From Dud to Stud - Revival

So, there I was... ready to top off an impromptu eye look with a simple swoosh of black when I realized that my L'Oreal HIP eyeliner was M.I.A.  Although not my favorite, I would reach for HIP regularly out of sheer avoidance of having to confront the sad state of my Inglot gel liner - which had long ago been pronounced D.O.A.  Stiff and totally dried out, #77 arrived as an already unusable block of black so in the back of my drawer it sat for years.  However, in the absence of my "fall-back", I knew it was time to address the woes of my Inglot gel liner and see if I could legitimately transform it from a disappointing dud to a certified stud.

Completely desiccated with no sign of life whatsoever, my #77 was hard as a brick with very little give and even less color payoff.  I had heard that there were ways of restoring dried out cream products, including gel liners and paint pots, back to their original consistency so I went online in search of a good remedy.  Not sure of which would work best for my situation, I decided to scoop a small portion of the liner out and transfer it to a sample container I had on hand to keep from marring the entire batch if things went south.

Online I found a bunch of different recipes and regimens for resuscitating gel liners.  One called for just a simple zap in the microwave while another called for a mix of a glycerin-based product along with a silicone-based product (like a face primer) and a hair dryer/microwave.  After sorting through the suggestions and trying a couple of them out (and failing at both!) I settled on a basic concoction of one part silicone-based face primer and one part heat.

After putting a portion of the eyeliner into the container, I squeezed an equal amount of my silicone-based face primer directly on top and then mixed it together as best I could to disperse.  Next, I put the mix into the microwave, nuking it for about five seconds then stirring.  I noticed it needed a little more heat to smooth it out so I nuked it again for five more seconds.  It was at that point that I found it to be creamy and emollient enough to coat my angled liner brush for use on my eye.  Finally, #SUCCESS!

When I applied the reconstituted #77 upon my eye, there was no tackiness and, therefore, no tugging or pulling.  It went on smoothly as if it was never out of commission; I was able to achieve an inky black cat eye with absolutely no issues and it stayed put all day long until I finally removed it with a makeup wipe.  #WINNING and #SMILING!

I am so happy that I was able to revive my Inglot gel liner and finally put it to use!  Now, I checked back on my sample portion before heading to bed and it was still soft, however, I don't know how long it will stay that way.  I'm not worried, though.  If need be, I'll just go through the process again.  Hey, it beats having to throw away a never-been-used gel eyeliner and spend money on a new one!

Administering CPR to a certified D.O.A. and getting a virtually N.E.W. product in the process at no extra cost?  Oh, I'm all about that life!  Yes, please and thank you!