By Sindoori Revola
Frank Toscan created the first MAC lipstick on a kitchen stove. Sindoori Revola shows you how to whip up some cosmetics from your pantry.
Going shopping for make-up? Stop! You can make most of it at home. Whether it’s a lipstick, eyeliner, deodorant, or moisturiser, simple ingredients like beeswax, hibiscus petals and beetroots can create safe and au naturale products. They’re easy to cook up and a lot of fun to use.
Before you start cooking, though, there are a couple of things you need to keep in mind:
* All herbal ingredients - like petals, leaves and roots - need to be dried thoroughly, with no moisture left in them, before being used in the concoctions.
* To extract colours from hibiscus petals and beetroots, you need to first make a fine powder by grinding the dried ingredients and then soak them in water or oil.
MAKE YOUR OWN LIPSTICK OK, so let’s begin with a simple lipstick.
Moisturising lipstick in a pot: Take five tablespoons of hibiscus powder and infuse it in three tablespoons of rosewater till it turns dark red. Gently heat three tablespoons of coconut oil and add a tablespoon of beetroot powder to extract the colour.
Strain both the rosewater and the coconut oil, and add about two tablespoons of warmed cocoa butter with half a teaspoon of beeswax.
Stir continuously until it all combines. For fragrance, add a few drops of rose oil and myrhh. (Actually, you could use any essential oil of your choice).
Voila! You’ve just made a highly moisturising lipstick. Pot it up in a little glass jar. Apply with a lip brush and show off!
HOME DEO CREAM This is great for those who are allergic to off-the-shelf deos.
Take 15 g cocoa butter, 15 g beeswax, one tablespoon glycerine, one tablespoon rosewater, and essential oils of your choice.
Melt cocoa butter and beeswax slowly in a double boiler. Remove from heat. Add glycerine and rose water. Add several drops of one or more of the following deodorising essential oils. Let your nose guide you here: Calendula, sage, rosemary, orange, lavender, thyme or lemongrass. That’s it! Herbal creams seem to separate a bit, so they may need a stir before each use.
And if you want a stick deo instead of a cream, add paraffin wax to the above mixture and pour into a mould of your choice. Use it when it sets and spice up the air around you!
A QUICK FRAGRANT SPRITZ You’ll need: Two cups of distilled water and 20 drops of your favourite essential oil. Choose from orange, lavender, mint or rose. Or try mixing one or more for different effects.
Just mix the water and oil thoroughly and store in a spray bottle. Shake well and spray on.
Oatmeal And Rose Moisturiser