About 3 years ago I made the successful switch from pencil to liquid eyeliner. I had tried different liquid eyeliners before, but they all irritated my eyes. When I finally found two brands that didn’t hurt, I was pretty happy. Since then, I have made changes to remove unnecessary chemicals out of our lives and after making my own makeup remover, I felt my actual makeup was next.
Last week I made my own liquid eyeliner and boy oh boy did I pick the week to do it. We have been having some hot and humid days that have left me miserable at best. But even miserable-at-best-Leah has her eyeliner still intact.
Just to give an example, yesterday my department at work had an off-site team building day. We were outside all day long and the heat index reached 107 before I stopped looking at the weather. By the time I got home I was spent, wishing I had used a little more sunscreen in places, and felt as though I would never feel hydrated again. But at least my new homemade eyeliner never ran down my sweaty face!
The store-bought eyeliner I had been using was $14 a tube. This homemade stuff costs pennies in comparison. And it’s only two simple ingredients – one of which you probably already have on hand!
Ingredients
1 tsp aloe vera gel
3-4 capsules of activated charcoal
1 empty eyeliner tube (I bought this kit which also comes with empty mascara and lip gloss tubes I plan to use later)
To make the eyeliner
Mix aloe vera gel and charcoal powder from opened capsules. Most capsules are easy to open but some need a little more squeezing.
The kit I got with the eyeliner tube came with a stir stick. I used an old medicine measuring cap to mix everything together (and that will now be dedicated to mixing makeup only). To get the right color and consistency, I recommend mixing one capsule at a time and then check the liner on the back of your hand.
I used four capsules this time because I am afraid of humidity but in the winter I think the gel won’t be so runny so I could probably get away with using three. Once it’s mixed, pour it into an eyeliner tube. The kit I got also came with a funnel that made this so easy.
After it’s all in the tube, put the stopper piece in and it’s ready to wear!
This eyeliner goes on smooth, lasts all day, and washes off easily. Plus, it’s made from natural ingredients. I call that a win. ?
A few notes
The tube I used holds 8ml. Some hold a lot less so you’ll want to take into consideration how much it will actually hold. One teaspoon equals almost 5 milliliters plus the activated charcoal will add a little more volume. You may need to split the recipe in half for smaller volume tubes.
This can also be mixed and stored in a small jar to use with an eyeliner brush if you prefer.