Depotting Makeup the Only Average Way

Hello my lovelies!

I've been requested to help you out with a short How-To post, on how to depot makeup, in this case eye shadows.  I recently received a GlamRx Freestyle Palette in my March '13 Ipsy bag (read all about it HERE), and promptly went to town depotting some of my items so that they can go in this cute little palette!  I will also talk about how to make aluminum pans (like Coastal Scents and Wet 'n Wild) magnetic and work with the GlamRX Freestyle Palette.

What is depotting?  Depotting is the act of removing makeup pans of product from the original packaging, leaving you with ONLY the product in the pan, and without a lot of bulk.  Many people purchase large palettes and depot all of their makeup, to save space and see everything all at one time.  I chose to depot the products below so that I can use my new GlamRx Freestyle Palette, but this tutorial would work for anyone depotting for any reason.

I do want to say, first off, that this is NOT my original idea, and that there are thousands of sources on the internet to help you do this.  I've watched and read quite a few, and this is the method that worked well for me.  This is NOT the only way to depot product, and it won't work for every brand, but it's a great place to start, and google away to see what other great ideas there are out there (many of which include using a hair straightening iron!).  Please be sure to read my How-to all the way through before you start.  Thanks!


First things first- you need to gather all of your supplies.  Here is what i used:

1. Lighter or a candle.  The lighter worked well for me, but a candle does the same thing.
2. Small flat spatula or steak knife.  I used a steak knife, but anything slender that will fit between the shadow pan and the packaging will work.
3. Old refrigerator magnets, on the thin side and flat.  I used a couple that were old business card styles, that were outdated.
4. Labels of some sort.  I used the pan itself, or the labels that were on the actual products.
5.  Sharpie (or comparable) marker with an extra fine point (only if you want to write on the pan/magnet itself).
6. The product you want to depot
7. Goo Gone, or other glue remover
8. White school glue

I know that seems like a lot, but really, it's not.  Plus, depotting just a few little pans only took me a few minutes!

The first thing I'll depot is the Coastal Scents quad that I received in my February Ipsy bag (review HERE).  I've already depotted 3 of the shadows, here is how I did the final one.

THE POP OUT METHOD (risky, but worth it)

Coastal Scents shadow mini pot, this color is Sunshine

First, remove the label sticker from the back of the pan, trying not to tear it (we will use it later!).  Then, open the mini palette, and fold back the plastic away from the pot, gently.  Push on the bottom of the plastic below the pot you are working on, and carefully ease the pot out.

Out of the plastic!

Once you pop the pot out (again, being really careful! If you are afraid to break it, try cutting the plastic away with some good scissors or try the flame method I'll describe below), use Goo Gone (or any glue remover) to remove any traces of the old glue from the bottom of the pan.  I used a q-tip to apply the glue remover.

Aluminum pans will NOT react to the magnet in a magnet palette.  We need to fix that!  If you are unsure if the pan is aluminum or not, simply place the newly depotted pan into your palette and see if it moves around, or falls into your hand when you cover it up and flip the palette over.  If it sticks, you are good to go.  If not, on to the next step.

Trace your pan onto a  magnet.

 Trace your pan onto a refrigerator-style magnet.  Here is one I received with my husband's new phone (although I never actually figured out WHY), and it already has a sticky size (hence the white backing).  Be sure to trace in a color that will show up on the magnet-pencil works well also.

Check out my BELOW Average circle tracing skills.  It's ok to laugh.  Really.

Once you have traced the pan onto your magnet, cut the circle out, inside the traced line.  You want the magnet to be the same size as the pan, or just a bit smaller.  

My cutting skills are slightly better than my tracing skills.

Set the shadow pan onto the magnet to check for fit.  If the magnet is larger than the bottom of the pan, trim your magnet piece a little, to try to make it fit as close as possible.

A little dab will do ya! (even if the picture is blurry!!!)

