Natural DIY Eyeliner (& Eyeshadow)
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DIY eyeliner recipe is a ridiculously tutorial on how to make your own natural eyeliner with two ingredients. If you love a good black eyeliner to make our eyes pop and lashes full that this recipe is for you. Follow my tips below on making homemade eyeliner.
You will need: activated charcoal, distilled water, and a small makeup brush.
This post was updated January 2019
I’m loving this makeup series! For one, I get to share with y’all natural and frugal makeup recipes. Secondly, I am so encouraged by everyone and your excitement about the recipes! So thank you!
This week I want to share with you how to make super simple DIY eyeliner, which you can also use at a smokey black eyeshadow!! It’s just two ingredients! I tested a few different versions of this.. I tried adding in a little coconut oil and aloe vera gel, just coconut oil, or just aloe. The version I’m going to share with you worked the best and stayed on the longest without getting sweaty and moving.
Why make your own homemade eyeliner?
I’ve been on a quest for a long time to switch all my makeup and skincare products to clean natural ones. The only problem is, we are on a tight budget and justifying really expensive natural makeup is difficult for me. Especially when they are so easy to DIY. Also, at the time of first publishing this article, there were very few natural options.
Now, doing a quick search on EWG’s website, it is amazing the amount of products that rank 1 or 2. Even some conventional brands. Goes to show that companies are listening.
Ok back to DIY eyeliner… have I mentioned how inexpensive it is. Truly, this is a really effective and cheap. It even does double duty, since this eyeliner can also be a eyeshadow. Bigger bang for your buck.
Tips for Making Homemade Eyeliner
- Used distilled water to help prevent bacteria.
- Use a very fine tip brush to apply homemade eyeliner
- Apply before putting in contacts to prevent the activated charcoal from getting on your contacts.
- For a really simple version, just take activated charcoal and dip your damp eyeliner brush in it.
How To Make DIY Eyeliner (& Eyeshadow) Recipe 2 Ways
DIY Eyeliner In a Pan
Ingredients:
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- 4 capsule activated charcoal
- A few drops of distilled water
- Empty eyeshadow tin
Step 1:
In a small container place 4 capsule of activated charcoal and dd a 2 drops of water and stir,
Step 2:
Continue to add water a drop or two at a time and stir until the charcoal starts to clump.
Step 3:
Slowly add the mixture to an empty and clean eyeshadow tin and press down with your fingers until smooth.
Step 5: (Optional)
If you the homemade eyeliner to be smooth in the eyeshadow container, take a spoon on and rubbed it against the top pressing down. I really only did this to take a nicer picture.
Really Easy DIY Eyeliner #2
Leave the charcoal loose and dip a damp brush in it. If you’re using it as eyeshadow make sure to tap off the extra charcoal well.
To use: Take a small brush like this one, dampen brush with water, wipe across pressed charcoal or dip into the loose charcoal, and use as you would normal eyeliner pencil! Of course try not to get it in your eyes!
For color variation: try cocoa powder for brown (I haven’t thoroughly tested this). For gray just use less activated charcoal.
Want more Homemade Makeup Recipes? Check these out!
- DIY Natural Foundation Powder – I’ve been using this recipe for 8 years now
- Homemade Natural Bronzer
- Homemade Natural Mascara
- Make your own Homemade Makeup Remover
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Ingredients
- 4 capsule activated charcoal
- few drops distilled water
Instructions
- n a small container place 4 capsule of activated charcoal. Add a 2 drops of water and stir, continue to add water a drop or two at a time and stir until the charcoal starts to clump. Slowly add the mixture to an empty and clean eyeshadow tin and press down with your fingers until smooth.
Notes
Have you tried to make your own homemade makeup before?
Does the liner run? How well does it stick? I’m definitely going to try this one!!
Hi there, I just made this and when I tried to apply it, it was not smooth at all, I also found that it ended up in the corners of my eyes. Any ideas? One more question. If I curl my eye lashes, do I put this on before or after?
Thanks so much,
Yoli
It get dried and falls off!! Like some powder! How can I fix them like normal eye liners???
Can you please PLEASE say what brand charcoal you use? I used mascara and liner all my young and adult life and developed severe allergies in recent years to every eye makeup I try. It’s a nightmare! Because I have light lashes and love the results.
I have a friend that suggested DIY eyeliners and mascaras, and I thought these DIY’s were the solution as I started to read about the minimal ingredients. I adore activated charcoal and use it for mouth care and for a gastro issues.
But I do not seem to be having the success other people do with eyeliner. I cannot get the smooth end result everyone else seems to get. Not with the coal black line (I am seeing in photos) that resemble a black gel liner…or with the texture of the turn-out of the product in the end.
My charcoal “powder” seems gritty to the touch (not at all a true powder) and I am using a good health food store brand. I even ground it up further…I still it seems gritty. I am afraid to use a gritty eyeliner and further aggravate my sensitive eye skin. It even seems that it is gritty within the water base, with the particles separating from the water and not truly blending as say a true eyeshadow powder does into a hand blended liner.
Maybe it is the charcoal I am using? I am afraid to experiment and keep spending money on other brands if they are all gritty. Is your brand of activated charcoal actually a powder or can you still feel texture in the powder?
I look forward to your input on this matter, Thanks in advance.
Tess
Is it possible to make colored eyeshadows
I need a moisturizer/face cream that is very hydrating for my face. I have tried several of the creams and lotions but they aren’t working very well. Any suggestions?
Where do u get charcoal capsules at?
I got them from my local vitamin world.
I am interested in making an olive green eyeliner/eyeshadow. Any tips on how to make that color?
