The PRYING method: You might want to try prying, first, especially if you are afraid to bake. Some pans are easily popped out of plastic containers. This method really depends on the strength and amount of glue used in the container. If you notice a crack in the shadow immediately stop and move onto the next method using heat.
The OVEN method: place product on cookie sheet and into oven on low heat, between 200-350 degrees Fahrenheit, for a few minutes until the glue has melted and the packaging surrounding the product melts away from the shadow pan. You can then lift the shadow out with a small knife, tweezers, or spatula and let it cool. Once cooled, remove the excess glue with rubbing alcohol or acetone, place in Z palette, and voila you are ready to simplify!
Note: not all makeup brands make shadows in pans that are magnetic. Therefore, Z palette offers magnetic stickers strictly for this purpose. Place the magnetic adhesive on the bottom of the pan and then place in your Z Palette.
The STRAIGHTENING IRON method: if the oven method seems a bit scary try using a straightening iron. Place products on bottom plate of iron for a few minutes until the glue holding the shadow pan has warmed up a bit. Then you can lift the shadow out with a small knife, tweezers, or spatula and let it cool. Once cooled, remove the excess glue with rubbing alcohol or acetone, place in Z palette, and voila you are ready to simplify!
Note: not all makeup brands make shadows in pans that are magnetic. Therefore, Z palette offers magnetic stickers strictly for this purpose. Place the magnetic adhesive on the bottom of the pan and then place in your Z Palette.
Here’s a tip: If any shadow breakage occurs during this process don’t toss your shadows out. You can saturate the shadow by pouring rubbing alcohol on it and use a spatula to smooth it back together. Once the shadow has dried it is ready to use again.
Here’s a tip: Parian Spirit, a brush cleaner used by makeup pros, is an excellent solvent to take off the stubborn glue left on shadow pans after removal. In my personal experience, it works much better than alcohol and acetone. You can find it at http://www.frendsbeautysupply.com/.
Here’s a tip: You can use a very fine-tipped permanent marker to write the color name on the actual metal of the pan, or next to the magnet. This saves a lot of guessing in the future!
Did you know that after de-potting shadows you could recycle the containers?
MAC Cosmetics offers a program, called Back-2-MAC, where you get a free product for returning 6 of their used containers. How awesome is that you can organize and get free stuff!
Also, we are happy to announce that Origins is the first in the cosmetics industry to introduce a recycling program where you can bring any empty cosmetic bottle, jar, tube, etc. -regardless of brand- to any Origins retail store or department store counter nationwide (excluding Nordstrom). All returned packaging will be sent to a central location where products will be recycled or used for energy recovery. How cool is that!!
Zpalette is meant to hold all different sized shadows and blushes from all different brands, however, if you like to organize by a specific makeup brand only, the following list may prove to be helpful. We have compiled a list of how many eye shadows of each of the following brands can fit into each palette:
- 18 Cover Girl eye shadows in the large palette
5 Cover Girl eye shadows in the small palette
- 13 La Femme eye shadows in the large palette
4 La Femme eye shadows in the small palette
- 17 Laura Mercier eye shadows in the large palette
4 Laura Mercier eye shadows in the small palette
- 27 MAC-sized eye shadows in the large palette
9 MAC-sized eye shadows in the small palette
- 8 MAC blushes in the large palette
2 MAC blushes in the small palette
- 14 Makeup Forever eye shadows in the large palette
4 Makeup Forever eye shadows in the small palette
- 24 Nars duo eye shadows in the large palette (each shadow counts as one)
6 Nars duo eye shadows in the small palette (each shadow counts as one)
- 24 NYX square eye shadows in the large palette
9 NYX square eye shadows in the small palette
- 27 NYX round eye shadows in the large palette
9 NYX round eye shadows in the small palette
- 15 Stila-sized eye shadows/blushes in the large palette
4 Stila-sized eye shadows/blushes in the small palette
