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How to make your own Rainbow Highlighter!

10 May, 2016 - 09:14pm by - First Lady | 20 Comments

image: Bitter Lace Beauty - Prism

written by BR member Koni

When the Beauty Review Forum was buzzing with news of Bitter Lace Beauty’s popular “rainbow highlighter”, I decided that I was going to buy it. Why?

  1. It’s a highlighter
  2. It’s a rainbow highlighter
  3. I’m positive it’s Rainbow Brite’s highlighter*

To my surprise when I received the restock email I couldn’t bring myself to press “BUY NOW” because the BR members’ comments put things into perspective. 

How often would I reach for it? 

  • Me: Everyday
  • Reality: Once and probably to eat lunch in the comfort of my home.

Would it suit me?

  • Me: Pffftttt absolutely it’s a highlighter
  • Reality: With my kind of heavy handed application it’s really going to look like a frosty bruise with a good dose of “all sorts of too much”.

I closed the tab and decided to live vicariously through those reviewing the highlighter on Youtube which is where I came across the DIY tutorial. The following is what you’ll need:

  1. Willpower and strength to part with eyeshadows (think Project Pan!)
  2. COURAGE to smash up a highlighter (I am still recovering)
  3. 5 pastel eyeshadows that make up the rainbow
  4. Highlighter (Note: Your “go-to” highlighter is OUT OF BOUNDS)
  5. Empty compact (the bigger the compact the more eyeshadows you’ll need)
  6. Tealight holders (or any small bowls to mix each eyeshadow/highlighter)
  7. Isopropyl alcohol
  8. Plastic spoon
  9. Newspaper to cover your work area
  10. Tissues

Step 1: Avoid a night of regret by covering your entire workspace with newspaper. If you think the mess won’t reach a particular area – you’re wrong – cover that too unless you want green and orange stains on your carpet like yours truly (you’re welcome).

Step 2: Pick the shades you want and scoop out each eyeshadow using the plastic spoon and place into separate tealight holders.  I didn’t have any pastel eyeshadows so I used every white shadow I owned to mix in with the bold colours I had (a total of 12 eyeshadows were destroyed in this process).

Step 3: Have a moment with your beloved highlighter before scraping (I wasn’t about to smash it like the kind of devastation I saw on Youtube) the amount of shimmer you want into each tealight holder. Crush and blend together.

Step 4: Add 2-3 drops (or 2-3 spritz if in spray bottle) of isopropyl alcohol into each mixture or until slightly runny. Smooth out any lumps and scoop out one shade at a time and place into the empty compact.  I used a MAC blush compact and at this moment I realised that 6 grams really isn’t a lot of product!

Step 5: Place a tissue over the rainbow highlighter and press down to remove any excess alcohol and until the colour stops staining the tissue.  To create a smooth surface, I covered a circular object that fit into the compact with tissue and pressed down until I was happy with the end result. This entire process took me half an hour; I believe I spent more time scrubbing my carpet!

Step 6: Leave open to dry for 24 hours but I only needed 12. 

The outcome? As lovely as it looks in the compact it really doesn’t look that great on my face.  I quietly joined my family in the lounge sporting Rainbow Brite’s highlighter and my aunty immediately asked me what was on my face - sooooooo clearly my application needs work but ultimately the combination of colours don’t work for me.  Aside from saying goodbye to a beloved highlighter and scrubbing my carpet, it was a really fun and relaxing exercise on a Saturday night.

Thank you so much Koni - we loved reading this, and sure everyone else did too!  And as for it not looking great on your face?  Yeah, you could walk around with yesterday's mustard on your mush and still be a stunner!  

Want to here more from Koni?  Or maybe you'd like to submit an article to us?  You know what to do right?  Email us at [email protected]

 

*Do you remember Rainbow Brite?  Here she is in all of her 80s glory!

Comments

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17th May, 2016

Well done, you have written a really good article.

17th May, 2016

I remember Rainbow Brite but wouldn't try and make my own :)

15th May, 2016

I saw this on Facebook too. Good in you for giving it a go Koni!

12th May, 2016

Oh I loved and enjoyed reading this SO MUCH! And it looks so beautiful on you Koni! Please do more of these! PLEASE! :D I love how pretty it looks in your compact.

