merrynamy ([info]merrynamy) wrote in [info]mac_cosmetics,
@ 2007-01-28 19:52:00
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May I Introduce To You...

My very first tutorial :) 

WARNING: Very picture heavy

This tutorial has been updated with an FAQ section

What you will need:



NOT PICTURED: Optional items such as a straight iron and baking paper

































I am aware that most of you already know how to do this but I hope it was useful for someone :) I had great fun doing this!

FAQ

Where can I find empty eyeshadow pans?
I just used a cheapo eyeshadow (a BYS eyeshadow that can be bought from GLOSS stores in Australia) which I scraped out and then used the empty pan for pressing. ELF (Eyes Lips Face) eyeshadows also fit MAC quads and can be bought online (http://www.eyeslipsface.com/elfshop/default.asp) as do Milani eyeshadows. A complete list of pans that fit MAC palettes can be found here: http://www.makeupresource.com/pans/

Where can I buy alcohol for pressing?
Isopropyl alcohol can easily be found in the supermarket as it is used as a disinfectant, toner etc.

How long do I leave the pigment to 'dry' before pressing?
I use a straight iron to 'dry' my pigment and I only leave the pigment on there for a few minutes. The appearance of the pigment changes from liquidy to more of a set look but not completely dry. Around the edges of the pan, the pigment kind of shrinks, cracks and comes away from the edges. Some people like to leave their pigment to dry until the alcohol scent has completely evaporated away. Personally, I let the pigment dry enough that it comes away from the edges slightly but mine is still damp enough that it has a strong alcohol scent. The pigment needs to be dry enough so that when you press it, it doesnt squish everywhere, but wet enough so that it can be pressed firmly. It's a bit of trial and error but generally - if you are using a straight iron, hairdryer or oven to dry your pigment, only do it for a few minutes so that the surface looks set and not liquidy and if you are allowing it to air dry, also leave it long enough so that the surface is no longer wet to touch or spongy.

How does the colour payoff/texture compare?
It's exactly the same, IMO. The texture of the pressed pigment is softer and more powdery than a regular pressed eyeshadow, but compared to a standard pigment, it feels the same on the skin however there is less fall out when applied onto a brush making it easier to handle and less messy. The colour payoff should be no different to how the pigment usually is :)







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i love this but...
[info]tritest
2007-01-28 09:02 am UTC (link)
Lj cut my dear!
^_^

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Re: i love this but...
[info]tritest
2007-01-28 09:33 am UTC (link)
Yay! Thanks for this :)

I have some quads coming in the mail! Guess what I shall be doing with them ;P

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[info]creshella
2007-01-28 09:04 am UTC (link)
only one pic is showing

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[info]merrynamy
2007-01-28 09:05 am UTC (link)
yup sorry when i copied and pasted they showed up under the cut, is all fixed now :)

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[info]creshella
2007-01-28 09:05 am UTC (link)
thanks for this!

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[info]tantalizinqz
2007-01-28 09:09 am UTC (link)
i want a jar of subtle now! :( :( :(

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[info]june19th
2007-01-28 09:29 am UTC (link)
me too!! :(

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[info]sweet8684girl
2007-01-28 09:59 am UTC (link)
me, three! Copperclast, too.

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[info]kittypuppy
2007-01-28 09:21 am UTC (link)
ooooh thank you! I have been wanting to try pressing some for awhile now, and definitely have to after seeing this! It sounds so fun, haha.

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[info]fuckmuffin
2007-01-28 09:22 am UTC (link)
what a cute bottle of rubbing alcohol, i wish mine had a little alligator on it.

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[info]discoxlemonade
2007-01-28 10:17 am UTC (link)
hahah, i was thinking that too!

coolest bottle of rubbing alcohol ever!

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[info]june19th
2007-01-28 09:31 am UTC (link)
Thanks for the tutorial! I want to do some pigment pressing now. :)
How long do you leave the pigment pressed (with the coin)? Just a few seconds?

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[info]merrynamy
2007-01-28 09:33 am UTC (link)
i just push down on the coin really hard from all angles and then take the coin off - it doesnt need to stay there :) im probably pushing firmly for about 10-15 seconds

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[info]june19th
2007-01-28 09:35 am UTC (link)
Thanks! This tut definitely needs to go in the memories! :)

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[info]jmp06k
2007-01-28 07:30 pm UTC (link)
Could you do this with broken e/s? I recieved soba in the mail and it was broken (she dropped it right before she sent it but I tolf her to send it anyways). I'm really scared to try and repair it because I don't want to fuck it up even more... thanks again!

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[info]cashmerewhore
2007-02-06 03:49 am UTC (link)
You can, but you need to completely crumble it before starting the process.

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[info]lolita_in_bloom
2007-01-28 09:58 am UTC (link)
Is it just me or is subtle more beautiful pressed? I might be going crazy though...

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[info]wyang83
2007-01-28 09:58 am UTC (link)
Thank you so much for this!!!

