Depotting Shadows/Quads/Blushes/Blushcremes etc.

[dotwarner_us]

This is the easiest way I've found to depot MAC e/s: I separate the plastic that holds the pan from the container and place it on the hot plate of my hair straightening iron. I leave it for a few minutes until the plastic is soft and just push the pan through the back. The pan will be a bit hot, so you just wait for it to cool down and then place the magnet. I haven't had any casualties using this method. I really recommend it.

 

[valley]

ooo I havent tried my using my straightner, it doesnt leave any ickyness on the plates does it? I depot mine by holding the pan over a stove element with a fork- I'd get some huge ass fine if I lit a candle in school owned apartments.

 

[caffn8me]

I'll tell you what, I need to do some depotting so I'll stick a pot in the freezer now and let you know how it goes.

 

[caffn8me]

OK - I'm cheating slightly - I've stuck one of the old large size eye shadows in Grain (which I already have in Pro Pallette form) in the freezer. For my first attempt I want to try it on something that's not limited edition or discontinued which quite a few of my regular sized eye shadow pots are. I'll leave it in there for a few hours and post an update later.

 

[xiahe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dotwarner_us This is the easiest way I've found to depot MAC e/s: I separate the plastic that holds the pan from the container and place it on the hot plate of my hair straightening iron. I leave it for a few minutes until the plastic is soft and just push the pan through the back. The pan will be a bit hot, so you just wait for it to cool down and then place the magnet. I haven't had any casualties using this method. I really recommend it.

doesn't sound too difficult...but have you ever had any problems with the plastic melting onto the hot plate of your straightener?

 

[xiahe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by caffn8me OK - I'm cheating slightly - I've stuck one of the old large size eye shadows in Grain (which I already have in Pro Pallette form) in the freezer. For my first attempt I want to try it on something that's not limited edition or discontinued which quite a few of my regular sized eye shadow pots are. I'll leave it in there for a few hours and post an update later.

you're the greatest. thank you!!! ♥

 

[jenjunsan]

I've tried the freezer method and it has never worked for me, even after leaving it in there all day sometimes! I always hope it will work and never does. I'll stick with my hairdryer...works like a charm!

 

[Grace]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sushi_Flower Does the oven method not do anything to the actual e/s?

it doesn't. i did it the first time a couple of weeks ago and was a little nervous. you just need to melt it enough to get the glue to melt and the pan just pops out with a little prying. it's a very unmessy method. i did have a minor accident involving the knife and the eyesahdow though, good thing it was minor

 

[Ada]

I've depotted 50 or so shadows with a hairdryer and I think it works great. You just have to be PATIENT and really make sure the glue is melted before you try and pry it out. If it doesn't come out easily, DON'T force it-- just heat it for another minute or so. The only accidents I had (which were minor) were when I started to get impatient after depotting a bunch and I tried to force out a pan before it was ready. I try not to do more than a handfull in one sitting, simply because I always get impatient and lazy after a few and that's when accidents happen!

But I definitely recommend the hairdryer method-- it's easy and not as messy as the candle method. And no melted plastic fumes!

 

[caffn8me]

Well, my eye shadow has been frozen down to -21°C/-6°F for a five and a half hours and it's not going anywhere at all! Stuck. I really don't feel like trying liquid nitrogen so I guess I'll be heating my eye shadows to depot them. Oh well, it was a nice thought that it might work!

 

[martygreene]

Quote:

Originally Posted by midnightlouise Huh. Sounds interesting! I've never tried de-potting by freezing, I always use the candle method. We have a list here: http://www.specktra.net/forum/showthread.php?t=25452 of all the different ways to de-pot in case that gives you some more inspiration! Hopefully someone will be along soon who's tried that method & could give you some tips!

Yup, mac_faq on LJ is made and maintained by me, and a lot of the info found in the specktra FAQ forum is mirrored there (or here, depending on where I wrote it first). I actually should go through and update the archives there, I've not done so in a while, been busy and all.

I've never tried the freezing method myself, as I have no difficulty with the candle method, but some folk do prefer it.

 

[xiahe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by caffn8me Well, my eye shadow has been frozen down to -21°C/-6°F for a five and a half hours and it's not going anywhere at all! Stuck. I really don't feel like trying liquid nitrogen so I guess I'll be heating my eye shadows to depot them. Oh well, it was a nice thought that it might work!

according to the depotting by freezing FAQ, the frozen shadow is supposed to make the glue brittle and easy to break. But i guess not. ;

thank you so much for your troubles! :loveya:

 

[Starbright211]

So, I read this thread yesterday, and was inspired to go and try out the hair dryer/embossing tool method, since I have already done the candle method (thought it was messy and smelly, ruined the fork, the towel, I told my MA that I was going to get the black lung from doing it...) The hair dryer took longer than the embossing tool, same results. So I continued on with the embossing tool. I had one little mess up - but that had nothing to do with the embossing tool, I was watching Anchorman... laughed and jabbed the exacto into my blush. I will never use the candle method again. And since you already have the dryer/embossing tool out, you can easily melt off the name tag from your eyeshadow/blush. I did both blush and eyeshadow last night, the embossing tool worked great on both.

 

[clockworkrose]

All the shadows I've depotted (not many, I love the pots!) have been done with the hairdryer method. A few suffered small chips breaking off, but that was mainly because they were my first ones ever. I find it works wonderfully, and doesn't make a nasty smell/smoke like the candle, which my friend does. I'd reccomend it!

 

[pumpkincat210]

microwave 15 seconds.

 

[user2]

I'm another oven-depotter!! It works wonders and you can clean your kitchen during the heating process

 

[pale blue]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pumpkincat210 microwave 15 seconds.

the metal wouldn't spark? I'd be frightened of some sort of fire..

 

[chocula]

I've always used an embossing tool with no problem.

 

[Bexx]

I use my blowdryer with NO problems! Works like a charm

 

[Eemaan]

can someone explain what you do exactly once you have microwaved/blowdried the pot? How does the eyeshadow come out? ive finally succumbed to trying this alternative as opposed to fillling up drawers with pots- this way of storing my eyeshadows will make me feel less guilty i hope