Zero Waste, 5-Minute Eyeliner Recipe
One of my favorite DIYs of all time has been my simple, zero waste, 5-minute eyeliner. I developed this recipe (if you can even call it “developed” and a “recipe”) when searching for a non-toxic, homemade replacement for the e.l.f. liquid eyeliner I used to use.
Before we delve into the recipe, I would like to share my heart and a little of the reasoning behind my DIY.
Why Does It Matter?
Have you ever read the ingredient lists of your makeup or personal care products? This is a great habit to start. In fact, I believe it can be just as important as reading the ingredient lists of any processed food that we eat.
You see, taking good care of our bodies is a comprehensive effort. We should go beyond just considering the type, quality and amount of food that we eat, as food is only one piece of the puzzle. Because of the day and time in which we live, it is good to also consider factors like air and water quality, rest and physical exercise, and the products we use and wear, to name a few of the “big ones.” Even the thoughts we think can affect our physical health!
If working on all these categories seems overwhelming to you, have no fear! God does not expect us to be perfect. As we learn more, we can work to do better. God will bless our moving feet! #progressoverperfection #stewardshipgoals #youareGodsmasterpiece
You can start with one category at a time, if you’d like. If that category happens to be makeup and personal care products, woohoo! Perhaps this article can be a springboard for you.
A Little More About Our Skin
Our skin is our largest organ. It helps our bodies regulate temperature, synthesize vitamin D, and preserve water. Our skin also has a dual function of providing a barrier for our insides while also absorbing certain substances for transport through our blood stream. Dermal absorption is great when it comes to absorbing nutrients from healthy soil and helping to increase our body’s water consumption. It is not so great when we consider all the synthetic substances and surfaces we touch daily.
This is why it is so important to educate ourselves on the ingredients in our makeup and personal care products!
If you’re like me, you may need some help figuring that out. (Anyone else have trouble deciphering those 15-letter scientific names?! ?) I have found EWG’s easy-to-use consumer guide for cosmetics to be a helpful resource and great starting point. It is certainly not perfect though, so use good judgement when reading ingredient lists. The Switch Natural app (a one-time $20 cost) is another great resource. I like it because it does not have any bias. You simply scan the ingredient list and any concerning ingredients will be flagged. You can then click on links to scientific articles on why a particular ingredient is concerning and then decide for yourself if you feel comfortable using that product. If you’re interested in learning more about the science of dermal absorption and why this is a concern with some makeup ingredients, here is an interesting article to get those wheels turning!
Back to My Eyeliner Story
So, here I was looking up the ingredients used to make my eyeliner. The list was rather long. As I started looking into the safety of some of the ingredients, I became less and less excited about using the product. I decided then and there that I needed a new solution, a product I could feel comfortable using on my skin, a product that would not detract from my goal of stewarding my body. And what’s a DIY gal to do? Google a recipe for DIY eyeliner, of course!
Learning from Others
To make a long story short, I ended up watching Youtube videos of women from other countries burning almonds. I could not understand what they were saying, but I was intrigued by their methods for making eyeliner. These women collected the airborne soot from burning almonds on a flat surface (perhaps a board?…I can’t remember) and then scraped the soot off of the surface. The soot became the eyeliner. Say what?! I saw those videos and decided to try it out myself.
A New and Improved Recipe
I swapped out some of the original “tools” for what I had on hand. Another change I made was to use the whole almond instead of just the collected soot – #zerowaste. I had to experiment a little to make sure I could get the right texture, but I was really pleased with the final product. Not to brag, but I think I have perfected the recipe!
I have shared this recipe with friends and family over the years and wanted to pass it along to you. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Homemade Eyeliner
Equipment
- Common sense! (Pick a safe location since you will be working with a flame. The steps of this recipe are best completed by an adult.)
- Source of flame (ex: stove top or lighter)
- Skewer or knife to hold burning almonds
- Fine mesh sieve (abbreviated as f.m.s.)
- Spoon or other utensil for pushing the almonds through the f.m.s.
- Mortor and pestle
- Small container for storage
Materials
- 2 to 10 almonds (or however many you want to use; allow for more time for each additional almond you burn)
Instructions
- Get set up! Place your f.m.s. above your mortar. Next, skewer one almond with a sharp skewer or knife and hold it above the f.m.s.
- Light the whole almond on fire (while still holding it above the f.m.s. and mortar to catch any falling ash). Let it burn through completely (about 3-5 minutes). Do not rush this. The best results come when your almond has burned through COMPLETELY.
- Once your almond has burned through COMPLETELY, unskewer it and let it rest in the f.m.s. Use a spoon or other utensil to push the burnt almond ash through the f.m.s. and into the mortar. If you followed Step 2 and did not rush things, this should be very easy. The burnt almond will fall apart into ash with little effort.
- Repeat steps 1-3 with however many almonds you wish to use. Honestly, two almonds can last me weeks on end. Don't feel like you have to make a ton in order to have enough eyeliner!
- One you have burnt all your almonds and have pushed them through your f.m.s. and into the mortar, remove your f.m.s. and set it aside. Now is the fun part! Grind, baby, grind! Use your pestle to grind the ash into a fine powder (about 2 minutes). I know I am done when the powder is extremely fine but also "sticks" together a little. (Note: It will not be like powdered sugar or flour that flies up in your face should a gust of wind blow past.)
- Now you are done!! How easy was that?! All you have left is to transfer the ash powder into your dry storage container of choice and clean up!
Notes
HOW TO USE:
I like to wet my eyeliner brush slighly before gently dipping it into my container. A little goes a long way, so start off with a small amount and build to your liking.FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
- What should I do if my almonds won’t stay lit? –> Sometimes I have to light my almonds multiple times/in different places along the body of the almond. There is no particular method to do this; just work towards your end goal of the almond being COMPLETELY burnt. Nothing fancy here!
- Can I add oil to the ash to make the consistency more like that of liquid eyeliner? –> I have experimented with adding an eye-safe oil to my ash. I found it was too tricky to get the amount “just right.” I either ended up with a mixture that was still dry or a mixture that was too oily. The latter made the eyeliner seem to “slide” off my eyes. For me, it works best to just use the “wet your eyeliner brush first” method before applying.
- Does the eyeliner get moldly or go bad? –> I have never experienced any adverse reactions to using my eyeliner or noticed any gross stuff growing in it, so I would say no? I am also only making about a month or two’s supply at a time. I suppose results could vary if you made a year’s worth at a time. However, we are basically talking about soot, so I would venture to say you do not have to be concerned with mold or the eyeliner going “bad.” If in doubt, throw the ash in your compost and make a new batch. Worse-case scenario, you wasted…five almonds. ?
- Does the eyeliner come off easily or do I need to scrub? –> What is so intriguing to me about this recipe is that, even though this eyeliner stays on SO well throughout the day (regardless of humidity!), it wipes off with just water. How can it do this? No clue, but I have never needed to scrub my eyelids to get my homemade eyeliner off!
If DIY is not your thing, Poofy Organics makes a pressed eyeliner using clean, organic ingredients. You will miss out on the fun of lighting almonds on fire (ha!), but it has worked for me and applies the same as my DIY version.
Have you ever made your own makeup? What was your experience? Comment below to share with our community!
Yours truly,
Erica Barlow
Erica Barlow
