This zero waste lip and cheek stain is so easy to make. Seriously, it is. I was looking through my freezer the other day and found tons of raspberries. If you love raspberries, you know they tend to stain just about anything they touch when crushed. So, I decided to do a little improvising, and guess what? This natural lip and cheek stain was born. It’s a great way to use up all those raspberries, other than devouring them (yay for preventing food waste). Raspberries are also in season right now, so you can definitely find them plastic free at your farmers market. You can also try making a lip stain from beet powder or beet juice, but I don’t prefer it simply because it’s much harder to juice or powder a beet. Plus, I don’t have access to beet powder in bulk, and I don’t have a dehydrator to make it from scratch. Thankfully, this raspberry lip and cheek tint is just as good. Made from only two ingredients, you’re going to absolutely love its simplicity. The other amazing thing about it? The color actually LASTS on your skin. So why shop around when you can literally make your own from scratch? Here’s how to make zero waste lip and cheek stain.
Zero Waste Lip + Cheek Stain
Ingredients:
- 6 raspberries (or strawberries!)
- 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil (can be subbed for olive oil or almond oil)
Directions:
- In a small bowl mash the raspberries with a fork, or use a mortar and pestle to crush them. Next, add in the oil of your choice. Personally, I went with coconut oil because I love how moisturizing it is and I can always find it in a glass jar. Mix together until well combined.
- Strain the juice using a cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer. You’ve now got your lip and cheek tint! Pour it into a small container of your choice. I just reused an old eye shadow container. Yes it’s plastic, but it’s reusable and at least I’m re-purposing it instead of tossing it in the trash. Not all plastic has to be bad.
Storage: Keep this in the fridge and use generously. It will last about 2 to 3 days so use generously and don’t make too much in one shot.
Using zero waste lip and cheek stain
To use this pretty DIY lip stain, just dip your finger (or a lip brush) into the stain and apply it onto your lips and cheeks. If you’re using your finger, be aware that things might get a little messy. It is a liquid lip stain after all.
After applying some, you might have to let it dry one your skin a little bit before you apply any more. You can definitely layer it on though, to create a more intense color. Or, if you’re just looking for a slight hint of color, a one time application may just do it for you.
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| Me wearing a light application of the light and cheek stain – about two layers. Gives a nice flushed look! |
I like to apply some to my lips first, then use whatever runoff that trails down my finger for my cheeks. Yes, this happens haha. I try to be quick about applying it so that it doesn’t drip anywhere. For this reason, I seriously recommend applying it over a sink.
The color is really pretty – it’s a light, flushed pink. If you’d like a darker, slightly deeper color, you could try using this same DIY but adding some blackberries to it too. I’ve heard that creates more of a wine-y color, but I’m happy with the pink look.
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| Another angle. I’m loving the rosy cheeks! I’m not wearing any other makeup by the way. |
Also, this stuff stays on your lips, which is fantastic. It comes off relatively easy with a splash of water though, so it shouldn’t be a hassle to remove.
As you can see, this stain is great for a quick, natural flushed look. It’s great if you’re running late somewhere and don’t have time for a full face of makeup. You can just apply some and go!
I also really love the idea of wearing this around the house or when you’re running errands. Perfect for people who are on a busy schedule and want to give their face a little glow.
Also, I should mention that my lips are naturally pretty pale, so this lip stain helped liven them up a nice amount. If I added another layer or two, it would’ve made them even pinker too.
I’m sure a beetroot lip stain would work nicely as well. Maybe next time I’ll give that a go, as I’ve heard beets create a nice lip and cheek stain. That’s definitely more work than mashing a few raspberries though, as I’d have to juice the beets, or turn them into powder.
Would you give this zero waste lip and cheek stain a try? Leave a comment to let me know!
For more zero waste beauty tips and tricks, be sure to check out my zero waste lip balm and my zero waste makeup remover.
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