Use a little dot of School Glue to attach the magnet to the bottom of the pan (if you don't have sticky back magnet sheets).

All stuck together!

Finally, flip your shadow pan over carefully, and apply the glue magnet to the bottom of the pan.  Press to secure and allow to dry.

 THE HEAT METHOD (a bit more danger, but works well)

This method of depotting is the one I have seen most commonly.  Honestly, I probably would have tried this with the CS shadows, if one of my pots had not already been loose and falling out of the plastic packaging.

Forgive the weird shadow in this photo- I'm not sure how it got there!

This Clinique sample palette I received last summer was just sitting in my makeup bag, so I thought I would test out the Heat method of depotting.  First, remove the label from the back of the packaging.  You'll need it later to transfer the colors names to the pans (if you like).  

Hold a lighter to the bottom of the pan, but not touching the pan (melted plastic is bad!!!).  Your goal is to heat the glue slightly, but not set the packaging ablaze.  You can also you a candle for this method, but a lighter for a few seconds worked very well for me.

You can see where my flame was a bit too close to the plastic.

As you can see in the above picture, I got my flame too close to the plastic, and it blackened it.  The glue will still be loosened, but BE CAREFUL because the back of the packaging will be VERY HOT! (use common sense in your workspace, please!).

Gently remove the pan from the packing.

Using a knife or other thin, metal tool (mini spatula?), insert the tip in the largest gap between the pan and the packaging.  Move the blade around, and see if the pan will wiggle.  If it does, the glue is loose, and you can GENTLY and CAREFULLY lift the pan out of the packaging.  I flipped it over and let it fall into my hand. 

Be careful when putting your blade into the gap- be sure it's really the gap!!

Repeat with each pan in the palette that you wish to remove.  DO NOT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE THAT I MADE!!!!  As you can see here, I misinterpreted the edge of the palette and the plastic, and put my knife into the actual makeup pan.  I lot a small corner of product, but it could have EASILY gone the other way, and the whole thing could have smashed to bits.  Be extra careful with pans that are very close to the edge of the packaging, and be sure that you really are inserting your blade where you want it to be, and not what "looks right". 

This palette had a significant amount of glue on the pans, so my Goo Gone really got a workout here!  Just take your time, use a qtip and rub, rub, rub; the glue will eventually go away.

Check your pans, and see if you need to add a magnet.  If your pans are of a magnetic metal already, you are good to go!  If you need to add a magnet, refer to the steps above, where I use the Coastal Scents as an example.

LABELING THE PANS

If you don't want to label your pans, then you are all set (once the glue dries!).  If you want to label your pans with a color name and/or brand, continue to the next step.

Cut out the name of the shadow, making it as small as you can.

I'm super lazy, plus I didn't have any label paper here, so I just took the label from the back of the shadow set, and cut out the name of the color.  I could mark them as Coastal Scents, but I know what brand these pans are, so I wasn't worried about that.  You can mark them any way you want to! For the shadow names that are very long, I cut each word apart and stacked them, top to bottom, on the bottom of the pan's new magnet.

Nice and clearly labeled.  Plus, I don't have to interpret my handwriting.  BONUS!

Once the sticker is placed on the bottom of the magnet, you are good to go!

Sunbeam joining the rest of this adorable palette!

If your pans are without a magnet, or you don't care to put stickers on the bottom, it's easy to mark the brand and colors with a ultra fine tip Sharpie (or comparable) permanent marker pen.

Use your label to transfer information to the pans, if you like.

Just use the information from the label that you removed from the back of the packaging to record the correct information onto the bottom of the pan.

Filled mini palette in NO TIME FLAT!

And here we are, a pretty little palette, with lots of awesome shadow goodies inside it!  

If you run into trouble depotting your shadows, or have any questions, I would be HAPPY to help you sort it all out!  This was my first foray into depotting, and now I sort of wish I hadn't given away a whole stack of old(ish) shadow sets to a friend- I want to depot them!  Um, not that I have anywhere to put them. I guess I should go and get me a Z-Palette or something, huh.  Oh, goodie--more shopping!!

