Fresh-Picked Beauty

I am in love with this gorgeous berry-ish/rose-ish shade of pressed blush. It is going to look totally amazing on all skin tones! It will brighten up your cheeks and give you a healthy glow. Not glittery or shiny at all. This is a soft matte with just a bit of shimmering rose color.

Start with 0.40 grams of my Ultimate Pressed Eye Shadow Base (you can find the recipe and tutorial HERE). If you don't have my formula, there is a great pre-made pressing base sold by TKB Trading that you can find HERE.

I use this small grinder for mixing small amounts of powders and pigments. Iron oxides are rather difficult to blend by hand. Sometimes I use a coffee bean grinder for larger amounts, but today I used this small grinder. You can purchase this on Amazon. Add the Ultimate Pressed Eye Shadow Base into the grinder cup. 

Add 0.15 grams of rice powder to the grinder cup.

Add in 1.0 gram of Extender White (a mixture of mica and titanium dioxide) to the grinder cup.

Add in 0.50 grams of red oxide (blue shade) to the grinder cup. Start the grinder and mix for a few minutes to fully mix the powders together.

Wear a dust mask to be on the safe side and not breath in any of the dust.

After you have mixed the powders together, transfer them to a small plastic bag.

Add 0.50 grams of TKB Trading Shimmer Raspberry Pop pigment to the baggie with the powder.

You can't grind the mica with the other powders because it is so fragile. You need to be gentle with mica powders.

Spend about 2 minutes massaging the bag to fully incorporate the powders with each other.

You will need 0.06 grams of Leucidal Liquid PT (made for powdered formulas) or another preservative of your choice. If you use a different preservative, follow the suggested usage rate for that particular product. You don't want mold and fungus to grow in your powder. The company suggests that you spray the liquid over the powders and pigments. I use this tiny little spray bottle to mist the preservative over the powders and then gently blend.

You will need 40 drops of Squalane or jojoba oil. Drop-by-drop, add it over the powder.

Drop-by-drop, add in 40 drops of 190 proof vodka (or 90% rubbing alcohol). Stir the powder until it resembles moist sand.

Spread out about 2/3rds of the mixture into a 38 mm square pan and gently even out.

You can place a piece of paper towel or ribbon over the powder, add the pressing tile over the ribbon and then press with the tamping gadget. You can find pans and pressing tiles/gadgets at TKB Trading. Shop HERE.

You will have a layer of pressed shadow in your pan. Evenly distribute the remaining amount of loose blush powder into the pan and press again.

Pay attention to make sure you get the powder into the corners.

Pressed for the second time.

Here the blush is swatched on my hand in natural sunlight.

Here is the blush blended out a bit in natural light.

I am wearing this gorgeous blush in the photo above. It is smooth and easy to blend.

Hope you enjoy this formula.

Cheers!

Shannon

In celebration of the 2018 Pantone Color of the Year, I have made a beautiful soft shimmery violet pressed eye shadow. I call it "Ultra Shy Violet" because it is the most subtle soft lilac shade of gorgeousness! This is super beautiful and will brighten up your eyes! Wear it alone or as a base shade.

Photo Credit: HERE

You will need the Ultimate Pressed Eyeshadow Powder Base that I made. You can find the tutorial for that recipe HERE. If you don't have my formula, there is a great pre-made pressing base sold by TKB Trading that you can find HERE.

Wear a dust mask!!! You will need 0.5 grams of Ultimate Pressed Eyeshadow Base or TKB Pressing Base. My tutorial can be found HERE.

You need 0.25 grams TKB Pearl Violet mineral pigment. Find it HERE.

You need 0.80 grams of TKB Indigo Shift mineral pigment. Find it HERE.

You also need 0.20 grams of TKB Pearl White mineral pigment. Find it HERE.

Place all three pigments and the pressing base into a small plastic baggie. Seal up the bag and massage it gently to evenly blend the powders.

Mica powders are very easy to blend into the base.

Pour the blended powders into a small mixing container.

The blended powder is a very soft and shimmery lilac color.

You will need 30 drops (1 ml) of 190 Proof grain alcohol and 30 drops (1 ml) of Squalane Olive Oil. You can substitute 91% rubbing alcohol if you need too. You can also substitute clear jojoba oil in place of the squalane olive oil.

I used small pipettes for the oil and vodka. I also used the TKB mini eyeshadow tin and compact and the pressing gadget (looks like a fancy cabinet pull). You can find all of these items HERE.