12th May, 2016

Good work Koni, I enjoyed reading this. Very brave smashing a beloved highlighter!

11th May, 2016

The rainbow highlighter really isn't my thing since it's not something I would wear but it does look pretty in the pan for those who like admiring compacts.

11th May, 2016

Great article Koni! Well done :-)

11th May, 2016

I love how creative everyone is getting with makeup nowadays. So inspiring! :)

11th May, 2016

I've been watching all the diys on this highlighter too. I think this looked like a fun project to you and I enjoyed reading this article! I think you can pull off anything Koni!

11th May, 2016

fantastic "how to" instructions! thank you for doing this for us!

11th May, 2016

I want more from Koni! It was 5am and I was half asleep but I lold my way back into sleep with this awesome article. What a great tutorial :D

11th May, 2016

I'm so impressed by this! So creative. I love your writing style too!

11th May, 2016

Amazing! Incredible to see a BR member do this.....it really does suit you Koni...However I still just like the look of it in the pan lol

11th May, 2016

I love DIY- and I happen to have an already smashed highlighter I cant throw away as it seems too wasteful! Time to repurpose I feel.

10th May, 2016

What a brilliant person you are for doing this Koni! well done! I really enjoyed reading your article. I love the idea of the rainbow but am sitting firmly on the fence about needing it. And I still love RainbowBrite (my daughter is even hooked on her on Youtube, and she featured in her rainbow birthday theme).

Koni
11th May, 2016

Thank you xx *Hand on heart* yes still love Rainbow Brite, it's really cool that your daughter is following that path too!

First Lady
11th May, 2016

PICTURES!!!!!!! xxx

Ringy
11th May, 2016

I envisage it would be like those professional vs reality photo comparisons! With Koni's the professional version and mine the sad, sad reality lol.

Koni
11th May, 2016

Ohhh I'd love to see how you repurpose your (sob) smashed highlighter. I kid you not, I believe that was pic number 'bajillion', so that's my reality haha.

Koni
11th May, 2016

Thank you Amy, I prefer the look in the pan too haha. Hope you're feeling much better xx

First Lady
11th May, 2016

I've set up a 'what koni did' category...so maybe she'll write more for us :p xx

Pifithrin
11th May, 2016

I saw that! Heh fingers crossed :)

Koni
11th May, 2016

Awww thank you, really glad to see someone enjoyed my ramblings - now to convince my sister! Ohhh a category for more? My pleasure, happy to help :-)

First Lady
11th May, 2016

I know right?! A fab read! We want to hear more from her too. She's smashed a highlighter, so we know she's up for the tough gigs! Her mystery shop is being plotted...

shazatron101
11th May, 2016

EEEE MYSTERY SHOPS i forgot all about them hahahaha nerpy derp. But yeah I'd love to see more Koni, the mystery shop is going to be exciting!

Koni
11th May, 2016

Aww thanks Shaz I'm glad you enjoyed it :-) I'm a little to scared to think about the mystery shop, I barely survived saying goodbye to my highlighter haha.

shazatron101
11th May, 2016

hahahahah oh Koni! you lost a highlighter but gained something that's way cooler and rarer - plus you could sell it and buy a new highlighter, cos rainbow ones are all the rage ;-)

Koni
11th May, 2016

Thank you Karen and it was my pleasure to share my ramblings :-)

Koni
11th May, 2016

I cringed watching them butcher the highlighter (sob). Thanks so much Renee but sighhh I can reassure you that there is plenty that I can't pull off xx

Koni
11th May, 2016

I wonder what they'll think of next, here's hoping the alternative is not to smash up another highlighter.

Koni
15th May, 2016

Thank you I'm glad you enjoyed my little 2 cents :-)

Koni
15th May, 2016

Oh yes it was the "prettiness in the pan" that attracted me to that highlighter in the first place - clearly the "how would it look on me" was an afterthought haha.

Koni
15th May, 2016

Thank you, I'm happy to hear you enjoyed the ramblings :-)

Koni
15th May, 2016

Aww thank you Lutece you're too kind - I'm still not convinced with the frosty looking bruise haha xx

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