I hope you enjoyed my tutorial, and would love to hear your thoughts on it!  Leave me a comment, especially if you have tried these methods, and had different results, or would like to share any tips or tricks that you have picked up.  I AM Only Average, after all.  I'm bound to have missed something.

Enjoy, and stay beautiful!

Ipsy (MyGlam) March 2013 Review

Hey, gorgeous!  I just received my March Ipsy bag in the mail, and I seriously canNOT wait to share it with you all!  Do you have your bag handy, ready to open with me?  Let's go over the products together, shall we?

Just in case you are new to Only Average Mom, Ipsy is a mail order subscription service, that is $10 a month; shipping included.  Ipsy sends you a makeup bag, filled with 4-5 deluxe samples or full sized items for you to try; along with coupon codes in case you love what you get and want more!  If you would like to sign up for Ipsy (currently a wait list- sorry!), go HERE.  Go ahead, I'll wait.
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Back now?  Good.

Doesn't look very full...but good things come in small packages.  Right???!!

When my gorgeous pink packet came in the mail, I was seriously happy; and could NOT wait to get inside to open it up!
 

I spy a printed bag with...rope?  Maybe?

The first thing I notice inside is the awesome print bag- so awesome!

LOVING the bag!!!

I absolutely LOVE the bag this month- it is absolutely SUPER CUTE, and my favorite so far!  I totally plan to use this as my purse makeup bag, even if it means I need a bigger purse!  If you have read my blog for any length of time (and if you don't, hi and welcome!), you know that I live in a coastal town and that the beach, bay and ocean are a very large part of my life.  This bag is just so...ME; I absolutely love it!!  The material is silkier than I thought it would be, it feels like nylon, and it is lined in white (sorry, no pic!).  The bag is white and navy; the white has a hint of a blueish tinge to it.

I adore the hand-drawn feel to the card this month.  LOVE it :)

The insert card is always a fun part for me too; it lists all the awesome discounts that are offered as a perk of my Ipsy membership.  Plus, it announces the theme of this month: The Great Escape.  Very appropriate for me right now: with everything going on, I NEED a Great Escape!  

Juice Beauty Hydrating Mist, 1 fl oz, $3.26 retail value (available at Juice Beauty; coupon code GLAM20 will get you 20% off any purchase of $30 or more, expires 4/10/13) Full size is 6.75 oz, $22

The first item in my bag is the Juice Beauty Hydrating Spray.  I currently use Clinique toning lotion after I wash my face, and although I am happy with it, it's great to change things up and try something new!  This product is a deluxe sample, and claims to "Tone and hydrate with this refreshing blend of rosehip, ylang ylang, resveratrol grapeseed oil and antioxidant-rich organic juices for a fresh, radiant complexion", and is designed for all skin types. For a 1 oz sample, it really looks like a lot, and that it would last a long time.  I gave this a spritz to test the scent, and was a bit overwhelmed.  You all know (if you are regular readers) that i am very sensitive to anything with fragrance, and while this did not exactly trigger an full on allergy attack for me, it came very close.The scent of the spray is a bit...overpowering for me, and I caught a whiff of gardenias (maybe?). I will say, it DID smell...very organic.  I'm not exactly sure how to describe the scent, but I DO know that I don't want to smell like this all day- not to mention that it could send me to a tizzy if it combines with anything else remotely floral. I'm glad to receive an organic product, though, don't get me wrong!  I am passing this on to a friend who loves floral scents.
GRADE:3/5 (nice product, points for being organic, but the scent was really bad for me!)

Yaby eye shadow pans (no weight listed, full size?) retail value $3.15 each (available through Yaby Cosmetics, discout code ipsyglam20130325 will get you 25% off of any order, expires 4/15/13)

I love that these shadow pans already have a sticker on the bottom with their color name and number.  Saves the trouble later if we want to reorder!

