These Multi-Use Pigment Paints Have Totally Changed the Way I Do My Makeup

Anyone who knows me knows that my makeup skills are seriously lacking. Being a beauty editor means that my knowledge of makeup is astounding. I know about formulas, textures, trends and can talk you through a how-to in no time at all. My own artistic ability, though, is lacking. I couldn’t execute a cut-crease if I tried, and the likes of contouring, baking and colour-correcting are totally lost on me. I like quick, easy-to-use products that are totally foolproof.

It’s understandable, therefore, that when I heard about the game-changing new makeup brand Depixym, which offers up a range of pure makeup pigments, I was totally uninterested. They're designed to be mixed in palettes and used however and wherever one might please, so, frankly, I found the very concept of these tiny tubes of paint daunting. And that was before I had even laid eyes upon the shades on option. Consisting of bright pinks, oranges, yellows, blacks—basically every colour of the rainbow—Depixym products looked like a makeup artist’s dream but my idea of hell.

But that was over three months ago. Now, I can safely say that these little tubes of pigment are without a doubt some of my most-used makeup products. I have seen some of Instagram’s biggest makeup artists using Depixym paints to create some truly flawless looks, using them as popping graphic liners and watercolour washes, but for me (and I assume the everyday wearer), their uses are genuinely endless.

Swatches of Depixym Cosmetic Emulsions.

Each tube comes with its own little mixing tray so that if you want to get creative and start mixing, you can. Personally, because I find the existing shades already work for me, I’m more of a dab-it-on-and-go sort of gal. From easily blendable eye shadow to popping blush and standout lip colour, there really is nothing that these clever emulsions can’t do. In fact, when I recently went on a weekend staycay, the only things I took with me were mascara, concealer, bronzer and a tube of my go-to Depixym Cosmetic Emulsion in a bright-orange colour.

Here, I'm wearing Depixym Colour Emulsion in #0924 on my lips and cheeks.

Speaking of which, I need to confess something. Only a few months ago, I wrote a piece on Who What Wear in which I sang the praises of my new favourite lipstick. The Hermès Rouge Hermes Matte Lipstick in Rouge Casaque costs an eye-watering £58. And I love it. It still is without a doubt the most beautiful lipstick I have ever owned. However, my second-favourite lipstick in the world is another Hermès number, only this time it’s a satin finish in the iconic Hermès orange. (The shade is Orange Boîte, if you’re interested.) It will also set you back £58. My new go-to Depixym emulsion in shade #0924, when I dab it onto my lips with my finger, looks almost identical. Plus, I can blend it onto the apples of my cheeks for a warm, sunkissed look and over my lids for a rusty finish. Because that’s the wonderful thing about these pigments: They just seem to work wherever you want to apply them. And the best bit? They cost £18.

Here, I'm wearing Depixym Colour Emulsion in #0924 on my eyes and shade #1162 on my lips.

In fact, for the first time in my life, I really feel like I can actually do this makeup thing. Just a little bit of gloss over the top of the lips and a bit of blending into the crease of the eyes leaves me looking like I've spent hours on my face (when it reality it's been a few minutes). And they don't budge either. Seriously, once it's on, it's not going anywhere. 

And I must say, it's rare that artistry-led makeup brands like Depixym manage to get it so right for the mass market, too. Whenever I pull out a tube, I embrace my inner Katie Jane Hughes and feel like I too can be a creative artist, even if the results look remarkably wearable and take basically no time at all to execute. So with that, I want to say a big thank-you to Depixym for changing up my makeup game and shaving 10 minutes off my morning routine. 

Shop Depixym Cosmetic Emulsions