I don't do a lot of haul posts, but this purchase is a little different, so I wanted to share it. If you aren't familiar with it, TKB Trading is a supply store. There are lots of other places to buy from, but I think TKB has the best selection for makeup ingredients. As well, there's no minimum purchase required, unlike with a lot of other suppliers. I've been mulling over placing an order with TKB for literally 2+ years now, so I was understandably pretty excited to finally do it (and even more excited when everything actually arrived!)
My main reason for ordering was because I want to try making my own pressed blushes. I really do prefer pressed over loose blushes, but I just haven't found a company with the right mix of price, ingredients and color selection, so I've decided to try to DIY this one! Once I was ordering, I did pick up a few things for other projects as well.
Here's what I got...
Oils: If you can believe it, I've never used straight jojoba oil, so when I saw that TKB sold a tiny one ounce bottle for only $2.50, I knew I had to get it. It's from The Jojoba Company and is pesticide free. I also bought fractionated coconut oil, which I'll be using as a binder. Because of its long shelf life, its one of the best oils you can find for pressing powders.
Natural Lip Liquids Set: I've made tinted lip balms using loose pigments, but I have trouble getting the color evenly incorporated and I sometimes end up with some of the pigment settling to the bottom before the balm has a chance to fully solidify. These lip dyes are natural colorants predispersed in sunflower and/or castor oil, which should circumvent this issue. I was originally only going to order four or five of them, but it ended up being only $1.50 more to get the whole set, so I just went for it! In theory, I should be able to mix just about any lip color I want with these.
Micas: For non-dye colorants, you basically have two options: micas or oxides/ultramarines. Oxides need to be ground together, and since I don't have a spare coffee grinder lying around, I opted for the easier option of premixed micas. They can be used as is (although they work much better with some kind of base) or mixed together to make your own colors. I stuck to pinks/purples/oranges, since I'm going to be making blush, but TKB has a huge color selection.
Base Ingredients: Properly made loose makeup powders, be it eye shadow, foundation, or blush, consist of pigments and some kind of base. The base helps the pigment apply more smoothly and last longer too! I got a few different options to play around with - Kaolin Clay, Sericite Mica, C-Smax (sericite mica treated with carnauba wax), Zinc Oxide, Silica Microspheres, and TKB's Matte Texture Base.
Pans/Pressing Tiles: TKB sells tin pans, which unlike the more traditional aluminum, are magnetic. I got a few different sizes and I've got projects in mind for each. I bought some small 15mm round pans that I want to use to make a couple small eye shadow palettes. I really don't mind loose eyeshadows when I'm at home, but there's no denying that there are times when pressed are more convenient. I also got 36mm round pans for blushes, 27mmx13mm rectangles, and 52mm squares, and pressing tiles for each size pan, which should make it that much easier. For the sake of comparison, MAC eye shadows are 26mm, so 15mm is quite tiny, about the size of a dime. Likewise, 36mm is on the small side for a blush. It's the same size as the pans in my Jane Iredale Eye Steppes palette, which I think are comparable in size to Stila eye shadows.
Palettes: I got two small clear palettes that I'm going to turn into travel eye shadow palettes. They're light and compact and hold nine of the 15mm pans. They aren't magnetized, so I''ll need to glue a magnet in the bottom, but for $0.50 each, I'm not complaining! I also got two palettes to use as blush palettes. Each of these holds four 36mm pans.
Random Other Things: I also got a couple mascara tubes, a syringe, and a small funnel. I have ideas for a couple lash/brow things I want to make, but tools were last minute throw-ins. I do think they'll come in handy though.
Base Ingredients: Properly made loose makeup powders, be it eye shadow, foundation, or blush, consist of pigments and some kind of base. The base helps the pigment apply more smoothly and last longer too! I got a few different options to play around with - Kaolin Clay, Sericite Mica, C-Smax (sericite mica treated with carnauba wax), Zinc Oxide, Silica Microspheres, and TKB's Matte Texture Base.
Pans/Pressing Tiles: TKB sells tin pans, which unlike the more traditional aluminum, are magnetic. I got a few different sizes and I've got projects in mind for each. I bought some small 15mm round pans that I want to use to make a couple small eye shadow palettes. I really don't mind loose eyeshadows when I'm at home, but there's no denying that there are times when pressed are more convenient. I also got 36mm round pans for blushes, 27mmx13mm rectangles, and 52mm squares, and pressing tiles for each size pan, which should make it that much easier. For the sake of comparison, MAC eye shadows are 26mm, so 15mm is quite tiny, about the size of a dime. Likewise, 36mm is on the small side for a blush. It's the same size as the pans in my Jane Iredale Eye Steppes palette, which I think are comparable in size to Stila eye shadows.
