Touche Éclat - Let's Make Our Own

One of the biggest bonuses of doing your own color make-up is having something truly unique and 100% tailored.

We've dissected Yves Saint Laurent's Touche Èclat to see exactly which components are necessary to make a light-deflecting, dark-circle-erasing, radiance-boosting, magic concealer wand.

Now let's make our own!

The Basic Components

As we learned in this post, a concealer wand consists of
- cream/lotion base
- color pigments
- titanium dioxide (the magic, light-deflecting ingredient pictured here)

The Perfect Base

You do not need to make your own cream base (unless you prefer to), but you do need to choose the perfect base for your skin. The ideal base is light, non-greasy and unscented. You're looking for a feathery-light texture that melts in quickly and feels like silk. Eye cream – because it is especially formulated for the extra delicate skin around the eyes – is ideal. (My go-to product for all of my cream-based color cosmetics is my own Toning Eye Solution pictured here).

The Perfect Color

If you want to make your own foundation color from scratch, you can find a post on it right here. Otherwise, use a color powder foundation that matches your skin tone. If you already use loose mineral powder foundation, you're set! 

You Will Need These Ingredients

- approx 1/2 teaspoon loose mineral powder foundation
- cosmetic grade titanium dioxide (links below)
- approx 10-15 ml feathery-light cream base
- a lip gloss container or dial-up pen with brush (links below)

And This Equipment

- small mixing bowls
- disposable sterile syringe
- small sieve (tea strainer size)
- narrow spatula (links below)

Time

This is NOT difficult, but it does take a little time. Allow about 2 hours if you are making make-up for the first time. If you're practiced at doing your own make-up, it will probably go a bit faster. (Mine took 45 minutes from start to finish including set-up and clean-up, but that's partially because I used a pre-mixed color from a previous session)

Prepare your Workspace

Prepare a workspace where everything is within reach. There should be ample natural light. Have a mirror on hand (for color testing as you work) as well as cotton and tonic (or hydrosol) for removing test color.

Mix The Dry Components

Add a small amount of titanium dioxide at a time to your foundation color and sift together several times until the color is evenly mixed. Repeat this process - sifting thoroughly between additions.

Test the color as you work. The final shade should be a few tones lighter than your foundation color – like this. 

Add Color to Cream

Put about 10-15 ml (2-3 teaspoons) cream base in a small bowl. Add color – very little at a time – mix thoroughly and test the coverage on your skin after each addition.

Tip: The more color you add, the more coverage, but it is very easy to overdo it  – so, take it slow and test, test, test. Don't even think of filling the container until you are 100% happy with the product.

What's Too Much Color?

You know you've overdone it if toning out the cream is difficult. For a light-deflecting magic wand, you need just enough color to create some coverage while retaining a see-through quality. If you have added too much color, 'dilute' the mixture with more cream.  

Transfer Mixture to Container

When you are satisfied with the mixture, unpackage the syringe and take out the plunger. Fill the syringe using the narrow spatula.

When the syringe is full, put in the plunger and fill your container. Place the insert in the top, assemble the dispenser and cap the container.

Pat Yourself on the Back

Enjoy your light-deflecting miracle wand that is perfectly color-matched, goes on like silk, magically deflects light, and whisks away dark circles! 

Where You Can Find Supplies

North America: Visit DIY Cosmetics for ingredients, equipment and containers (they have a super cool dial-up pen with a brush I'm dying to try)

In Europe: Visit Aroma Zone for ingredients, containers and equipment

In Denmark: Urtegaarden has ingredients, equipment and containers

The Container Quest

This whole project actually came about when I discovered I had a small cache of unused lip gloss containers while planning a new concealer. The sponge applicator on my wand delivers just the right amount of product, feels soft on application, and works surprisingly well. I've been quite pleased with it (but admittedly pine for a gold-cased container that oozes luxury). 

If you know of any suppliers of classy-looking make-up containers (who can deliver in super small quantities) PLEASE drop a comment – I'm constantly on the lookout for containers.