The Real Reason People Destroy Makeup

People think nobody wants to watch expensive cosmetics splattered and shattered into rainbow gunk? Think again. Seventeenmagazine, makeup destruction videos routinely gain thousands of views. One channel called "destruction" gets this.the demolition of a Mariah Carey skin finish productclimbed to 47,000 views in days.

People suspect companies rip them off. Even respected cosmetics giants cut corners. Exposing this shadiness is what many beauty-destroyers do.Chloe Bryan ofMashable:

"Videos may seem painful if you love makeup or are on a budget, but bloggers have ways to explain their new art. After clearing the case, they weigh it to check if the product matches the company's weight claims. For instance, some bloggers weighed a Chanel Sunkiss Ribbon Blush palette before and after destroying it, finding the actual weight was 1.82 grams heavier than claimed. This surprised them since the palette costs $70. Then, they mash the product, mix it with liquid, and press the contents back into the case for reuse."

Few people spend $600 on high-end makeup only to destroy it.Some people use this technique to save space.destroy it—makeup-demolition enthusiasts include these people.Cosmetics-smashing sensations report this.Hailey and Kat say, "If destroying makeup freaks you out, knowing we re-press almost everything and keep using it might feel better."

Specifically, Hailey and Kat "cook" the makeup to move it into compact, smaller spaces.This process is sometimes called makeup depotting..

Makeup destruction videos cause very different reactions.Chloe Bryan ofMashable, for example, describes "Makeup Breakup," the YouTube series by bloggers Kat and Hailey, as a new kind of groundbreaking.

"First makeup destruction series of its kind—videos where Kat and Hailey crush expensive blushes, eyeshadows, and stick foundations with a small metal knife are mesmerizing... the destruction feels satisfying, like paint mixing or candle carving clips."

Some hard-core makeup fans get angry about destroying high-end items. In an article forRefinery29Beauty journalist Rachel Krause explains some are enchanted by makeup destruction, while others are horrified that people destroy their makeup.

"Some people are horrified that people destroy makeup." Chopping red lipstick slices seems small. But assign a price to a Tom Ford tube. Over $50 of wax and pigment on a plate looks like a crime scene, not a fun double-tap. This is why people react to a beauty editor’s recent Instagram videos with shock, horror, and rage.

How do beauty bloggers who mash face paints into abstract art turn their cosmetics into something bigger than abstract art? First, you furnishyour cosmetic porridgewith a clean dish.Some makeup containers can get hot.But plastic burns. So, cut the product out and cook it in a spoon, like a drug. Melt it right. Pour it into its new spot and wait for it to set.

The Internet always has tutorials for making makeup. Many videos aren't as wild as foundation-destroying ones, but they give good info. Hillary Reinsberg ofBuzzfeedfor instance, had somegreat ideas (around 2012) for using old makeup again.They showed ways like "mixing sparkly eyeshadow with clear nail polish to make your own color" and fixing "cracked pressed powder, bronzer, or eyeshadow by pouring alcohol in it" (this makes the powder harden into a new surface).

Sometimes, "cooking down makeup" means something literal. One video shows makeup fans how to make a MAC lipstick that works as dessert.

Cooking makeup is not new. This idea dates back over 100 years, coming from the Victor/Victoria cabaret tradition. In old female impersonator talk, "cooking" meansLetting makeup sit on your skin.Let your makeup sit for ten to twenty minutes before blending it in. Your face's body heat oxidizes the makeup. This builds an effortlessly blendable canvas of pigmented perfection. Female beauty bloggers obsessed with contouring call this "baking."

A post shared by Beauty Killer 🔥 (@nickole_hoang)onOct 2, 2017 at 6:36pm PDT/time>

While some beauty bloggers destroy makeup to test it or just play with it, Nickole Hoangbreaks her makeup to make it better. Specifically Fenty Beauty products.

Hoang used a fork to smash a Trophy Wife highlighter into fine dust. She mixed this dust with FARSÁLI Rose Gold Elixir, making a glossy product that applies easily with a brush. Hoang also set fire to the ends of Fenty Beauty Match Stixs. This method lets her remove the tips and reach the stick's center, which she claims gives more pigment.

Robyn Fenty saw Hoang's destructive designs. She liked the video and left a comment.