One of the things you do NOT want to do is put non-microwavable plastic in the microwave. That means that unless your lipstick receptacle/pallet/pot was specifically designed for microwave use and has a label stating as much, it probably won’t stand up to the heat. Sure, it might look okay, but that’s not the point. Heated plastics, which are made from petro-chemicals, are a huge cause of toxicity in our environment and diets. Some forms of plastic, sadly much of the type used in baby bottles, sports bottles and the like in the US, have been outlawed in Canada and the EU. The FDA is slow to act on these matters so you really need to self-educate on these subjects.

If the lipstick melts and the plastic heats from the inside out as microwaves are known to do, expect some “fusing” between the molecules in the plastic and the lipstick. In other words, you are introducing plastic byproducts into your lipstick. Of course, you can’t use a metal lipstick tube or gloss tin in the microwave, either. Consequently, the safest way to do this is to heat up the lipsticks using hot water or the stove method. This is because microwave energy infiltrates plastic differently than other heat sources. Whatever the method, however, if the plastic disfigures, don’t “consume” the contents, whether you’re talking reconstituted lipcolor or food.

Secondly, I would like to know if making one’s own lipsticks from scratch or via recycling is legal. Reason: I found a kit at a store online that sold waxes, pigments and many other DIY cosmetic ingredients. However, the site, though I believe it was originating out of the US, had a disclaimer stating that the lipstick kit, in particular — consisting of molds, pigments, oil and waxes — could not be shipped to US addresses. What would be the reason for this? Is there some legal issue with “home cooking” product like this?

As for the question posed by The Beauty Brains as to why try this at all? Because women are always in search of the “Holy Grail” lipcolor. And they almost never find it in mass-manufactured brands, and if they do those colors tend to be discontinued rather quick so that women can’t count on replacing a favorite color over and over. The second answer? Because concocting a lipstick from scratch or scrap, whichever the case may be, is educational, fun and a great way to promote interest in science.

Keep in mind this wouldn’t necessarily have to involve a bunch of mismatched lipstick scrap, either. Many women will layer more than one shade to achieve that perfect mix. A pink that is too light + a peach that is too dark = Viola! A perfect, warm nude.

Many women would be happy to have some economical means to combine their favorite “sets” of colors into a single stick to obtain a “custom color” or “signature look”. As for whether the result of such experimentation would yield a shade akin to “baby poop”, perhaps I’m overly optimistic but anyone who has mixed paints in school or took an art class is perfectly capable of determining that if you mix every color on the color wheel, you’ll end up with a muddy brown. If, however, you mix complementary colors, such mistakes are not inevitable. Unless lipstick manufacturers begin making funky blue, black and yellow lipcolors popular, the basic shades of lipstick are essentially limited to “warm” and “cool” colors. Providing one avoids mixing oranges and purples, baby poop tones can be avoided. However, let it be known that even a “baby poop brown” shade may not deter some women. Some women are in search of the perfect brown “nude” lipstick and would not perceive such an outcome in a negative light.