In a Pinch: Makeshift Mascara

A couple Sundays ago, I started getting ready for church only to realize that I'd left my entire make-up bag at my parents' house. My son and I had spent the night there while my husband was camping with the scouts. What was I going to do? I couldn't skip church, especially since I was teaching a class that day, and I couldn't quite justify going to the store on Sunday for just for mascara. So what did I do? Like in so many other instances, I turned to Google.

Turns out, there are bunch of recipes for homemade mascara. Now, I'm all for saving money with homemade things, but there are a few instances where the trouble isn't worth the possible savings. I will say now, for the record, I will most likely never make my own mascara regularly. I'll just keep buying the kind that comes in the green and pink tube (with a coupon, if I can get my hands on one). However, I found an easy recipe for makeshift mascara, specifically for someone in a pinch like me. To my surprise, it worked quite well.

For some makeshift mascara, all you need is some Vaseline (the site I got the recipe from also suggested unscented chapstick) and some eyeshadow. In a small bowl, combine a few pea-sized globs of Vaseline with some eyeshadow. You could use any color for this -- brown, black, blue, whatever. I happened to have a sample of dark grey eyeshadow that I only really use for Halloween. Mix the Vaseline and the eyeshadow together with a chop stick, the end of a brush, or some cotton swabs with the ends removed. Basically, mix it with something besides your fingers. 

The trick is to find some kind of brush to apply it. You might have to get creative with this. I lucked out because I had an extra mascara wand on hand -- I saved and washed one from a previous tube and I have been using it as an eyebrow comb {random reuse!}.

Like I said before, the makeshift mascara worked surprisingly well. It definitely didn't have the consistency I'm used to when it comes to mascara. It felt a little weird and gummy when I put it on, but once it dried it was fine. My eyelashes actually felt a little softer afterwards, too. Make-up emergency averted.