Part 06: Recipe: Powdered Eye Shadow
The recipes contained in this guide were formulated using small size volumetric measurements as most individuals have measuring spoons on hand. The disadvantage is that measuring solid ingredients by volume can be slightly unreliable between batches. If you have a small unit scale that is capable of measuring dry ingredients in grams, we recommend that you convert these recipes accordingly.
This basic Powdered Eye Shadow recipe is easily adaptable to your favorite light or dark tones and makes a wonderful, long-lasting shadow. The pearlescent micas give eye shadow a shimmering look. If you prefer matte shadows, Eye Approved Iron Oxide or Ultramarine Powders can be substituted for the mica powders. See the Matte Eye Shadow section for more information.
Ingredients:
These measurements will result in approximately 1/2 teaspoon of powdered eye shadow, enough to sample and experiment with. You can double or triple the recipe to adequately fill your choice of jars or other packaging. It, however, is trickier to thoroughly blend the fine powders and get minute lumps out of the white powders when you more than double the recipe. If you want to make a quadruple batch, it's best to make two individual double batches and then combine them.
Notes:
- Oil is added to help bind the powders and give them better coverage on the skin. The oil helps to keep the powders from becoming too "dusty." Loose powders without the added oil can cause dust flecks to enter the eyes and cause irritation.
- Jojoba was selected for its stable shelf life and nutritive value. Other oils can be substituted, but be sure to keep the properties of each oil in mind. Other lipids with stable shelf lives include Watermelon Seed Oil, Fractionated Coconut Oil, Meadowfoam Oil and Cranberry Seed Oil.
Packaging Suggestions:
- Use 1/8 - 1/2 ounce plastic jars. FNWL's clear Dome Lip Balm Jars make it easy to visually see the color of your shadow through the see-through tops.
- For loose powders, do not fill the jar completely. Leave room so that you can easily tap your shadow brush over the jar without it coming into contact with the powder as you tap.
- If you want a compacted shadow, we recommend making enough product to fill the jar. Once your jar is filled, use plastic wrap and press firmly on the surface of the powder to compact it down. Add more powder if necessary and repeat. Your pressed powder will not be as tightly compacted as commercially made shadows.
Directions:
- Add the Arrowroot Powder and the Magnesium Stearate to a mortar or 8-12 ounce bowl and blend with a pestle, small fork or spoon.
- Add a drop of Watermelon Seed Oil to the blended powders and mix well. Add another drop of oil and again mix well. Repeat until you've reached the appropriate number of drops for your batch size. The amount of oil that you add correlates to how much Mica Powder you add.
- Transfer the powder to a clean bowl. Try to keep from transferring any unevenly blended powders on the sides of of your first bowl or mortar into the fresh bowl.
- Add your choice of eye approved Pearlescent Mica Powder and mix well with a small fork or spoon. Do not use a pestle as the pressure on the micas can damage the surface of the micas and affect the shimmering appearance of the powder. Add the Mica Powder gradually until you've reached your desired shade.
- Transfer the shadow into your choice of packaging.
Matte Eye Shadow:
- If you prefer a matte finish to your shadow, use Eye Approved Iron Oxide or Ultramarine Powders instead of Pearlescent Mica Powders. It takes less iron oxide to tint eye shadow than it does the pearlescent mica powders. The oxides also tend to be a little clumpy, so it can help to use a mortar and pestle. We don't recommend using a pestle with the pearlescent micas, but it's fine to use a pestle with oxides or ultramarines. Start with about 1/32 teaspoon of your chosen oxide and blend into your arrowroot powder/magnesium stearate/oil mixture. Continue to add more until you've reached your desired shade.
- If you prefer a slightly frosted shadow, follow the directions for making a matte eye shadow using oxides and ultramarines, but also add a small amount of a pearlescent mica.
Color Suggestions:
- You can use a single pearlescent mica powder, or blend several together to achieve specific hues.
- You can also combine oxides and ultramarines with the pearlescent micas for even greater combinations in tonality and texture.
- If you prefer a lighter/brighter hue, reduce the amount of colorant that you add to the magnesium stearate/arrowroot/oil blend. You can also add oil dispersible titanium dioxide (start with just 1/32 teaspoon) to brighten your shadow.
- If you prefer a darker hue, use more mica powder or colorant or add a smidgen of black mica or black oxide. If you use the maximum amount of mica, remember that your final shadow might be a bit "dusty" if you do not use enough oil.
Pearlescent Mica Powders in Eye Products:
Most, but not all Pearlescent Mica Powders are safe for use in eye products. To view a list of micas suitable for lip and eye products, visit FromNatureWithLove.com's Mica Safety Chart.
Next:
Part 07: Recipe: Sheer Lip Color
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