Spirulina would work well for green I bet. Might wana read up on irritation to the eyes. Its a type of dried algae I believe but full of minerals. I use it to color lye soap
This is fabulous!! I had made a similar eyeliner first with coconut oil (too oily) and then with shea butter (good, but still wet-looking) This recipe is so great because it goes on wet and then dries and just stays put. And you feel like you have nothing on! In terms of sanitation, I too was worried about it going bad so I added a few drops of colloidal silver and increased the amount of charcoal capsules. Thank you so much!
I made the blush a few days ago, and added a little turmeric to warm it up. Works great. Going to make this when I get home later this week. Way cool!
This actually has possible health benefits for the eye. I was looking up home remedies for pink eye on the website http://www.earthclinic.com , and one of the remedies was boiling activated charcoal in water then straining through a coffee filter to make eye drops (the resulting water is clear.) But they also talked about how ladies from India use charcoal eyeliner to prevent eye infections, etc. Activated charcoal soaks up toxins.
where can I find containers for my makeup?
Hi I was wondering how to make colored eyeliner e.x. blue,green,pink,etc?
Hey Gabby, not sure. I haven’t tried it. You may be able to add mica powders to make different colors
I’m a cake decorator and they make food safe powder colors. Might work for eye makeup as well.
this is really awesome.am gonna try this for sure 🙂 😛
My sensitive eyes are rarely in top condition. With very light, short eyelashes and a lot of eyelid real estate, I am drawn to eye makeup to enable those around me not to go screeching into the night, cursed with nightmares forever. My eyes used to be able to handle anything, but as I age, 57 now, they, as I (LOL), have become picky as to what touches them.
So, tonight I was on an internet search trying to find the perfect eyeliner for sensitive eyes. Some suggested such as Bobbi Brown, Almay, Clinique, and Physician’s Formula I have already tried with no luck, although I could wear Almay self-sharpening silver-cased pencil the longest, i.e., day after day with removal at night.
Then I found this sight, and others like it, promoting activated charcoal as eyeliner. The recipes varied somewhat. So I ran to Walgreen’s and bought a bottle of 260mg capsules of activated charcoal. I had a couple of pots of Bobbi Brown gel liner that I emptied and cleaned, one for black and one for brown (using cocoa powder – another recipe I found). First I tried the 1/2 t aloe vera juice and 1/4 t of coconut oil to 1 capsule of activated charcoal (or 1/2 t cocoa for the brown). Had to nuke the oil for about 6 seconds to allow the dry ingredient to mix in. Excited, went to the bathroom to apply the liquid concoction. Tried the cocoa and couldn’t get it to stick to my dry, clean eyes. Cleaned and dried eye. Then applied the charcoal. It went on, but found it was thin and greasy. Thought I’d wear it for awhile to see what happened. My eyes slowly began to get irritated. So, I washed the first batch off my eyelids and emptied and cleaned the eyeliner concoction pots for the second experiment. After learning I didn’t want oil in the concoction to allow it to melt into my eyes nor aloe vera juice to introduce another foreign substance into my eyes, I used probably 1/2 t of distilled water to 2 capsules of activated charcoal (I didn’t try the cocoa yet). It mixed in easily. Excited once again, I ran into the bathroom, and, using a clean eyebrow brush, I lightly dipped into the pot then onto the back of my hand to dispel the excess, then applied, using the one dip, to both eyes. It brushed on smoothly. I made a placement mistake, and this dries fairly quickly, so I rinsed the brush under clear water, blotted it on a tissue, and then brushed the mistake away. I also found that the liner can be toned down, once dry, using a very slightly damp/almost dry brush, brushing over the top of the liner. I have not figured out how to smudge it, if it is even possible.
It has been 2 hours and my eyes feel as though there is nothing on them. YAY! They felt great immediately after application, unlike when using the coconut oil/aloe vera recipe.
I hope this helps others with the sensitive eye thing going on! PLUS! The cost savings is going to be great! YAY! You can thank me by checking out The Itsy Bitsy Spider On The Farm at littlebooksalive.com. Great little book for 2-4 year old tykes! Took time out from illustrating book #2, The Itsy Bitsy Spider And The Fat Fly, to write this. Had to share my findings on the eyeliner recipes! Merry Christmas!
is it safe for water line? i cant find anyting on this! would the cocnut oil be better for water line?
What about the powdered charcoal? Would that be easier than breaking open capsules? Or is it a different composition than the capsules? Thanks for the idea, I can’t wait to give it a try!
Is it safe for you waterline?
Can you tell me where to purchase empty eye shadow containers?
I get mine from amazon. They’re very reasonable.
If some are worried about eye safety, what about using a few drops of silver water (I use “Sovereign Silver” brand)? Or if you’re wanting to put oil in it, try coconut– that’s antibacterial. …I’m wondering if adding some finely ground black walnut hull powder would work for those wanting a more brown shade? (Try Mountain Rose Herbs.)
Many years ago when I was in Israel just south in Egypt in Sinai desert. A woman taught me how to make eyeliner. She soaked cheesecloth in olive oil then put it in a small can and sat it under a raised clay tangine pot that was propped up on stones (bricks would work fine, leaving an area open in the middle to place the jar of oily gauze. She lit the gauze so it would burn and emit the soot that built up under the pot. That then could be scraped off with a razor and chopped up with the blade to a fine powder. Then she wet a toothpick, dried off slightly, dipped it in the black powder and closed her eye around the toothpick and dragged to from the corner to the outside of the eye and it left a perfect line on top and bottom watermark.