Tips & Tricks 1: For Broken/Squashed Lipstick

We've all accidentally broken, squished or damaged our lipsticks in some way and it can be a real pain, especially if it's one of your favourite ones. Most people throw these damaged lipsticks away but you don't have to. You can still use it or find some other use for it through the tips below:

1. You can find a small container or pot like the pot for a lip balm. Using a toothpick or anything you have handy, transfer all the remaining lipstick from the lipstick tube to the container and there you go. (Example in picture below). You can still use the lipstick despite damaging it in its original tube.
You can also use this trick for your favourite lipsticks that you've almost finished. Often, there is still some product in the base of the tube and you can use a toothpick or something similar to scoop all the remaining product out into a container and really use up the lipstick.

2.  Make a lip balm. Again you'll need a small container for this and some petroleum jelly or vaseline, as it is more commonly known in the Pacific. You'll also need a small saucepan (preferabley non-stick kind) or tin container of some kind that you can put on a stove, for those that don't have a microwave. For those with a microwave, any small microwave-suitable container will do.
Using a toothpick or whatever you have handy, scoop the remaining lipstick into the saucepan or microwave-suitable container. Add some pertroleum jelly or vaseline. (The amount is up to you. The more pet. jelly you add, the less concentrated the lipstick and colour will be.)
If you're using a stove, turn on the heat on low-medium. If you're using a microwave, pop the container in for about 3 minutes. Don't put it in for too long. It's better to pop it in for short intervals until you get the texture you want.
If you're using a stove, wait for the products to start melting and start stirring them together. Keep it on long enough for everything to melt to a consistency that will allow you to be able to mix it. Same thing if you're using a microwave.
Once you're able to mix everything together, turn off the stove. Finish mixing so that the pet. jelly and the lipstick are combined and quickly pour or scoop the mixture into the small container or pot and leave it to finish cooling. Once it's cooled, it's ready for use - you've made a coloured lip balm. 

3. Use it as a blush. This might be a surprising tip but it's acutally not unusual. Alot of people use lipstick as a blush as some like the creamy texture of lipsticks as it makes it easier to blend by hand on the cheeks. 
So instead of tossing your damaged lipstick, you can either keep it in the tube, or if it's too damaged and messy, scoop it into a small container like in the tips above, and use it as a blush. Simply dab some of the product in the container with your finger and lightly blend onto your cheeks.

So before you consider tossing that broken or damaged lipstick, consider the above tips first to see if you can find an alternative use for it.