Stretch Your Lipstick

Most of us have lipstick lying around that is all but gone or we decided we didn't like the color, texture, etc. Some lipsticks are really expensive, so here's a way to stretch them out longer: turn them into lip gloss. Here's what you do. Dig the remaining lipstick out of the tube. I used a steak knife because it had a sharp point and it worked pretty well.

In a microwave safe container, mix the leftover lipstick with an equal amount of petroleum jelly. (You could use more jelly if you want a little lighter color and to stretch your lipstick even further).

Melt it in the microwave for about 1 minute, stopping about every 20-30 seconds to stir with a stick or small spoon. Remove from the microwave and pour into a small container. Be careful if you use a glass jar like I did. It was really hot. This is what it looks like when it is melted. Use a small rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the jar. I poured mine into an empty Savex container, but you can purchase little containers at a beauty supply store.

Allow it to cool and you're done! The entire process - start to finish-- took about 2 & 1/2 minutes, counting the microwave time. It made about a half a container of lip gloss. You could also use this idea for lipstick that you bought but don't like because it is too intense. You could experiment by using more jelly than lipstick to see if you could tone it down, or you could mix 2 colors together. After all, if you aren't going to wear it because the color is too intense, what have you got to lose?

I saw this idea in the book "The Complete Tightwad Gazette" by Amy Dacyczyn. I was skeptical and didn't think it would actually work, but it did!