There’s a lot to be said about the longevity of a cream eyeshadow. Whether it’s a highly pigmented metallic or a subtle wash of colour, a good cream eyeshadow will carry you through an entire night out.
Better yet, use one as a grabby base for the powder shadows in your favourite eyeshadow palette. The final result will be almost impossible to remove without the assistance of a cotton pad saturated in micellar water.
However, the same kudos can’t be given for their lifespan when sitting in a pot.
Depending on the formulation, the way they’ve been stored, or whether they’re a few years old, cream eyeshadows can dry down, fade in colour and crack. A far cry from the butter-soft consistency they once were.
But, there’s still hope. We promise!
How to save your cream eyeshadow after it’s dried out
Whether you’ve accidentally left the lid off your eyeshadow overnight (not again!) or the pot is nearing its use-by date, you don’t have to say your farewells just yet.
No? No! With techniques like applying heat or mixing a liquid through, even the driest cream eyeshadows can be revived.
1/ Try a little heat
Sometimes all your cream eyeshadow needs is a little defrosting. Try warming up the product with heat from your hair dryer.
What to do: Point your hair dryer at the cream shadow for 30 seconds to a minute, then give the product a stir with a cotton bud.
2/ Add some witch hazel
The addition of witch hazel ($10 from Woolworths) will restore moisture into a dried out eyeshadow, plus work to soothe the appearance of puffy eyes all at the same time.
Using a clean cotton bud, mix the witch hazel into your eyeshadow pot and stir until combined. Add more as required.
3/ Mix in a facial spray or essence
In the same way a thirsty complexion drinks up a facial mist or essence, a dried out cream shadow will benefit greatly from the hit of moisture.
Dispense the facial mist ($9.99 from Chemist Warehouse) into the pot, loosen up the eyeshadow and mix.
4/ Give it a (super quick) microwave hit
The same way our lipstick will go soft when we’ve left it in the sun a little too long, giving your dry shadow a hit in the microwave will soften its consistency.
Pop your eyeshadow (with the lid off) into the microwave for no more than 10 seconds at a time or until the formula is soft. Next, mix with a cotton bud, making sure to get rid of any air bubbles. Allow the pot to completely cool down before use.
Main image credit: @lucacianciolo
Have any of your cream products dried out? Do you have any tips on how to bring them back to life?
Have used the microwave before and it’s worked a treat.
Good to know, some of mine are a little dry
I use color tattoos all the time and have tried the facial mist tip in the past. Its interesting that some colours tend to dry out faster then others so ive found.
Some good tips if I notice my cream eye shadow has dried out.
Some great tips here. I no longer wear cream eyeshadows they just dont seem to work for me.
I love MAC Paint Pots. My Groundwork is drying out, I’ll try the facial mist. Realistically it’s probably needing to be replaced. It’s pretty old and there’s not a lot left, but I’ll give it a try.
Never have used cream eyeshadows tend to use power eyeshadows, some great information to revive cream eyeshadows would also work for lipgloss pots as well.
These are great tips!
I haven’t been using cream eyeshadows, but if they have dried out, does that not mean that they have probably exceeded the period after opening use by date?
I would check your pot doesn’t contain metal if you are going to put it in the microwave! Some good suggestions though and might well be transferable to other products. I don’t think I have any cream eyeshadows but who knows what could be lurking at the back of a drawer.
Will try the facial mist trick. Admittedly it’s been a while since I’ve used any eyeshadow, so I’ll have to go check what condition they’re all in!
Love cream eyeshadows! I tend to throw them out when they become dry. I worry about how rehydrating them effects the preservatives and bacteria levels in the product. Eeeek!
Inglot duraline works a treat!
All really good to know
oooh, this article came a bit late hehe…already decluttered all old makeup and all eyeshadows.
Top tips for getting a cream eyeshadow back on track! Convenient to know there are articles like this on bh in case I need this kind of info in the future.
Some good tips here, thank you 🙂
Some great tips, I’ve never tried to revive an eyeshadow.
Love these tips. I’ll be able to get some life back into my cream shadows.
I agree that the color tattoos dry out at different rates. I changed to the Revlon Colorstay cream eye shadows and I’ve found they do exactly the same.
Love these tips. They probably will dry out whilst they don’t get used
Not something I use.
When my Maybelline Color Tattoos start drying out, I just stir the product and it becomes workable again
I usually buy the powder eye shadows.
I love the last tip
onlyoni I thought you were going to tell me that the Revlon ones were better and I should switch. How interesting that they are the same. At the moment I have a lovely pale pink shade of color tattoo and its so creamy and awesome which is a good thing because I purchased another one of the same shade by accident.
Meedee I have a pale pink (my favourite shade) in the Revlon which has stayed soft and creamy for well over a year. It seems my darker colours in both brands have dried out.
Witch hazel is an interesting tip.
Good tips. Could you do one on other products next, especially nail polish.
Great tips to try out…
onlyoni The pink color tattoo that i have is called ‘Inked in Pink”….its very pretty. Interestingly I also have a dark plum shade called “pomegranate punk” and that one although darker doesnt dry out either. The really frustrating thing with color tattoos is that they often stop making certain shades….ggrr
Great tips to know.
I don’t use cream eye shadow now
Good tips, I will need to remember these!
Some wonderful tips for reviving dried out cream eyeshadow. Adding witch hazel or hydrating face spray to the eyeshadow are my picks.
Some great tips to try out before binning my old cream eye shadows.
Great tips, I never get through my makeup products because you only need a tiny amount
Applying with a wet/damp eyeshadow brush is great too
Never like cream eye shadows. Tried many years ago and they ran and didn’t stay on nicely
Heat is a good temporary fix. I would like to try the witch hazel option and see if that works.
Sometimes having them dry out is a good indication that its time to replace them.
I will need to try one of these once covid is over as I am not using my makeup under lock down and the cream eye shadows will dry out before use.
I haven’t used a creme eye shadow for a long time, not so good on aged creepy eyes these days even as a base. Light powder shadow works better for me. Good tips though.
I don’t use cream eye shadows, but great tips here.
I don’t really use cream eye-shadows, but this is a great sustainable tip.
These are some really good tips. I’ve found a silicone based primer or oil really help revive my cream eye shadows too,
Good tips,need to try !
Will be trying some of these.
The microwave idea and the witch hazel is brilliant i would never of thought of doing that! Thankyou for the tips
I’ve heard the microwave trick, but I haven’t needed to try it out myself yet.