As any beauty lover knows, curating a decent make-up and skincare collection doesn’t come cheap. High quality products are worth investing in, so it’s important to get the most out of your purchases.
That’s why it’s wise to follow a few steps to keep your beauty buys in good condition and ensure none of your precious potions or powders go to waste.
Here, beauty experts offer their advice to help you get more for your money.
1. Don’t waste a drop
Don’t be afraid to cut open tubes of moisturiser and foundation instead of squeezing the last bits out. It makes it much easier to reach every corner and ensure not a drop is wasted.
You can also get tools called tube squeezers that, as the name suggests, help squeeze more out of your cosmetics tubes, or you could even make your own using ice block sticks and elastic bands.
If you don’t need much coverage when it comes to your base make-up, mix a small amount of foundation or tinted moisturiser with your everyday moisturiser to make both products last longer.
2. Store products properly
Where you keep your beauty products can have a significant impact on how long they last and perform. For example, if you store your fragrances in direct sunlight, their scent can change, and if you keep your make-up in the bathroom, the steam of the shower could cause your powders to go mouldy.
A cool, dry place, out of direct sunlight is recommended for the majority of beauty products.
3. Look after your brushes
Washing your make-up brushes regularly will extend their lifespan and also help improve their performance. Ensure you don’t get water in the wooden handle when cleaning though, this can lead to the wood rotting and the glue breaking down – avoid this by laying your brushes flat to air dry.
Read: How to sanitise your make-up
4. Save a cracked compact
If you’ve ever suffered the horror of accidentally dropping or crushing a make-up compact or palette, you’ll know how devastating it is to lose all that precious pigment – but there is a way to fix it.
“Firstly, gather as much of the remaining product as you can and place it back in the compact,” advises beauty expert Isa Lavahun.
“Next, wind some cling film or clear wrap around the palette to keep it in place and, with your fingers, smash up the pieces until it resembles smooth powder.
“Once you’ve done this, unwrap the powder and fill an empty spray bottle with rubbing alcohol and spray until the powder appears saturated (if you are fixing just one shade in a palette, be sure to cover the other shades before spraying).
“When the product resembles a peanut butter texture, mould it back into the compact and leave to dry. Finally, clean up the edges of your compact or palette with a cotton swab and voila! You’re done,” says Ms Lavahun.
5. Revive an eyeshadow
Do you ever find that after a while of using an eyeshadow it gets shiny and loses its powder consistency?
“If your eyeshadow isn’t making your eyes ‘pop’ like it used to and you’re finding yourself having to use more and more product, the likely culprit here is that a hard film has formed over the top,” says Ms Lavahun. “To fix this, start by tearing off a piece of sticky tape and placing it firmly on top of the product, slowly tearing it away, removing a layer of gleaming film.
“When the tape is pulling off no more oil, your favourite powder is ready to use again.”
Read: Long-lasting beauty treatments to do at home
6. Rejuvenate a clumpy mascara
“There’s nothing more frustrating than dried out or clumpy mascara making your eyelashes look messy and clogged,” Ms Lavahun continues.
“To prolong the life of your favourite mascara, place it in a mug of hot water for three minutes to loosen up the clumps.
“You may also want to add two or three drops of olive oil or contact solution into your mascara tube and shake it.”
7. Improve your lash longevity
A fresh pair of false lashes can really enhance your eyes and if you look after them, you don’t need to ditch them after one wear.
“When the lash band starts to look gunky, you can gently peel away the lash glue from the band which will help it attach to your lash line again, as well as giving a smooth finish,” says Sara Sordillo, make-up artist at Eylure.
“If your false lashes are covered in mascara, use a lint-free wipe and micellar water to gently wipe off the mascara. If it is a heavy coating of mascara, using some gentle face wash, lather it up in your hands and gently using your index finger and thumb to massage the hairs.”
Read: The history of eyelashes
8. Prolong your polish
Do you always end up with bottles of gloopy, unusable nail varnish hanging around years after you bought them? First of all, try buying a smaller bottle so you’re more likely to use up the whole bottle before it dries out.
If you do have a polish that’s starting to thicken, invest in a nail polish thinner. Add a few drops to your polish, shake well and it’ll be good as new.
– With PA
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