Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Dried out lipstick:(

hotrodmama0201

Familiar Face
Messages
67
Location
Tucson, AZ
Hey dolls....

Was wondering if anyone knows how to salvage dried out lipstick?

My Ruby Woo is so dried out that I can't even use it. It's only about 9 months old, and I really haven't worn it that much, also I live in AZ where it's really dry so I'm thinking between the neglect and the dry air.....that's what did it in. I don't want to throw it away, I mean I love the color, plus it's MAC (which for me is a real treat cause I cannot afford MAC very often) Now that I have a new job that allows me to express my style (finally!) I want to start wearing it.

I noticed that my other MAC lipstick that my sister gave me did the same thing, it's also one of their "matte" colors. Has anyone else had an issue with any lipsticks from this particular line drying out?

Any tips/tricks/saves for me??
 

KittyT

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,463
Location
Boston, MA
Miss Retro's idea seems like a good one. Also, save the empty container once you've done this, since MAC has a recycling program that will get you free lipstick (5 empty containers for one free lipstick I believe).

I've never had this problem. Then again, I live in a humid climate and don't use AC during the summer. I love it when it gets hot out and I go to put on my lipstick and it's nice and soft! Makes the matte lipstick much easier and more comfortable to apply.
 

pigeon toe

One Too Many
Messages
1,328
Location
los angeles, ca
My Ruby Woo has always been super dry, so I put Burt's Bees chapstick on underneath it so it glides smoothly. Maybe that will work? Burt's Bees is perfect because it's neither too glossy nor too sticky. The lipstick still looks matte and lasts just as long, it's just not as drying.
 

desi_de_lu_lu

Practically Family
Messages
871
Location
Tucson, Arizona
Where are you keeping your lipsticks Hotrodmama? Welcome to the Lounge by the way, I am also from Tucson. (well, transplanted here via New York.)
 

hotrodmama0201

Familiar Face
Messages
67
Location
Tucson, AZ
desi_de_lu_lu said:
Where are you keeping your lipsticks Hotrodmama? Welcome to the Lounge by the way, I am also from Tucson. (well, transplanted here via New York.)

Seems we are all transplants here, huh? When I actually meet someone that's born here I'm like "Oh, really?!"

I've been keeping them in my makeup box with everything else. The chapstick idea that Pigeon toe mentioned above seems like it might work. Maybe I'll have melt it down into a pot, give in and use a lip brush (even though I don't like them and have never used 'um)

Another problem I have had with Ruby Woo right from the get-go is that it looks great when it's first on, then after a while it wears off on the inner part of my lips and looks weird like I only put lipstick on the outer part of my mouth. It's the perfect color, though, sucks it has to have so many technical difficulties!
 

desi_de_lu_lu

Practically Family
Messages
871
Location
Tucson, Arizona
hotrodmama0201 said:
Seems we are all transplants here, huh? When I actually meet someone that's born here I'm like "Oh, really?!"

I've been keeping them in my makeup box with everything else. The chapstick idea that Pigeon toe mentioned above seems like it might work. Maybe I'll have melt it down into a pot, give in and use a lip brush (even though I don't like them and have never used 'um)

Another problem I have had with Ruby Woo right from the get-go is that it looks great when it's first on, then after a while it wears off on the inner part of my lips and looks weird like I only put lipstick on the outer part of my mouth. It's the perfect color, though, sucks it has to have so many technical difficulties!


I know, I am the same way.. I think I have met 3 native Arizonans todate.. LOL

I can't use lipstick brushes, they never seem to work. ..too bad you can't get your lipstick melted down into a pencil or something.

I own one MAC lipstick - Russian Red and its so danged red that if I accidently smear anything, sayonara.. its red for years.
 

hotrodmama0201

Familiar Face
Messages
67
Location
Tucson, AZ
desi_de_lu_lu said:
I own one MAC lipstick - Russian Red and its so danged red that if I accidently smear anything, sayonara.. its red for years.

