddlers won't get sick if they eat a whole box -- but oil pastels are made for adults who can be trusted NOT to eat them -- so it is likely that they contain ingredients and pigment which are unsafe on or in your body.

[Lori Ell]

Interesting.  I'll have to try it out. Thanks for sharing.
love your blog

[belsey]

 Thanks! I just started and I'm a little self conscious about it -- so I appreciate your positive comments!

[atlas_junkie]

Interesting Instructable.  I was wondering, if you use this as a face paint, how long does the staining last after you remove the paint?

[belsey]

I don't know for sure. I had to go walk the dog when I tested it, and I didn't want to freak out my neighbors so I cleaned myself up. But I suspect it lasts much longer than on the lips -- eating, drinking, kissing and biting all reduce the color's durability on the lips. Less of an issue elsewhere.

[KittyF]

I used to melt lipstick or chap stick in a large table spoon and add a drop or two of oil to reduce the stickiness, also add a slice of lipstick to lip balm to stretch the color, or to make it not so intense.  I like the zinc idea as well. 

melting the concoction in a tablespoon lets you move it gently above a flame, heating it slowly enough to keep it safe while making it easy to pour into my tins.