Homemade Cheek Tint

Do you love a fresh, dewy glow . . .

But not the slew of parabens and phthalates that are used to achieve it? Well, then, you’re going to love this simple recipe!

Unlike conventional makeup, which a report from Environmental Defence of Canada found is often loaded with heavy metals in addition to synthetic chemicals, this homemade cheek tint is made with 100% non-toxic, natural and organic ingredients. And like my homemade powdered foundation it’s super easy to make. Promise. 

Want to break-up with your makeup without making your own?

I totally get it. Blending makeup is a great way to play with your hands, get creative and save money, but sometimes other things need to take priority. I haven’t come across a “perfect” makeup company to recommend to you yet, but when I don’t have time to make my own here are some brands I turn to. They’re not perfect, but they’re muuuch better than what you’ll find in most department stores: Real Purity lipstick, Juice Beauty lipstick, Juice Beauty glowing cheek color, Real Purity mascara, and Jane Iredale eye pencils. There are more, but that’s for another post.

Now let’s get back to the recipe . . .

About The Ingredients

FREEZE DRIED FRUIT

At first I tried adding tint using dehydrated beets and fruit, but I found that I couldn’t grind them finely enough. Then I saw this post from The Clean Dish and decided to experiment with freeze-dried fruit. I couldn’t get a powdered version to apply evenly and stick to my face, which is why I added ingredient number two . . .

GLYCERIN

This simple ingredient imparts a dewy glow while helping the blush adhere to your cheeks. It’s hydrophillic, which means it loves moisture and absorbs it from the nearby environment. That can be a good thing if it draws moisture from the air to your lovely cheeks, but if the air is dry it will actually suck moisture out of your cheeks instead. Make sure your skin is well-moisturized when using it.

Sheer Cheek Tint Recipe

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

• Coffee grinder (I have this one)
• Superfine flour sifter (find it here)
• Cheesecloth

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup organic freeze-dried raspberries (find them here) or 1.5 tablespoons freeze dried raspberry powder (It’s only available in bulk, unfortunately. Find it here.)*
• ½ – ¾ teaspoons arrowroot powder or non-gmo cornstarch (find arrowroot powder here, find non-gmo cornstarch here)
• Small bottle of glycerin, preferably non-GMO (this is what I use)

You can also use freeze-dried strawberries or freeze-dried goji berries.

TO MAKE

Place raspberries in a coffee grinder and turn on until the berries are ground into a very fine powder. Add 1 teaspoon arrowroot and grind for another minute or so. Using a superfine flour sifter, sift the powder into a bowl. Once you notice that mostly seeds and large bits of raspberry remain in the sifter, stop sifting.

Now dab a pea sized amount of glycerin on your palm and sprinkle a little of the powder into your palm. Mix with your fingertips and apply to your cheeks and check the intensity. Add more glycerin to dilute or more powder to boost the color.

If desired add other ingredients to the mix to customize the color – cacao or cocoa powderfor warm hues, a touch of bentonite clay for cool hues.

This blush can be stored as powder + glycerin and mixed as needed, or it can be pre-mixed. If you pre-mix, you will notice that little bits of seeds and such swell when they absorb the glycerin. No worries, just allow the mixture to sit for a few hours and then strain with a cheesecloth – problem solved!

SHELF LIFE

Because this formula contains a high concentration of glycerin it will be shelf stable for at least six months, although over time the color may change so I recommend making up a new batch every couple of months.

TO USE

Dab mixture on your cheeks and smooth over skin. If you happen to see a seed or large particle of raspberry powder, just wipe it away with your fingertip. Also, if it beads up dip your finger in a little water and massage over your cheekbone.