Broken Lippy? Don't Pout! Here's How To Fix It!

by BR Tabatha

For a lipstick lover there are few things more lip poutingly horrible than discovering your favourite lipstick has fallen foul of the broken fairy. The sight of a squished lipstick can bring some of us to tears. But is all lost? Can we turn our frowns upside down? Luckily, there are ways to return makeup that's seen better days into almost, if not good as new form!

Lipstick broken towards the end of the base? This is an easy fix. First, smooth out the base of the lipstick using a toothpick, surgical spatular, or - if needs must - a butter knife, as well as the base of the lipstick piece that's broken off. Next, take a lighter and use the flame to warm the base of the lipstick and then the bottom of broken off lipstick. Press them together and blend the edges using your instrument of choice, then let the lipstick cool down in the fridge before swivelling it back into the bullet. 

Accidentally rolled your lipstick up and squished the top? It's time to get your whittling skills on... sometimes. If the lipstick's just a little smashed you can cut off the ruined part and then, taking a knife or toothpick - basically anything that is strong enough to carve a lippy - you can carve what's left into a shape similar to how your lipstick wears as you apply it. Not much of a whittler? Accept the top is smushed, dig it out of the lid, then with what's left in the bullet use a lipstick brush whenever applying your lippy. If it's really bad? Get a little pottle, scrape out all the lipstick from the bullet into the pottle, then melt it using a hairdryer. Once it's cooled down you can use it again with the help of your trusty lippy brush. 

As wonderful as summer is, it does contain a little peril... sunburn, mosquitos munching on our skin, fake tan fails, and melted lipstick. If you go to use your favourite lipstick and find the sun's rays have penetrated the casing and left it a melted mess there are two ways you can save it. If it's just a touch melted, pop it in the freezer, let it cool down and then, as long as it's kept its shape enough to be useable, it's good to go. If it's as liquidy as margarine that's been left out of the fridge too long, it's time to do the de-pot. Scrape it into a little pottle, pop it in the fridge until it's set, and then use your lip brush or finger to apply.

Pro tip: When saving a lipstick wear gloves to avoid making a mess with lipsticky fingers.

As for lip liner... If your pencil lip liner's dried up then refreshing it as is simple as removing the first few layers with a pencil sharpener. Next, warm the tip up with a blast of a hair dryer. Finally, take a cotton bud and apply a thin coat of Vaseline onto the tip, then leave it to soak in.

So, my pretties...Will you be giving any of our lipstick tips a go? Or do you have other tricks we need to know about? Sharing is caring, so let us know below!