DIY natural eyeshadow recipes are simple and economical to make. Making your own cosmetics allows you to still look your very best without exposing your body to artificial dyes, pigments, and chemical compounds.
Just a few of the potentially harmful ingredients found in commercially manufactured eyeshadow include formaldehyde parabens, titanium dioxide, yellow carnauba wax, benzalkonium chloride, aluminum powder, and various heavy metals.
DIY natural eyeshadow will provide the same vibrant colors and long-lasting coverage as store-bought makeup for a fraction of the cost, and without leaving any possibly harmful residue on your face.
According to researchers behind the Safe Cosmetics campaign, it is essential to know what goes into the possibly under-regulated make-up industry because some of the common ingredients in eyeshadow, foundation, etc. could cause side-effects.
Eyeshadow Ingredients
The ingredients noted in the base natural eyeshadow recipes are typically inexpensive and easy to find. You may substitute various oils and butters in nearly all natural makeup recipes to make use of what you already have on hand, know works well with your skin type and tone, or is easy to find in your area.
When substituting ingredients in not just these natural eyeshadow recipes but in general when making your own cosmetics, using an alternative item that has a similar consistency is essential.
Always consider the difference fluctuations in heat will have on substitute ingredients as well as their original state when kept at room temperature.
Oils and Butters Substitution Guide
| Soft Oils | Liquid Oils | Solid Oils – Butters |
|---|---|---|
| Grapeseed Oil | Sweet Almond Oil | Cocoa Butter |
| Olive Oil | Shea Butter | Illipe Butter |
| Safflower Oil | Coconut Oil | Tucuma Butter |
| Argan Oil | Mango Butter | Kokum Butter |
| Canola Oil | Cupuacu Butter |
The absorption rate of the oils or butters used will also have an impact on how well the natural cosmetic will spread, how good it looks, and how long it will last. The user’s skin texture (oily, flaky, normal, or dry) will also play a role in the appearance any oil or butter has when used in a natural makeup recipe.
Drying oils tend to leave you skin feeling extremely soft and without a greasy look or feel to the touch. Slow absorbing or heavy oils take a long them to dry and will remain tacky as well as glossy, and act a bit like tape to anything that touches the skin during drying process.
These types of oils are best used only in DIY lip gloss or lipstick recipes…
Fast Absorbing Oils and Butters:
- Grapeseed Oil
- Rosehip Oil
- Safflower Oil
- Canola Oil
- Mango Butter
- Macadamia Nut Oil
Slow Absorbing Oils and Butters:
- Shea Butter
- Castor Oil
- Flaxseed Oil
- Avocado Oil
Average Absorbing Oils:
- Cocoa Butter
- Olive Oil
- Jojoba Oil
- Coconut Oil
- Argan Oil
- Sweet Almond Oil
- Sunflower Oil
DIY Natural Eyeshadow Recipe #1
Ingredients
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon cornstarch arrowroot powder
- ¼ teaspoon coconut oil, shea butter, or cocoa butter
- Color Ingredients (see the table below this recipe)
Instructions
- Place the cornstarch or arrowroot powder in a bowl or use a mortar and pestle. The more of either ingredient you use will create a lighter shade when mixing with a color ingredient.
- Add in 1 pinch of your chosen color ingredient, and mix together thoroughly.
- Test the color on your arm to see if you like the shade. If it is too light, add in slightly more of the color ingredient. Remember, you can always add more but you cannot sift out the color once it has been combined with a binding agent.
- Stir in the coconut oil or shea butter. This will make the DIY natural eyeshadow creamy and easy to spread.
- Test the eyeshadow on your arm to make sure it spreads well without being either clumpy or runny. The natural makeup should still have a primarily a powder like consistency.
Notes
DIY Natural Eyeshadow Recipe #2
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon bentonite clay
- ½ teaspoon either cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- 1 to 2 drops sweet almond oil, aloe vera juice, or jojoba oil
- 1 pinch color ingredients of your choice from the list above
Instructions
- Combine the bentonite clay and the cornstarch or arrowroot powder in a bowl or use a mortar and pestle.
- Stir in your chosen color ingredients.
- Test the shade on your arm and add more coloring ingredients if necessary.
- Add in up to to rops of your chosen carrier oil. The consistency of the DIY natural eyeshadow should be soft and stick together slightly but will no longer have a dusty powder texture.
Here’s the list of color ingredients you should add for both recipes above:
| Color | Ingredients |
|---|---|
| Brown | Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Cocoa Powder, Allspice |
| Gold | Turmeric and Mica Powder |
| Mauve | Turmeric and Allspice |
| Tan | Ginger |
| Red | Red Clay |
| Pink | Beet Powder |
| Black | Activated Charcoal |
| Green | Green Clay, Spirulina |
| Orange | Saffron and Beetroot juice, Turmeric |
| Shimmer | To create some shimmer and glow to any color of natural DIY eyeshadow, add a pinch of gold mica powder. |
Storage and Shelf Life
Store the eye shadow in an airtight container until ready to use. It should have a shelf life of many months – unless you used coconut oil and the natural makeup is allowed to get so hot the oil liquifies.
If this does happen, it does not necessarily mean the DIY eyeshadow is ruined. Once the coconut oil cools back down to room temperature, it should once again be in a usable state.
Application
Apply the natural eyeshadow to a clean face, and spread it evenly onto the eyelids to avoid clumping. You can use your finger, a Q-Tip, or a standard eyeshadow cosmetic brush to apply.
How well these DIY natural eyeshadow recipes work for you will depend on your skin type and the environment in which it is both applied and worn. I love using coconut oil when making natural cosmetics, but in a warm climate or during the summer time, it can have a tendency to run.
Once you try out both of these eyeshadow recipes, you might decide to intermingle the base ingredients, as I have, and enjoy the results of using Bentonite clay, cornstarch, coconut oil, and sweet almond oil as a base to make the eyeshadow more creamy and long-lasting.
Play around with these recipes and natural coloring options until you find what works well and keeps you both looking and feeling your best… without slathering artificial ingredients onto your face.
Tara lives on a 56 acres farm in the Appalachian Mountains, where she faces homesteading and farming challenges every single day, raising chickens, goats, horses, and tons of vegetables. She’s an expert in all sorts of homesteading skills such as hide tanning, doll making, tree tapping, and many more.