Add the alcohol and oil, drop by drop, over the top of the powder. Mix the powder until it resembles moist sand.

This appearance means it is the perfect consistency to press.

Using about half of the mixture, fill the eyeshadow pan and smooth out.

Place a piece of ribbon or paper towel over the eyeshadow pan.

Place the pressing disc over the ribbon.

Place the tamping tool over the pressing disc and apply even pressure with your hand to press the powder firmly into the pan.

Your eyeshadow will look like this. Notice the texture from the ribbon.

Add the remainder of the powder into the metal pan. Place the ribbon back on top, place the clear disc over the ribbon and place the tamping tool over the disc. Press again with firm and even pressure.

You should have a nicely packed eyeshadow that is ready to be placed into the compact.

You can apply a few drops of glue to the bottom of the compact and place the shadow pan in to secure it.

Here it swatched on my arm in natural light.

Ok, lets talk about germs and yucky stuff that can grow in your DIY Pressed eyeshadow. You really should include a preservative in your formula. I don't like preservatives that contain any parabens! I do really like one called Leucidal® Liquid PT (you can purchase it HERE). According to Lotion Crafter (where I buy this product), this particular product can be used for powder products. Here is some more information from LotionCrafter.com.......


Leucidal Liquid PT is a probiotic-based ingredient created by the fermentation of Lactobacillus in a defined growth medium and at specific conditions.  Lactobacillus is one of the species of microorganisms used to produce fermented products such as sauerkraut and kimchi, a Korean diatary staple from cabbage. During the fermentation process, in the presence of both standard growth media components and undecylenic acid derived from castor beans, the pH and oxygen levels for Lactobacillus are pushed to their limits to induce the production of secondary metabolites as a response to stress. These synergistically active compounds are capable of providing conditioning benefits. An additional growth characteristic of the lactic acid bacteria family is the production of novel antimicrobial peptides. In their natural environment, these antimicrobial peptides provide a competitive advantage to the lactic acid bacteria against other potentially competitive organisms.

Choose a preservative you are comfortable using and follow the recommended useage amounts and guidelines. Non-preserved eyeshadow can grow mold and fungus and you don't want that anywhere near your precious eyes. 

Cheers!

Shannon Buck

 

Whew!!! This formula took me months to get just right! I figured I would share this recipe with you before I release all my gorgeous pressed eyeshadow formulas because you need a really great pressing base.

In case you don't already know, in order to make pressed eye shadows, you need a special blend of powders that you can add your pigments and mica colorants to. Some of these ingredients improve the "slip" of the eye shadow while others improve how long the eye shadow will adhere to the skin. Some of the powders give the formula a "cushion" that feels good on the skin.

I used a scale to weigh out all of the powders. You will need to wear a dust mask to avoid breathing in the tiny particles that will get into the air.  I also used a small coffee bean grinder to mechanically grind the ingredients together. I have a designated grinder that I only use for making cosmetic formulas. I think I paid about $18 for it from Target. Also, I purchased most of my powders from TKB Trading, Mountain Rose Herbs and Making Cosmetics. You can purchase via online from all three vendors.

After you weigh each powder, simply dump it into the grinder.

I did six 30-second grinds to make sure that the powders were completely well blended together.

This recipe makes 32 grams, which is enough for a lot (and I do mean A LOT of pressed eyeshadows). Keep your powder in a small glass jar with a tight fitting lid. I used a small canning jar. Once you have this, you will be ready to add in your beautiful iron oxide colorants and mica powders and make your very own gorgeous eyeshadows. I will have a ton of recipes coming up on the blog, so stay tuned.

Make sure you label your product. Store in a cool and dry location.

Ultimate Pressed Eyeshadow Powder  Base
makes 32 grams

5 grams Sericite Mica surface treated with magnesium myristrate
3 grams L-Lycine on sericite mica
2 grams Calcium carbonate
2 grams Silica microspheres
4.5 grams Sericite mica surface treated with carnauba wax
6 grams Kaolin clay
3 grams Rice powder
1.5 grams Boron Nitride
1.5 grams Magnesium stearate
2 grams Zinc stearate
1.25 grams Titanium dioxide
0.5 grams silk powder

Wear a dust mask when making this formula. Measure out all powders into a coffee grinder and grind until completely blended together. Transfer to a glass jar with a tight fitting lid.