Shimmery Holiday DIY Eye Shadow

Eye shadow can be an amazing eye-enhancer, but if you are using an eye shadow loaded with toxic ingredients, that beauty enhancer can wreak havoc on your skin and eyes! Some of the common toxic ingredients included carbon black, ethanolamine compounds, BAK (benzalkonium chloride), prime yellow carnauba wax, formaldehyde, parabens, aluminum powder, retinyl acetate or palmitate, heavy metals and titanium dioxide.

Most of the shelf makeup is chock-full of artificial pigments and dyes, which is how they produce that rich color. But just like food, don’t fall for just how it looks: You have to read labels carefully. You will gain the most health benefits if you choose products that contain as few ingredients as possible, all of which are pure and natural.

Choosing the right products, or making your own with the right ingredients, can give you the best natural skin care. Just be aware that many cosmetics are labeled as all-natural makeup, organic and hypoallergenic regardless of the ingredients, which is a problem since there is little regulation on these products. That means it is up to us to make sure we are using safe products, which may mean making your own DIY natural makeup. (1) 

Safecosmetics.org is a great place to check on product and cosmetic ingredients, which is important since many of these ingredients may cause cancer. The good news is that you can avoid these toxins by making your own DIY eye shadow right at home. With just a few ingredients, you can rest assured knowing that healthy ingredients are adorning your face! This DIY eye shadow combined with my DIY foundation recipe will offer your skin some amazing benefits. (2)

Let’s get started!

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Main ingredients:

• 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon arrowroot powder
• 1/4  teaspoon pure shea butter

The following ingredients can be combined to create different variations of color. For example, a little beet powder and cacao powder will create shades of pink. Using turmeric will give a golden glow, while just using cacao will give a brown tint. Try different combinations to get the look you want. Start with small sprinkles of your chosen color and add more as needed. 

Color Combination Chart:

• Brown: Use cacao powder and/or nutmeg
• Gold: Turmeric
• Pink: Beet powder
• Red: Red clay
• Green: Green clay or spirulina
• Black/Grey: Activated charcoal
• Orange: Combine saffron and beet powder
• Clays can be used lighten or darken the color: White clay, red clay, rose clay
• Micas can be used for glitter and a shimmery sparkle.

How to Make Shimmery Holiday DIY Eye Shadow

To make your personal homemade eye shadow, place 1/4  to 1/2 teaspoon of arrowroot powder in a small bowl. I like using a mortar bowl and pestle to help blend ingredients. If you want a lighter eye shadow, use a little more arrowroot powder. It’s easy to add more as you go, so starting with less will offer more flexibility in your recipe. Arrowroot has anti-inflammatory properties and is historically known to heal wounds.

(Note: cornstarch is an option, but often there are complaints about how grainy it is. To soften it, you can use a coffee grinder or blender to grind it to a softer texture).

Now, you can add color! Choose your color combination based on the color combination chart. Let’s try a gold color using turmeric and cacao. Turmeric is known as one of the most powerful healing herbs on the planet, while cacao is loaded with phytonutrients that offer amazing antioxidants. Blend well, using the pestle, until you get the color you desire. Keep in mind, the more cacao you use, the darker it will be. Start with very small amounts. Experimenting is part of the fun, but you may want to document your recipes so that you can have a quick go-to recipe for your favorite color.

To put some shimmer into your holiday, add just a little mica dust and blend. Mica means to glitter and comes from a mineral. (3) 

Now that you have created your favorite color, add about ¼ teaspoon of shea butter to the mixture. Shea butter helps repair damaged skin while boosting collagen. You can gently blend it using the back of a small spoon or a mortar and pestle. The shea butter helps create a soft, creamy powder that stays on and moisturizes at the same time though it will still be a powdery texture.

Before applying, make sure your skin is clean so that it stays on. Apply a small amount using a cotton swab or an eye shadow brush applicator. Remember, if you want it darker, add some of the darker ingredients noted, such as charcoal or cacao. For lighter, use more arrowroot powder. Once you have the shade you want, you can put the mixture into a clean container, such as an old makeup container, or you can purchase new ones.