Depotting means taking pressed eyeshadow or blush pans out of their original packaging and moving them into one empty magnetic palette. To do it, loosen the glue under the pan with gentle heat or a few drops of rubbing alcohol, lift the pan out with a thin flat tool, label the back, and place it on the magnetic base. Go slowly. Pressed powder cracks if the pan is bent or forced.
Why depot?
- One palette instead of many. Your favorite shades from different compacts, side by side.
- Space. Bulky cases are replaced by one slim one.
- Travel. You carry only the shades you use.
- Visibility. Shades you can see are shades you use.
- Rescue. A broken compact's good pans get a new home.
What do you need?
| Item | Used for |
|---|---|
| Empty magnetic palette | The new home for the pans |
| Thin flat tool: a palette knife, cuticle pusher or small flat screwdriver | Lifting the pan |
| Hair dryer, or rubbing alcohol in a dropper | Loosening the glue |
| Small magnets or magnetic stickers | For pans that are not magnetic |
| Labels or a fine marker | Shade names on the back |
| Paper towel and a tray | Catching mess |
Two ways to loosen the glue
Heat
Warm the back or underside of the compact with a hair dryer on a medium setting for 30 to 60 seconds. The glue softens and the pan lifts more easily. Keep the heat moving, and do not overheat plastic until it warps. Let it cool enough to handle.
Rubbing alcohol
Drip a few drops of rubbing alcohol around the edge of the pan, so that it runs down between the pan and the plastic. Wait a minute or two for it to seep under and loosen the glue. The alcohol evaporates and does not harm the powder.
Avoid open flames and hot irons. They are unnecessary and risky.
How to depot, step by step
- Work over a tray lined with paper towel.
- Find a way in. Some palettes have a small hole under each pan. Push a pin through it to lift the pan from below. Otherwise, pry away the plastic frame around the pans if it lifts off.
- Loosen the glue with heat or alcohol.
- Slide the flat tool under one edge of the pan and lever it up gently. Work around the edge instead of forcing one side.
- Lift the pan out flat. Do not bend it.
- Clean the back of leftover glue by rolling it off with a fingertip or wiping it with alcohol.
- Test it against a magnet. Many pans are tin and stick on their own. Aluminum pans do not, and need a magnetic sticker on the back.
- Label the back with the shade name and brand.
- Place it in the palette and arrange your layout.
An empty magnetic palette
The Uexim empty magnetic makeup palette is a customizable empty palette for building your own eyeshadow or blush layout. It has a matte-finish case and a magnetic base that holds pans in place, and it comes in red or black. Check the product photos for its size before planning how many pans you want it to hold.
How should you arrange the pans?
- By color family: neutrals together, then warm tones, then cool tones.
- By finish: mattes on one side, shimmers on the other.
- By use: an everyday row, an evening row.
- By look: groups of three or four that you wear together.
Leave a small gap between pans so you can lift them out, and so powder from one does not dust onto the next.
What if a shadow cracks?
- Crush the broken powder evenly in its pan with a clean tool.
- Add a few drops of rubbing alcohol, enough to make a paste.
- Smooth it with the back of a spoon.
- Lay a tissue over it and press down firmly with a coin or the flat end of a tool.
- Leave it to dry overnight with the palette open.
The texture may be a little firmer afterward, but the shadow is usable.
Which products are harder to depot?
- Baked or domed powders: fragile, and more likely to shatter.
- Cream products: they can be moved, but they attract dust in an open palette. Keep them apart from powders.
- Loose glitter and pigments: they need lidded pans.
- Shadows pressed directly into the plastic, with no metal pan. These cannot be lifted out whole.
Common mistakes
- Forcing the pan before the glue has softened.
- Too much heat, which melts plastic and can change cream formulas.
- No labels. You will not remember which taupe is which.
- Forgetting the opening date. Depotted products keep their original shelf life, so note when they were first opened.
- Overfilling the palette, so pans rub and crack in transit.
Frequently asked questions
Does depotting ruin eyeshadow?
Not if the pan comes out flat. A cracked shadow can be re-pressed with alcohol.
Will every pan stick to a magnetic palette?
Tin pans do. Aluminum pans need a magnetic sticker on the back.
Is heat or alcohol better?
Alcohol is gentler and needs no equipment. Heat is quicker on strong glue. Many people use both.
Can I depot blush and bronzer too?
Yes. The method is the same. Larger pans need more patience when lifting.
The bottom line
Loosen the glue, lift the pan flat, label the back, and add a magnet if it needs one. Work slowly, and keep rubbing alcohol to hand for repairs.
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