Makeup can be a tricky thing. I found that out really quickly when I first started getting into it. I wanted the trendy stuff, but it's so expensive. On top of that, I saw that they are almost always filled with dangerous chemicals. Chemicals that can be harmful to the environment, animals, your health, and your skin. So I looked into all-natural brands and I was shocked. Sure, maybe these products have natural ingredients, but they're almost just as expensive! I just couldn't bring myself to pay that much for a bunch of ingredients I could probably mix together myself for a fraction of the price. And that got me thinking, "can I use food to make makeup at home?" That's when I did some searching and found out that you can, in fact, make makeup with food! I knew I had to try this out to see for myself. So I did. And now you'll know if it's worth it for you to try it too.
What You Will Need
After doing extensive research of the topic of food makeup, I decided to use a few different ingredients that I had readily available at home. For the most part, I was able to do a full face of makeup with just 5 ingredients! For the full face of food makeup look you will need:
1. Frozen Mixed Berries
2. A Beet
3. Cocoa Powder
4. Coconut Oil
5. Agave Syrup
It is important to note that the berries you use MUST be frozen berries. This is because frozen berries, when thawed, will release a much more pigmented water that can then be used to temporarily dye your skin.
Prepping Your Food Makeup
To prepare your food makeup you will need to start by placing all of the ingredients in separate containers. This includes separating each different type of berry from your frozen berry mix. For instance, my frozen mixed berries package included raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries so I separated each fruit into a different container. I didn't bother to use the strawberries because I knew that the pigment would not be nearly as strong as that of the other berries.
Next you will want to cut your beet into a shape similar to a lipstick like I did in the video above. For the best results, and after trying this myself, I recommend microwaving your frozen berries until fully thawed (at least). I also microwaved the beet lipstick for about 20 seconds. This step helps to release more pigmented water.
After microwaving your beet and berries, if you notice that your berries aren't releasing much juice, you can smash them to release more. Just make sure to separate the fiber or pulp of the fruits from the juice that is released. After all, the only thing you'll need is the pigmented juice.
Makeup Tools You Will Need
When it comes to the makeup tools you will need to apply your food makeup, it is very simple. As seen in the video above, all the tools I used were a spoolie brush for the eyebrows, a gel eyeliner brush for the eyeliner, 2 powder brushes, and my fingers. In my opinion, your fingers will be the best applicator for most of the food makeup. So if you don't have any fancy tools, there's no need to worry.
Now, lay out your food makeup in their separate containers and your makeup application tools where you will be doing your makeup. You'll definitely need a mirror. I recommend a small mirror with some magnification so you can see up close without having to break your back bending over your bathroom counter.
Apply Your Food Makeup
Eyeshadow
The eyeshadow is one of the very easiest to do! All you need is to choose the berry mixture with the color you'd like on your eyelids, coat your application tool in the defrosted berry juice, and spread it onto your eyelid. The only reason this one isn't the easiest to apply is because you will need to do a bit of blending just like regular eyeshadow. Blend the color and add more if needed.
Eyeliner
Anyone who has ever applied eyeliner knows that it can be tricky. But, with a bit of time and patience, it can feel like a breeze! To make the eyeliner, all you need to do is add a drop of coconut oil to about 1 tsp of cocoa powder. Mix and add more drops as needed until you achieve a thick paste. Then, use an angled eyeliner or eyebrow brush to pick up some of the paste and apply to your eyelid.
Mascara
Using the remaining eyeliner paste, coat a spoolie brush in the paste. Then apply like regular mascara. This mascara will appear dark brown rather than the usual black which is a nice natural touch!
Eyebrows
All you need for the eyebrows is cocoa powder! Coat a spoolie brush in the cocoa powder and apply to your eyebrows by brushing them through. This will achieve a natural brunette eyebrow color. The more you use, the darker the color will be. If you want to reshape your eyebrow, use the angled eyeliner brush to outline your eyebrow shape and fill in with gentle upward strokes.
Blush
Blush is extremely easy to apply. Just like with the eyeshadow or lipstick, you can use berry juice or beet juice. I found that it works best to apply with your finger. But you can also use a beauty blender if you have one. Make sure to spend some time blending to make sure the blush isn't patchy and looks natural. The more you apply, the darker your blush will appear, so apply as much as you'd like for your desired rosiness.
Bronzer
Bronzer can be done with cocoa powder. Apply as you would with your regular bronzer. Again, the more you apply, the darker the color will be. So adjust the amount you use to achieve your desired bronziness.
Highlighter
Highlighter can be done in 2 different ways. As seen in the video above, I poured agave syrup onto my finger and gently tapped it onto the top of my cheekbones. It definitely looked shiny and glowed in the light, but it was quite sticky. I imagine if you catch a windy day, your hair might get stuck all over your face. So, if you don't like the look or feel of the agave syrup, then you can use coconut oil instead. Make sure to only apply a little bit in the areas you'd like to highlight, otherwise it might melt all over your face.
Lipstick
This is super easy! All you need is to follow the steps above for how to cut your beet. Then, apply the angled edge of the beet stick to your lips as seen in the video above. You can also use berry juice, but there is just something special about applying beet lipstick like you would with regular lipstick.
Lipgloss
For lipgloss, all you need is to add a drop of coconut oil to your fingertip and apply directly to your lips. As you spread it with your finger it will melt and coat your lips fully.
That's it! A super simple, natural, and completely chemical-free makeup look that you're sure to love! Feel free to choose one, more, or all of these natural food makeup creations for a stunning makeup look.