The item I was very excited to see in my bag were these beauties: Yaby eye shadow singles.  Again, I'm living under a rock because I have NEVER heard of Yaby.  I don't have a Sephora, and we only JUST got an Ulta store an hour away.  Country living is both a blessing and a curse, people.  Before I ramble on again, Yaby Cosmetics sells refillable palettes (like the GlamRX below; well; sort of), and sells their products already depotted.  They are striving to be enviromentally responsible by NOT using a huge amount of packaging that will just be thrown away; and use pans that will stick to any magnetic palette (not just their own!).  I give this company an big "thumbs up" for being responsible! Ok, enough about Yaby the company- let's talk about the product!

Seashell swatch.  It's hard to see, but that's more because of the color than the pigmentation, I think.

Swatch of Azalea Petal.  I had to work really really hard to get this swatch, even with a good brush.

I received these shadows in the shades and the first thing I noticed is that the pinky (azalea petal) color was really hard to swatch.  I rubbed and rubbed my finger on it, but could only get a faint pink color.  I tried a brush and loaded it like crazy, and finally was able to get a swatch.  The cream color (seashell) wasn't as hard to swatch, but it wasn't pigmented like my UD shadows, either. I tried a few different brushes, hoping that the lack of pigment was user error.  I eventually found a shadow brush that picked up the azalea petal well, and was able to apply it.  Since a good primer can fix any shadow product, I'll be sure to use UDPP to make sure that the pigment stays up!  The pans are pretty small (about the same size as the Coastal Scents from last month, give or take), so I'm not 100% sure that these are full size or not. I really like the colors I received (but would have LOVED the teal.  You listening, Ipsy? or anyone who got it and hates it? I'll take it!!).  The neutral colors I received work well with my skin tone, and I'm glad for that!  One thing I WILL mention, though: Yaby is a Canadian company, and shipping to the US is a bit high.  Ok, astronomical.  $11.80 for 1-3 weeks with no tracking for ONE shadow pan.  No, I'm not kidding.  Order with care!
GRADE:3.5/5 (magnetic, yes.  pigmented, not so much.)

LA Fresh travel-lite Makeup Remover Wipes (8 ct.), $1.99 retail value (available at LA Fresh Group, coupon code IPSY13 will get you 30% off any beauty wipes, expires 5/31/13)

I'm funny about makeup removers.  Serisouly, though, did you expect any less? I'm really an all-natural girl- I use olive oil.  Really.  That's it.  That being said, I'm excited to have received the LA Fresh Makeup Remover Wipes!  This is a full size sample; but the travel-sized one, with 8 wipes. The package was smaller than I thought it would be; but then, I am very used to baby wipes.  I love how this size will fit well in my purse, or carry on (if I were actually going somewhere for spring break; we are not).  The wipes have a baby-fresh smell to them, but are NOT all natural.  Seriously, these wipes have FIVE different types of paraben in them; not good (google it, if you dare!).  I gave them a try anyway, despite having not the greatest ingredient list.  My first reaction was that the wipes don't seem to be overly large (about the size of my hand or so), but it turns out that any larger would just go to waste.  The wipes did a nice job of removing most of my makeup, with the exception of my eyeliner.  Because I get a lot of eyeliner transfer to my upper lids if I skimp on quality liner, I am really careful to only use products that have awesome staying power; so the wipes might not be able to fight the awesomeness that is Be A Bombshell eyeliner, without some work.  The other thing I noticed is that my skin had a kind of film on it after using the wipe.  I don't ever use makeup wipes, so can anyone tell me- is it supposed to do that?
GRADE: 3/5 (worked pretty well, but I don't like the feeling after use, and parabens? Boo.)

