If you follow me on Instagram {which you should if you aren’t already, because I post cool pics and finds and want followers ‘n stuff}, you’ve seen my recent post about a sad, crumbled Chanel cream shadow {aka “Illusion D’Ombre”, if we’re being formal}.

{My sad, EXPENSIVE, crumbled Chanel Illusion D’Ombre}

Why was I sad? Not only because my makeup broke and it was a beautiful shadow, but also because of the price. These bad boys retail for $36 USD, so they don’t come cheap. Would I be upset if a Maybelline Colour Tattoo broke? Of course, especially if it was a colour I liked. But I’d be less upset ‘cause it’s only $8 at the drugstore. You get me?

After much YouTube viewing and Googling {because how else do you solve life’s problems?}, I decided to tackle a DIY shadow repair myself, lest I essentially let go of $36 down the drain – which would be even more if we consider the exchange rate! Off I went to the grocery store for some Visine, and with a cosmetic spatula I had on hand and some determination, I successfully repaired this shadow and a few others that were on their way out. Yay for saving money and saving beautiful shadows!  Before I go on, a disclaimer: I don’t recommend reviving anything that smells funny or has turned an odd colour. That’s an indication it’s time to throw it out. Anything that I was able to revive smelled normal and wasn’t discoloured in any way.

Here’s how I fixed it {and some other shadows too!}, with only 4 simple steps:

1.)  First, I gathered my tools – Visine, a cosmetic spatula {a toothpick will do, but this helps smooth the refreshed product out}, and of course, some broken product. I didn’t manage to catch a pic, but I used some MAC Brush Cleaner to sanitize each products and little spritz of MAC Fix Plus – just one, though! – to help mold the cream shadows. You don’t necessarily need the Fix Plus, but I would recommend some alcohol to sterilize.

2.)  Next, I put 1-2 drops of Visine in the product at a time, along with ONE spritz of each: Fix Plus and your sanitizer of choice.

3.)  Working carefully, I stirred the moisture back in until the product was, essentially, re-moulded and smooth, adding Visine {only 1 spritz of the Fix Plus and sanitizer per product} as I went; it’s always easier to add moisture. Use the cosmetic spatula or even a finger {sometimes this worked better} to push the product down around the edges of the container.

{Did I mention that I have 2 Chanel shadows and BOTH dried out in no time flat – far less than a similar MAC or Maybelline product?  This one popped out, and luckily it was only in one piece, so I just had to remould it. Again, I used the steps above}

4.)  I was sure to let each one dry before re-sealing the caps tightly to retain their newly restored beauty as long as possible.

{You can see I decided to fix some other cream shadows. I followed the above steps for each}

{The final product: a useable shadow revived from the depths of ruin – ok, a tad dramatic – you get the point!}

All in all, I’d say this DIY was a success. The Visine cost me $7, and I was able to use other products I had on hand to revive a product I’d spent {a decent amount of – ok, maybe too much…don’t judge….} my hard earned money on. It’s not only a matter of money, though. In doing this DIY, I was able to rediscover why I’d purchased the shadows {namely the gold Illusion D’Ombre} in the first place: it’s a unique and subtle sparkle, unlike anything else in my collection. This DIY could be used for cream liners, too, but I would recommend only 1 drop of Visine to start since the product is generally smaller in surface area.

If you’ve got some tips, share them below!