DIY Beauty: Make your own mascara

Make your eyes pop, with this organic recipe

By Brittney MacDonald, Life & Style Editor

You will need:

2 tsp. coconut oil

4 tsp. aloe vera gel

1 tsp. grated beeswax

2 capsules of activated charcoal (it’s a vitamin)

One clean mascara container. You can buy one from a makeup supply store, or just use one of your old empty ones. Clean it out with hot water and vinegar beforehand.

I would like to start this DIY Beauty by stating that I was inspired to find a way to make mascara after hearing about some beauty guru on YouTube making their’s out of crushed-up Oreos. For the record, making mascara out of Oreos is incredibly dangerous, and should not be done—ever! Not only are Oreos over-processed and chemical-ridden, but they’re also made in a factory and have the potential to be contaminated either during the production process or during the packaging process.

Now I know what you’re thinking: “If they’re okay to eat, then they can’t be contaminated, right?”—wrong!

Your digestive system has built up immunities towards certain bacteria and other irritants/contagions that your eyes have not. So though the idea sounds cute, making mascara out of Oreos risks a major eye infection or other problems. My recipe allows you the fun of making your own mascara, but all the products are safe to use around your eyes.

Now that the PSA portion is done, on with the recipe!

Remove the inner cap from the mascara container. This is the thing attached to the opening that cleans the lumps off the brush. Set it aside for later.

In a double-boiler, combine the coconut oil, aloe vera gel, and grated beeswax. Stir continuously until all the contents are evenly melted—there should be no weird lumps.

Open the capsules containing the activated charcoal. Do not just dump the pills in; the outer casing will not melt, because it’s meant to be digested and broken down by stomach acid. If you’re uncomfortable using activated charcoal, which can cause irritation with sensitive eyes, or you would prefer a brown mascara, replace this step with adding ½ tsp. of cocoa powder. Stir contents until they are completely mixed in with the melted oil concoction. Remove from heat.

Before it cools, with a spatula (the smaller the better), scrape the mixture into a plastic sandwich bag. Push contents to one side before snipping a hole in the opposite corner. If you cut the hole while the homemade mascara is on that side, you will have a big ol’ mess to clean up.

Feed the cut corner into the opening of the empty container. Make sure it’s securely inside before pushing the contents towards that corner and filling the container. Pipe the homemade mascara into the tube, pushing gently.

When the container is full, replace the inner cap, and then insert the wand and screw it on tightly. Wait two hours before use, giving the mascara ample time to cool. After use make sure to secure the cap on tightly to avoid it drying out. Like all mascaras, you should replace it after six months.