You know how, when you’ve almost used up your favorite lipstick, there’s that little bit of product left at the bottom of the tube? You know how you hate that? Of course you do. It’s annoying. And I know you could just use a lip brush and get every last molecule of it without even thinking much about it. We also all know by now that you can carefully put that lipstick nubbin into a specially made empty makeup palette or an old watercolor tray so you can savor a favorite color to the very end of the tube. But with this tutorial, we’re going to show you how to turn a tiny piece of lipstick into a colorful, matte, lipstick-balm, and then … put it in a locket! Yes! It's the perfect gift for any makeup lover (or yourself).
You will need
A locket
Preferably a cheap one that you don’t care about; I’m not sure this is a project you want to use Nana’s heirloom gold locket for.
Lipstick
Either the little bit left in the end of the tube, about the length of where your pinky nail cuticle starts to the tip of your finger, or a lipstick you like that perhaps doesn't come in the most beautiful tube. For instance, I used Wet n' Wild Fergie Collection (yep!) lipstick in Saraghina, which I bought for $3.49 at a Walgreens at 2 a.m. after several gin-based drinks.
1 loosely packed teaspoon of grated beeswax
Important! Beeswax is crucial to this recipe—it acts as the setting agent, so the mixture doesn’t go melting and sliding out of the locket, and it also acts as the preservative so the coconut oil doesn’t go rancid. So you can’t skip it! I got a chunk of pure beeswax at Michaels. You can also get at Whole Foods and art supply stores. Or, you could even grate up a pure, uncolored beeswax candle.
1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil
Cheese grater
Saucepan
Steps
Before you start: Keep your locket handy, open, and on a plate—we have to move fast when the mixture is ready, because it sets quickly.
1: Combine your coconut oil, grated beeswax, and lipstick chunk in a saucepan over low heat. Stir everything around until it’s a liquid, but don't let it boil! This will take about 30 seconds or so.
2: Quick! Grab your locket-on-a-plate. While pretending you’re a surgeon with incredibly steady hands, carefully, gently, pour the tiniest stream of liquid from the saucepan into one side of the locket. If the locket lies open flat easily, pour into the other side immediately. Don’t worry if you get the lipstick mixture all over everything; the important thing is to make sure you got it inside the locket. You can clean things up after a minute or so. Wait for it to set, which should take about 60 seconds.
If your locket doesn’t open flat, pour one side in, wait for it to set, and then go back and heat up your mixture again on the stove until it’s liquid again. Pour it into the other side.
3: Use a Q-tip and/or a toothpick to clean up where you spilled along the inside of the locket. Then rub the outside of the locket with a paper towel to get all traces of lipstick balm off.
4: Pop that beauty in the fridge for at least half an hour.
5: Go show off!
