The Makeup Anarchist

Cosmetic pigments are becoming increasingly popular, especially with the ever so trendy mineral makeup.  Generally sold in small jars and advertised on eyes, it’s easy to understand why people just view their pigments as a loose eye makeup… but they’re so much more.

These pigments are basically what color all of your beauty products, from lotions to lip gloss.  I want to cover some of the easiest uses for them and hopefully give you ideas on how you can expand your beauty collection. Just as a disclaimer though, I’m gonna remind you to check and make sure your pigments are safe for the areas of the body you use them for. If it’s not safe for the lips, I’m not responsible if you eat your pigment and die.

There are so many different brands of pigments out there for cosmetic use. Most you’ll find on the internet with the right search terms.  MAC isn’t the only brand out there, so don’t feel you have to pay 20 bucks for a 7.5 gram jar of limited color choices. For example, Signature Minerals has some for a fraction of the price (a 10 gram jar is $8, a 5 gram jar is $5) with a huge color choice… don’t get me wrong, I love MAC pigments, but if they don’t carry a color I’m looking for, I’m going to find it elsewhere… and if elsewhere carries the same color for cheaper, I’d rather save my money to buy something to annoy my cat.

First, I want to address the idea of pressing pigments.  For the people that dispise the mess of loose powder or have maybe had a horror story of knocking one over on carpet, pigments can be pressed into cosmetic pans (eyeshadow, blush, anything you want, etc) and give you the easy to use, no mess products you prefer.  Pressing them into eyeshadow pans can make them more travel friendly (palettes anyone?), as well as give you the same quality pigmentation in pressed powder form.  One small warning, if you haven’t already tried pressing a loose pigment, be prepared, you’re going to use a lot more product than you think… just remember, you’re not actually losing any product.  I prefer my pigments loose, because they’re more versatile that way, so I don’t press mine… but this is an option for the bubble world. Onto some of many uses for pigments!

Let’s start from the top. Literally.

Small note: When I refer to mixing mediums, that’s basically anything you mix with. It can be water, eye drops, MAC mixing medium, pomade, lotion, nail polish, whatever floats your boat.

Hair.  You can mix pigments into your favorite styling aids for a hint or a burst of color.  A quick and easy way to give yourself some colorful streaks that wash out with the next shampoo.  Ideas for mixing mediums would be gel, pomade, wax, etc.

Eyeshadow. Okay, this is the most common, but I thought I’d toss it in here just to avoid any ‘You forgot eyeshadow!’ comments I might get (assuming I get any at all).  Used wet or dry, eyeshadow is the easiest way for someone to add a burst of color without feeling like they’ve crossed the line into crazy.  Although, I think crazy makeup is cool… but eyeshadow is the ‘safest’ way to incorporate such pigmented products.

Eyeliner. Use wet with an eyeliner brush to create vivid to neutral eyeliner effects. Mix with eyeliners to give them color or shimmer.

Mascara. Yep, if you want a trendy bright mascara, you can make your own!  Just mix with a clear mascara, and voila!  Doing this can also create a brow-set for you (brow mascara). You can also mix with a black or brown mascara to give it a shimmery color effect.

Face. You can mix them into your foundation to give you a glowy look, or use a crazy color all over (loose, or mixed into a moisturizer, foundation, water, etc…) for a face painting type look (Halloween costume?). Use them as a highlighting powder, contouring powder, bronzer, or most popular, a blush.

Lips. Mix them into a clear lip gloss or lip balm to turn pigments into a lip color. Mix them to make unique shades. Can even be mixed with already colored lip products (gloss, stick, balm) to alter the color.

Body. Dust loosely or mix with a lotion to give yourself glowy skin, either as a bronzer or just a shimmer…. or go all out and turn your body smurf blue for all I care. You can also mix in glitters for club night body glitter.

Nails. Doesn’t usually occur to people to mix their pigments in with nail polish, but you can!  If you mix with a clear nail polish (or any nail polish you attempt this with) it’s best to use ones with the agitator balls. If it doesn’t have any, it’s going to be difficult to mix, so maybe pick up some tiny metal balls or BBs to add yourself.  You can also press glitters onto your still wet nails for a super sparkly finish!

There… There are some of the easiest ways to expand your beauty products.  Don’t forget the basic idea of mixing them to make your own colors.  I know some of you have had that MAC pigment for over a year and haven’t made a dent in it… I know you think you’ll never use it all… so hopefully you can try different things with them and get your moneys worth.