warming up the product technique #1
It’s like holding a pure, unrefined piece of chocolate in your hands. The longer you hold it, the more it softens and melts in your hands. So before dipping your brush into your brightener, concealing cream, cream tint, or cream shade-changer (my solid cream formulas), you want to trace a few circles on the surface of the product with your fingertip. You will be able to feel when it starts to soften and warm up under your skin. The more time you spend tracing circles on the surface of the product, the more you allow the formula to melt, and the greater the coverage. It’s so fun. But if you are in a hurry and want to shave off a few seconds of warmng up the product, you can also add a very tiny amount of your favourite facial oil (like raspberry elixir) or for more intense colour, one of my brightener or serum tints, to the surface of the product. Then trace a few circles with your brush or fingertip until you have picked up the desired amount of product. I usually warm up the product with my fingertip and then I do a swipe of the product I have picked up with my fingertip on the back of my other hand to make sure I have the coverage I want. And you can use that small amount of product to conceal other areas later on so zero product is wasted. Below is the texture I begin with, and I do not heat my formulas to preserve the potent antioxidants and so that the butter retains its’ ‘raw’ state.
warming up the product technique #2
these formulas are sensitive to changing temperatures and humidity so it is important to keep them out of direct sunlight and extreme heat where they will warm up too much. also, shipping can cause them to sometimes harden a little on the surface. you will need to work a little harder the first time to warm up the product. some shades are more sensitive than others, depending on the plant butter and powder ratio. it can vary, even with the same type of product because of this varying ratio to achieve the finished shade. if you notice that warming up the product with your fingers or your favourite facial oil is not enough to break the outer seal, this next technique will do the trick. you can warm up the product by holding it close to your red light therapy if you happen to have a red therapy light, or by pointing your blowdryer on low at the product. make sure to leave some space between the product and the heat. also, make sure the product is sitting upright on a counter and not being held at an angle. there is a chance it could warm up faster than you may expect. keep testing the surface every few seconds. you may see and feel the surface start to look a little more shiny and feel softer. once you notice the slightest change, remove the heat source and continue warming up the product with the body heat from your fingers to apply your product. repeat this technique if it needs a little more warmth. this technique is also handy for makeup artists who store my products in bulk in a cool area like the fridge and quickly need to transfer the product to a different container. if a product has warmed it up too much and you need it to solidify quickly, let it rest and re-set for a few minutes in the fridge.
