Wednesday, 12 January 2011

Depotting step by step!

This is a little post about depotting eyeshadows and blushers. I am no expert in this field and there are lots of fab Utube videos which show you how to depot but anyway this is how i do it and it works for me :)

Equipment needed :
Straighteners
Tin foil
Small scissors
Pin board pin

Switch straighteners on and place tin foil on top the plate. This protects the straighteners 

 Get your blusher/ eyeshadow and place the pin in the groove and wiggle to create a little gap.

 Slide the scissors between the gap and gently prize open the blusher

 The blusher will pop out like this

Place the blusher onto the straighteners and wait a minute or so for the plastic to slightly melt and become soft. This is the part that you need to watch carefully. Time it takes will depend on the straighteners and what packaging you are trying to melt.

 You want the end result to be soft but not completely melted. It will look like this. Be careful it gets very HOT !
With the pin push through the middle. It should release the pan quite easily. If it doesn't then put it back on the heat for a little longer. 

 Turn the product upside down and tip out onto the tin foil ( don't touch the metal its hot.)

 If you need to use the scissors to gently separate the glue and ease it onto the tin foil.


Place the empty case sticker side down for bout 1 min until the glue from the sticker softens.


Gently peel of the sticker. This comes off really easily.

Place the sticker on the pan that you have just depotted so you have it labeled and wait for it to cool.

 That's it all done. Once you have done 1 or 2 it's easy.

 I also depotted more eyeshadows for my Z palette which now looks like this.

And i can throw away these.

I need a few more Z palettes to finish depotting my little stash but i am getting there slowly. The one piece of advice i can give is to ease the product out gently. If you have to force it out then the glue needs to be melted a little more. Forcing the product will end up in breaking the product or injury.

As for non Mac products. Just take a good look at the packaging. Remove as much outer packaging as possible before you heat and look for any tiny gaps where you can ease the product out ( often in the corners )
Good Luck and hope this helps xx

22 comments:

  1. amazing post! i love depoting my products. I used the lighter method. but i will def do this next time.

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  2. You make it seem so simple!
    I am bookmarking this for future reference :)

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  3. Looks easy peasy! I've never depotted any of my products yet, but I want to sometime soon as I'm getting such a big collection of different pots of eyeshadows/blushers etc. Have you got a link for where I can get some Z palettes from? I quite like them so would want to get my hands on a few! Thanks! x

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  4. check out this post about the Z palette hun http://nicolettasbeautyspace.blogspot.com/2011/01/showing-my-z-palettes-some-love.html

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  5. Love your leopard palettes :D They're so coooool.
    I WANT IIITTTTT

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  6. Thanks for that honey! x

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  7. How are your products securely placed in the palettes without any magnets? I have depotted in the past but the magnets I have used have been too chunky so they don't sit at the right height in the palettes :( x

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  8. The backs are all metal hun and the palette is magnetic so they dont need anything :)

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  9. definately going to brave up and start depotting my own stash!
    really helpful post, thank you :)

    sarahbox04.blogspot.com xx

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  10. They just magnetise on there own hun. Easy peasy xx

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  11. Great, informative post.
    The palettes look so neat ;)
    Thanks for sharing!

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  12. Aaaw Nicoletta you do some really informative posts, so useful! I'm really scared to depot in case i ruin the product...had an empty palette waiting for about 3 months now! Maybe it's time to bite the bullet and try this weekend :)

    I'll defo be having this page open to guide me through, hehe! xoxo

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  13. Hi! thanks so much for following the blog, and for taking me to yours- it is fab, I have been itching to try out depotting and your z palette has made me so jealous! Excellent guide for how to do it.

    Keep in touch

    Bxx

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  14. Very useful. I'm actually a bit afraid of doing this specially with more pricey products. I will keep this link for when I decide to do it!

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  15. great post! i now have no fear depotting =) thanks hun!xx

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  16. Aww thanks ladies, i'm so glad you like this post. To be honest i wasn't going to do this post as i thought a lot of people wouldn't be that interested. I'm glad it was helpful xx

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  17. so helpful! good work you wise lady xxx

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  18. i want to get these pallets so bad =(
    need to organize my life ,, makeup ,, lol

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  19. Hi! Loved your step by step technique. Very informative. I heard that mac does not take empty pots back if the metal case inside is missing or if pots are damaged. Is this true? Did anyone have this experience? This is the only reason i havnt depotted as i want to back to mac my containers!

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  20. Hi Farrah, thanks for your comment. I have never had a problem taking back the empty cases but i think it varies on which store you take then to x

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Thankyou for all your comments, i appreciate each and everyone xx