I tried the Russian Red too when shopping for Mac lipsticks and liked the Ruby Woo better.
 

Tamamiko

One of the Regulars
Messages
223
Location
Memphis Tn
Another suggestion for lip balm is Softlips. It comes in a nice variety of "flavors." I actually had to go digging in my purse to remember the brand. LOL
It works wonderfully though. I particularly love it in the cold seasons when my lips chap something terrible.
 

ShoreRoadLady

Practically Family
I don't own Ruby Woo, but I tried it at the MAC store, and it was *dry*! I second the Burt's Bees lipbalm suggestion. If that doesn't work, try taking a small portion for a test and smash it up in a container. That may soften it enough so you can apply it with a lip brush. If that fails, I suppose you could try mixing a tiny bit of Burt's Bees into the lipstick?
 

PS

A-List Customer
Messages
448
Location
PA
You could try applying it with a lip brush. That way you won't have to deal with dragging it across your lips. You could also, blot and apply one extra later to the center of your mouth using the brush. This happens to me too, but with pretty much all l/s so i just stick with a tinted balm or gloss. I seem to eat more lipstick off my mouth than most!
 

Lilibet

New in Town
Messages
29
Location
Upper Arlington, Ohio
Try dipping your lip brush in lip balm first, then going over the dried lippie. I do that with Smith's Rosebud Salve and a Smashbox lipstick that is so matte/dry it hurts to put on. It makes it more of a cream lipstick than a matte, but to keep it matte you could blot well.
 

HatfeathersVint

New in Town
Messages
26
Location
Missouri, USA
My Dad does clowning, so I learned a lot of my makeup application from him instead of Mom (could be why I don't do much makeup!) :D

Anyway, assuming most makeups are based similarly, whether bombshell or Wacko, I would suggest using some baby oil. Scrape a bit of the dry lipstick out onto a "pallet" (dish, wax paper, something) and add a drop of baby oil, slurry around with a Qtip or makeup brush and apply.

I don't know if it would work, but it might be worth a try.
 

BitterEpiphany

Familiar Face
Messages
56
Location
Chicago, IL
my go to with lipsticks is lip balm first, then lipstick over the top. if it's literally so dry that it's crumbly, the only thing to do would be put melt it down with some lip balm (softlips IS good, as are Burt's Bees products) and use it in a smudge pot.
 

mackenzie

Familiar Face
Messages
93
Location
Piemonte, Italy
hotrodmama0201 said:
Another problem I have had with Ruby Woo right from the get-go is that it looks great when it's first on, then after a while it wears off on the inner part of my lips and looks weird like I only put lipstick on the outer part of my mouth. It's the perfect color, though, sucks it has to have so many technical difficulties!

I got the same problem and I noticed that if I put on one layer of lipstick, blot, put powder on and then another layer of lipstick I don't get the wearing off. It also last forever...
 

Greg Scher

New in Town
Messages
1
I have been doing professional makeup for various movies for many years. I prefer MAC makeup because of its quality and consistency. I get the question about Ruby Woo being dry quite a lot, and most think it is just old or that they got a bad lipstick. Unfortunately, it is the formulation of Ruby Woo that makes it so dry. But there's an easy fix for all of you ladies that love the red that made MAC famous... just apply MAC Prep & Prime before applying your lipstick, and you will never have that dried-out feeling on your lips again. It works for all of your lip products, but I can't be without it for Ruby Woo. Check out how much smoother and attractive it looks on the model's photo I have included below. Burt's Bees prep also works.

Insider secret: Once I applied Prep & Prime before applying Ruby Woo on Emma Stone and Christina Aguilara, they were utterly taken with it. Now, Ruby Woo is all you will see them wearing during events.

mac-ruby-woo-lipstick.jpg

R (1).jpg

R.jpg
 
Last edited:

Forum statistics

Threads
109,000
Messages
3,072,425
Members
54,038
Latest member
GloriaJama
Top