GlamRX Freestyle Palette, retail value $5 (my best guess), Ipsy Exclusive (palettes with product inside available through Glam Rx, discount code IPSY will get you 20% off a touch-up palette; expires 4/15/13) Full size palette with product is $16.50.

Gift card is shown for size reference.  It was NOT in my bag (my kids would die- their fave store!)

Gift card on top of the palette for size reference. This card is the same size as any credit card.

Palette open, the whole recessed bottom is magnetic.

 I saved the item I was most looking forward to for last: the GlamRX Freestyle Mini Palette.  This cute palm sized palette has a mirror on the lid, and a magnetic shelf to add your own depotted pans of product; like eye shadows.  I don't own anything like this, although there are several great ones on the market, and I seriously couldn't wait to try it out!

Palette with products inside it (Clinique blush, Clinique eye shadow duo, shadows on the right are Coastal Scents for the top three, and Yaby for the bottom two)

The only catch with this palette is, the pans must be made of a magnetic metal, or they won't stick.  The Coastal Scents shadow quad I received last month is aluminum, so it's a no-go; so I put a magnet sticker on the bottom.  I love that this one palette can hold anything I choose to put into it- it would be great to put a few favorites in one place to take with me on the go.  GlamRx sells palettes similar to this one, only with a second level in them.  The upper level holds powder, eyeliner, lip gloss and concealer, and the bottom layer is a magnet for your own pans, and holds brushes.  As far as I can tell, this palette, the "Touch Up Palette", is the only item GlamRx sells, and it retails for $16.50.  This makes it very hard to calculate the retail value of this Freestyle palette.  I am going to call the retail value on this as $5- I figure the Touch Up has 4 pans of product plus brushes, and I would pay $5 for a magnet palette.  If anyone actually KNOWS what the value is, please let me know and I will adjust.  I depotted the pans in the palette picture above- for the first time ever- and would be happy to write a short tutorial on how I did it, if you would like me to help walk you through it.  Just ask!

GRADE4/5 (it's reeeealy tiny!) 

March 2013 Ipsy Glam Bag!

This month was a great, solid bag from Ipsy.  I've heard some grousing about how there is only 4 items in the bag (if you count the eye shadows as one), but the last few bags have had 5 (Ipsy promises 4-5 items monthly), so I think they have spoiled us!  On the whole, I'm happy with this month's bag- there are a few items that are new to me, and honestly, is there such a thing as "too much eyeshadow"?  The best part of Ipsy is trying out things that you never thought to buy.  Sure, there are some misses (there are bound to be!), but for only $10, it's totally worth it!  What, you don't subscribe to Ipsy?  What are you waiting for?  Head on over and get on their wait list (first come, first serve, sorry!) so that you can enjoy getting a perfect pink packet each month, and unbox with me!  I am sure you will love it as much as this Only Average Mom!

Here is the financial breakdown:
Money Spent- $10, shipping included
Retail Value- $16.55, not including the bag.  If you want to include the bag in the price, I'd say, add about $3 or so.

Although the value of the bag is MORE than what I spent, this bag isn't as great as the previous ones have been, value-wise, for Ipsy.  I love what I got, so I'm not disappointed, but I do feel that maybe there could have been more in the bag as we subscribers are used to a better value.  Mixed feelings, here.  Happy with the stuff, but wanting a better deal.  I'm certainly not giving up my spot for a waitlister anytime soon, but hoping for a higher value box this year.  This month's winner is definitely Beauty Army (sorry, Ipsy!).  My BA Box is scheduled to be here this week too, so Stay Tuned for the awesomeness I'm expecting in it!

Have you gotten your glam bag yet?  Happy with it?  Upset?  Agree with me, or disagree, I would LOVE to hear from you! 

Disclaimer:  The products listed above were purchased by me, with my own money.  I was not asked nor required to write this review, and the thoughts above are my own.  The links are NOT affiliate links, and go directly to the company's websites.  I was not compensated in any way for writing this review.