How many times have you scrolled through social media and come across videos of old and broken lipsticks being re-purposed? While it definitely calls for a way to de-clutter your vanity, reduce fashion waste, and recycle the teeny bits of expensive make-up which saddens you while it is being thrown away, here’s a look at if re-purposed make –up should really be used.
What should you keep in mind before using re-purposed lipsticks?
Using a repurposed lipstick is absolutely fine if the lipstick is yours and you have just re-melted it and frozen it in a new container. You should only re-purpose lipsticks which are still well within their expiry date. The original lipstick should be stored properly. Before reusing the lipstick, make sure that you scrape off the upper layer and then proceed with the melting process.
Think twice in case the original lipstick is discarded by someone else. Since, you are not aware of the hygiene maintained by others, it is ideally not best practice to re-purpose from lipsticks which are originally not yours. Used lipsticks can contain bacteria, viruses, or fungi and thus should be better avoided.
Always check the expiry date of the original lipstick before reusing it. If you find it has changed the texture, colour, or smell then it should not be considered for recycling. If a product has been reused multiple times, then you should not go on re-purposing it. Ideally, recycling the product once should do the trick.
In case you still want to stick to using re-purposed make-up products, here are three tips which are non-negotiable for maintaining hygiene. First, make sure that the lipstick holder or the balm case, if you are recycling it into a tinted lip balm, is thoroughly sanitised. Second, do not apply re-purposed lipstick on cracked or sensitive lips. In fact, it is best to do a patch test first to see if your lips are compatible with it and then start applying it to your whole lips. Third, ideally do not share re-purposed lipsticks with others. But if you choose to, then make sure the applicators are ‘to each their own’.
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