(Note: This post became unexpectedly popular on Pinterest. I must caution you that I originally made this mascara as an experiment and not a cosmetic item I intent wear daily. While none of the ingredient I used should cause any significant problems if they get into eyes, I cannot guarantee that your body will not react to any of the ingredients so use at your own risk. In addition note that soap is not waterproof and can be irritating if it gets into your eyes.)
Image credit: Costumes.org I remember reading a biography of actress Louise Brooks, it discussed how Vaudeville dancers would use a very primitive form of mascara (left). It is essentially a cylinder of black wax. To use it one must slice some off and melt it in a tiny frying pan over a candle. I recently read an article about cake mascara. It is much easier to use than wax mascara and its popularity lasted for over six decades. I found out that the original Maybelline cake mascara was made from equal parts of soap and pigment, which are very easy to obtain. I was very curious to try cake mascara, so I made my own to experiment with.
Maybelline Cake Mascara. Photo credit: Cosmeticsandskin.com
You will need only four items to make cake mascara. Soap, pigment, a container, and a mascara wand. Get the most unscented and natural soap as possible to avoid irritation (this is VERY important). I got mine from Whole Foods for $3. You can use pigment of any color you want, I just used the only black one I have. I normally wouldn't wear mascara with sparkles, but this is just an experiment and I didn't want to waste carbon black pigments that I care about.
For container I used a free sample compact I got from TKB Trading. You can use contact case that you don't use, empty eyeshadow compact, etc. Shallow containers will work better. Whatever you use, just make sure you wash it very clean and sanitize it with alcohol first.
In actual vintage cake mascara they include a tiny brush for applying, but I found modern mascara wand much easier to use. You can either wash clean a mascara wand from an old tube of mascara or grab some from aisle endcaps at Sephora.
For container I used a free sample compact I got from TKB Trading. You can use contact case that you don't use, empty eyeshadow compact, etc. Shallow containers will work better. Whatever you use, just make sure you wash it very clean and sanitize it with alcohol first.
In actual vintage cake mascara they include a tiny brush for applying, but I found modern mascara wand much easier to use. You can either wash clean a mascara wand from an old tube of mascara or grab some from aisle endcaps at Sephora.
Pigment, soap, and container
First thing you will need to do is melt the soap. Remember to keep the ratio of soap and pigment to 1:1, so you don't really need a lot of soap. Natural handmade soap should be very easy to cut in room temperature. Cut it into small pieces for easy melting. I like to use silicone baking cups when melting things because they are easy to clean. Add a few drops of olive oil for a more smooth texture. Heat soap in the microwave in an increment of 30 seconds. It may or may not liquify, but it's fine as long as it softens enough to incorporate the pigment.
Have the pigment ready while the soap is melting. Stir the soap slightly with a toothpick and quickly incorporate the pigment. Next heat the soap the second time to mix the mixture more thoroughly. The end result should look like clay.
Pack the mixture into the container. Pat down so the surface is level. Cleaning up should be very easy, since the mixture is soap and can be easily washed away.
To use, first bend the brush head of the mascara wand for a better reach. Wet the wand with a tiny bit of water and rub it against the cake. Apply like regular mascara and wash the wand clean after use.
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