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[info]discokie
2007-01-28 10:02 am UTC (link)
thanks for posting this!

this is the most helpful tutorial for pigment pressing :)

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[info]rockstarbabe
2007-01-28 10:40 am UTC (link)
yay thanks for this. I so want to press some pigments now...just need a quad.

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[info]drewzangel12
2007-01-28 01:34 pm UTC (link)
Thank you so much! I have never heard of BYS eyeshadows... can I find them in the states?

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[info]racheliebabe
2007-01-28 02:04 pm UTC (link)
awesome, thank you!!!

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[info]maggiemac
2007-01-28 02:09 pm UTC (link)
Any idea if there's a database somewhere that tells which pigments can and cannot be pressed? I want to use this tutorial! ;)

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[info]xbrookecorex
2007-01-28 06:18 pm UTC (link)
Don't press Mattes, thats all I have to say! Some people can do it with success, but most will agree they're very difficult to work with while pressing, and I've lost a lot of product trying to do them. I was warned not to try pressing a matte, but I did anyways cause I don't listen and it was a big waste and mess :(

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[info]maggiemac
2007-01-28 10:30 pm UTC (link)
That's no problem, I don't have any mattes anyway! :)

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[info]allpurposegirl
2007-01-28 03:14 pm UTC (link)
YOU ROCK!

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[info]ohmisskitty
2007-01-28 03:23 pm UTC (link)
oh excellent tutorial! thank you so much :D i was under the impression the coin had to stay pressed onto the pigment for like, days or something. this is super, thank you :D

oh but quick q - how long do you leave the wet mixture on the straightener? do you just leave it like that, plates open? thanks xx

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[info]ufgatorbabe
2007-01-28 03:47 pm UTC (link)
This is a really great tutorial and totally takes the scariness of pressing pigments out of the equation. Thanks for posting it!

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[info]__coziseeyou
2007-01-28 03:53 pm UTC (link)
this is probably the best pigment-pressing tutorial ive seen yet. awesome!
about how long does it take for the pan to dry on the straightening iron?

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[info]sugahlici0us
2007-01-28 04:23 pm UTC (link)
adding this to the memories, thanks so much

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[info]niftygurrl18
2007-01-28 04:42 pm UTC (link)
Thanks.

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[info]ccarp001
2007-01-28 04:42 pm UTC (link)
great job! thanks for posting this

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[info]sweetsharade
2007-01-28 05:26 pm UTC (link)
what a great, helpful tutorial!! thanks so much for posting it. i've got some pigments coming in the mail, i should try pressing them for easier handling. yay!!! i love doing new things lol :)

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[info]no_one_saw_me
2007-01-28 05:48 pm UTC (link)
that was great i had no idea how to do this until now! now i know what im doing with my sunday afternoon.. teehee

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[info]shesasuperstar
2007-01-28 06:09 pm UTC (link)
Thank you for doing this! I was trying to figure how everyone did this. =)

And could you actually press a pigment for me and sell to me? If you would happen to have Vanilla. Much appreciated. Please email me at jessicanne_m@yahoo.com if possible.

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[info]xbrookecorex
2007-01-28 06:20 pm UTC (link)
Just an added tip to this that has always been successful to me:

Blast it with a blowdrier for awhile if you're scared to 'cook' it! (I put a little piece of scotch tape on the bottom of the pan to secure it to the table so its not blowing away). Blowdry it on high for maybe 5 minutes, and then smell it. If it smells like 'makeup' or pressed powder, its done. If it still smells like alcohol, blowdry a bit longer :) This has never failed me, cause Im too scared to put it in the oven for some reason!

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[info]imma_shank_you
2007-01-28 07:09 pm UTC (link)
yay thanks!!

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[info]unicornsbelieve
2007-01-28 08:08 pm UTC (link)
It was helpful to me! Thanks!

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[info]joytoykid
2007-01-28 11:42 pm UTC (link)
Thanks!

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[info]lovernaut
2007-01-29 01:09 am UTC (link)
brilliant. :)

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rubbing alcohol in australia?
[info]tatteredwingss
2007-01-29 01:33 am UTC (link)
im in australia too - where can i get the rubbing alcohol from?

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[info]iheartmakeups
2007-01-29 01:45 am UTC (link)
thats great! thanks.

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[info]spinsterkitten
2007-01-29 01:50 am UTC (link)
thank you so much, I was thinking of pressing some soon. I'm adding this to my memories.

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[info]brokenfrailty
2007-01-29 02:39 am UTC (link)
You are my official hero...I'm sure this probably sounds like THE stupidest question ever, but does the vibrancy of the makeup stay the same? I really love working with pressed powders because they're so much easier to handle and there's less waste, but I've always noticed that they are NEVER as vibrant as loose powder makeup...I'm not sure what makes it that way, but it pisses the hell out of me!...anyways, much love for making this tut...you officially made my crappy day a good one! Adding to memes

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[info]atyourmercy
2007-10-24 07:52 pm UTC (link)
This is the best thing I've ever seen. I recently decided I wanted to start pressing my pigments and couldn't find a good tutorial but this is the best one ever. Thanks so much for this!
xxoo

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