Palettes: I got two small clear palettes that I'm going to turn into travel eye shadow palettes. They're light and compact and hold nine of the 15mm pans. They aren't magnetized, so I''ll need to glue a magnet in the bottom, but for $0.50 each, I'm not complaining! I also got two palettes to use as blush palettes. Each of these holds four 36mm pans.
Random Other Things: I also got a couple mascara tubes, a syringe, and a small funnel. I have ideas for a couple lash/brow things I want to make, but tools were last minute throw-ins. I do think they'll come in handy though.
The Bottom Line
I'm really pleased with my first order from TKB Trading. Prices are very reasonable, although once you factor in shipping to Canada and the taxes/brokerage fee I got stuck with, it did end up being a bit of a splurge. All the same, I'm super excited to start playing around with all these goodies!
Do you have any experience making your own makeup? Also, would you be interested in updates on how things go once I start concocting?
This looks like so much fun! It's been ages since I ordered from them, I just got a bunch of neutral micas to play around with and make some of my matte blushes shimmery. Nothing too difficult. Anyways, can't wait to see what you come up with!
ReplyDeleteIt should be! Hopefully I'm not being too ambitious :)
DeleteWow!:) Looking forward too see your own makeup :)
ReplyDeleteThanks! I'll definitely do another post once I've had a chance to play around with everything a little more :)
DeleteLooks like you are going to have fun doing DIY makeup, I look forward to seeing what you create :)
ReplyDeleteIt should be! I'm excited to give it a go :)
DeleteHow fun! I'd love updates on how your projects go. I've never made any sort of makeup, mostly because I'm lazy lol
ReplyDeleteIt should be! I guess I'm more cheap than lazy, lol. I haven't been able to bring myself to spend $25+ on a single blush, which is what inspired the whole thing, lol :) Hopefully it'll work out well!
DeleteThis sounds like such an exciting project! Have you thought of anything what you want to make first specifically yet? Do let your readers now about your successful encounters.
ReplyDeleteI haven't made any DIY make up yet but I would love to. The company you bought from sounds good, would love to look more into it!
I think I'm going to try to put together a couple travel eye shadows palettes first. It'll probably be the easiest one, so might as well start there!
DeleteI was really happy with TKB, and I've only ever heard good things about them from others too. I'd definitely recommend them if you're looking for ingredients :)
Thanks! I'll be sure to do another post once I've had a chance to play around with everything a little more :)
ReplyDeletei've also been lurking at tkb for a while. :D so i was excited to read this post. can't wait to see some of the great products i'm sure you'll concoct out of your spree!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's a good place to lurk, isn't it? I've already been contemplating a second order!
DeleteGreat haul! I'd love to see how the products turn out :) I experiment with skincare, but I haven't tried making my own makeup - quite tempted now! x
ReplyDeletewww.bowtiedbeauty.blogspot.com
Thanks! The most I've done before is tinted lip balm, so this was probably a little ambitious! I've been having fun so far, just playing around with all of it :)
DeleteI've ordered from TKB trading several times for makeup ingredients, I have always had a good experience with them! Definitely show us if you make some neat stuff!
ReplyDeleteWill do! I've been having a lot of fun playing around with everything :)
DeleteI love TKB, I first found them because I was planning to order a few eyeshadows from Lime Crime ... and found out they were repackaged TKB micas. I use them pretty straight; I generally add allantoin, magnesium myristrate and boron nitrate. Right now (with stuff from TKB and local soapmaking shop) I'm working on making an eyeshadow primer.
ReplyDeleteI've heard that about Lime Crime too, definitely a better idea to just get the TKB micas yourself. Eye shadow primer is such a tough one! Would love to hear what you come up with:)
DeleteI hope you don't mind me asking....how much did the taxes and brokerage fee turn out to be? I've been thinking about ordering from them but I may just wait to do a large order or see if a friend wants to go in with me to help save money. Their shipping terms though lengthy, are a bit vague as to what i will actually be spending the long run.
ReplyDeleteI hope you don't mind me asking....how much did the taxes and brokerage fee turn out to be? I've been thinking about ordering from them but I may just wait to do a large order or see if a friend wants to go in with me to help save money. Their shipping terms though lengthy, are a bit vague as to what i will actually be spending the long run.
ReplyDeleteNot at all...I think the tax and brokerage ended up being a little over $20, if I recall correctly, but it'll depend on how big your order is. Shipping was $17, I think. TKB is great about giving you an exact shipping quote before you actually finalize and pay for the order, but the brokerage/taxes were through DHL upon delivery. Hope that helps!
DeleteHey Caitie, wondering if you know of a similar online store in Canada, that would have mica etc? Thanks! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Michele,
DeleteI haven't bought from any of these personally, but I believe Sapphire Blue, Voyageur Soap and Candle, and Candora Soap & Soap Supplies all sell micas (and other ingredients.) Hope that helps!