Estimated Monthly Savings: $20
You love makeup, but you’re tired of spending more money for a new look and of having cluttered counters. With all the new products that have come out these past few years, it can be harder than ever to turn away from the temptation of a new contour palette or a new highlighter stick. However, chances are you already own the products you need to come up with a fun, new look by shopping your own stash!
Use glittery eyeshadows as a fun pop of highlight
Highlighters are experiencing more popularity than ever. Palettes with beautiful pinks, golds, and platinum are widely available but rather expensive at up to $40 apiece. Jewel tones in bright and unusual greens, purples, and blues have taken the market by storm but a palette containing these colors can cost up to $35. However, if you have an eyeshadow palette chances are you already own some of these colors. You can easily repurpose any glittery, light shade of an eyeshadow you have into a highlight by using a light hand to apply. To use jewel tones, try mixing with a platinum or silver glittery shadow if they stand out too much by themselves. Be sure to blend well.
Use red-, pink-, and orange toned eyeshadows for blush
Blush can add the finishing touches to a look, taking it from average to racy or adorable, but a single compact of that perfect shade can run up to $40. Luckily, warm-toned palettes have been incredibly popular this past year, so chances are you already have the perfect colors sitting in your drawers. Reds, oranges, and pinks can be used singularly or blended together to find a perfect shade for your face and to complement your eye or lip makeup for the day. Apply with a light hand when first starting so you don’t accidentally use too much product – eyeshadows are highly pigmented so a little goes a long way!
Try brown and tan eyeshadows for contouring
What Instagram would be complete without a photo of how good your contour looked during your last night out? Contour palettes are incredible for showing off your sculpting skills. Instead of running out to buy that new $50 palette, however, it doesn’t hurt to try using your eyeshadow. Soft browns and tans can be applied lightly in the same places as traditional contour shades can. You can blend your colors to get the perfect shade for a soft or dramatic look!
If you find that you like using your eyeshadow blends for other purposes, you can make your own compact! If you have a spare, empty compact, clean it thoroughly. Then, depot the shades you typically blend together into a bowl big enough to mix in. Once mixed, add rubbing alcohol ($3) to the mixture until it is just barely damp, then add the mixture to the compact. Place a cloth wet with rubbing alcohol on the compact, then weigh it down with an object that fits into the opening of the compact. Once this dries, congratulations! You’ve made your own blend!
