GENERAL FAQ: De-potting/De-panning

[martygreene]

What is de-potting/de-panning?
De-potting (also known as de-panning) is the removal of the small metal pan containing the color in a pressed powder product.

What can be de-potted?
Eye shadows, blushes, bronzers, and any other pressed powder product can be de-potted.

Why do people de-pot?
Many people de-pot their eye shadows, blushes, and other similarly sized products in order to contain all of their products in palettes. MAC makes three types of palettes at this time, 4 pan eye shadow, 15 pan eye shadow, and six pan blush. MAC in the past made an 8 pan large eye shadow, when the company still produced eye shadows in both a large and small size.

De-potting also allows people to have 'empties' which can be used in MACs recycling program, Back2MAC.

What brands of eye shadow fit into MAC palettes?

• Urban Decay
• Trucco
• Prescriptives (not all)
• Trade Secrets
• I Nuovi
• Paula's Choice
• Lise Watier
• Clinique Touch Base
• Revlon Streetwear Creams
• MMU
• Origins
• Jordana
• Red Earth
• Annabelle
• Estee Lauder
• Savvy
• Marcelle (old style)
• Wild and Crazy
• Garden Botanika (old style)
• Fetish
• Jane
• Milani
• Wet and Wild
• Ardell brow powders
• Prestige (old style)
• LORAC
• Elizabeth Arden
• The Body Shop
• Bath and Body Works
• Bonne Bell
• Faces

Where can I learn how to de-pot, with images?
There are many tutorials to be found online. Some good ones are:

• http://specktra.net/depotting.php - A photo tutorial of de-potting MAC Flip-Top eye shadows using the candle technique.
• http://www.specktra.net/viewtopic.php?t=7243 - A photo tutorial of depotting via heat gun (embossing tool).
• http://makeupaddict.org/depot.html - Includes tutorials for MAC Flip-Top and Screw-Top eye shadows, MAC blushes, Milani eye shadows, Urban Decay Flip-Top and Metal Tin eye shadows. Utilizes both the candle and baking methods.
• http://swap.beverlys.net/freeze.html - A method for de-potting via freezing.
• http://swap.beverlys.net/heat.html - Five methods for de-potting using heat.
• http://community.livejournal.com/mac...s/1591392.html - Removing shadows from pre-made quad palettes.

[ahuerta]

ok. i've been successful at depotting two eyeshadows, but my pots are now warped. will they still be ok for b2m?

[Hilly]

should be ok!

[suggrr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by martygreene

• http://www.specktra.net/viewtopic.php?t=7243 - A photo tutorial of depotting via heat gun (embossing tool).

I cannot find this tutorial. Has it been moved? I did find a text description on how to use a heat gun to melt lipstick.

These are the errors I am receiving when trying to access the above link: The requested URL /viewtopic.php was not found on this server.Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.

[Mien]

Thanks a lot for the links! The freezing method sounds great, I'm scared of melting the pots I was wondering if the freezing or heating doesn't damage the (texture) of the e/s?

[DJDFK]

i was wondering if you guys knew how to remove the eyeshadow from one container to another (which are two different sizes). if you don't understand me, i wanna use an eyeshadow as a blush.
any suggestions are appreciated!

[LuxeKitten]

I want to depot my blushes, but I'm wondering, is it possible or is any method better to make it so that I can keep one of them empty pots to stick my depotted blush back into for when I travel?

I depot and keep my eyeshadows in a 15 pan palette, but when I go away I'll sometimes just take 4 eyeshadows in a quad (or 8 shadows in 2 quads), so I'm wondering is there any way I could do it so I have a transportable case for a depotted blush? I'm afraid to take the whole palette n case something happens - cracks etc.

[sparklingmuse]

i was looking for a method of depotting my blot powder and putting it into the fafi ipp container. does anyoneknow how to?

[stingray]

There's a fantastic tutorial on depotting without heat or freezing here -

YouTube - Depotting MAC w/o heat

. I tried it and it was dead easy!

He has two more for other types of MAC shadows -
Depotting an NYX Trio -

YouTube - Depot your NYX Trio

Depotting an NYX single -

YouTube - Depotting NYX Single (square)

He has lots of other tutorials on various things to do with all MAC makeup and adds stuff often. Great fun to watch too!

[amber_j]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mien

Thanks a lot for the links! The freezing method sounds great, I'm scared of melting the pots I was wondering if the freezing or heating doesn't damage the (texture) of the e/s?

Mien - Did freezing the e/s change its texture at all? TIA

[stingray]

amber_j, if you use EnKore's method of depotting in my link above, you won't damage the texture of the shadow (unless you accidentally break it) as it doesn't use either heat or freezing to depot.

[lara]

Depanning a pre-made quad - MAC Cosmetics Resource - depanning MAC eyeshadow quads
Depotting using a controlled heat source (iron) - MAC Cosmetics Resource - depotting MAC eyeshadows without flames

[stingray]

I've just tried the freezing method, having dented one of my pans using EnKore's method which, good as it is, does mean completely ruining the plastic pan container.

The freezing method is GREAT! No damage to any part at all and the shadow pan almost falls out by itself. I only needed to put the very tip of a knife inbetween the pan rim and the container, only at the top, wiggle it very very gently once or twice, then you hear a slight "crack" noise which is the hardened glue coming away, and out comes the shadow. The texture seems to be just the same as before, but give it an hour or two to return to room temperature.

[stingray]

Just thought I'd warn you -

The freezing method works a treat with those fakes shadows with pans with the ridged circle as the glue is only in the ridge. I just tried it with my genuine shadow to see if perhaps a brand new real MAC shadow had that ridge, and no way could I get the pan out, it seemed stuck solid to the base! I didn't want to dare force it either. I think I'll have to try EnKore's method again with the genuine one.

[sofabean]

I wanted to use Enkore's method, but I don't trust myself jabbing a sharp knife into a tiny crevice... I use the heating method and even though the smell of plastic is horrible and probably toxic, it does the job just fine.

[ri0tdorque]

Were you still able to use it for the B2M thing?

[Jello89]

I use dustbunnies77(youtube) way of doing it. With the Hair Iron. Minimal Smell and so far I haven't warped or damaged any of my shadows. Fun and easy!

[Jello89]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ri0tdorque

Were you still able to use it for the B2M thing?

Yesterday I went to a MAC freestanding store and asked if the accepted the pots without the pans. This was her answer :
'' I can't really answer that. *Pause*. If we dont realize it then we accept it. If we realize it, we dont.''

[macmistress]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jello89

Yesterday I went to a MAC freestanding store and asked if the accepted the pots without the pans. This was her answer :
'' I can't really answer that. *Pause*. If we dont realize it then we accept it. If we realize it, we dont.''

do mac accept empty containers? like without the little plastic pan in the middle?

[HeavenLeiBlu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by macmistress

do mac accept empty containers? like without the little plastic pan in the middle?

It really depends. I've seen a few MAC employees who post here saying that their counter/location will not. However, I returned some to a freestanding store over the weekend with no problem. I'd call around to be sure, if I were you. The reality is that many places barely even check the B2M empties.

[Lizzie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jello89

Yesterday I went to a MAC freestanding store and asked if the accepted the pots without the pans. This was her answer :
'' I can't really answer that. *Pause*. If we dont realize it then we accept it. If we realize it, we dont.''

hahaha I love that answer!

[Jello89]

I find this stupid Im so eager to depot. They should just take the damn thingsss!!! I understand that they want us to use up the products before giving us a free one butttt....
If I had time and money to waste. Id buy 5 dollar e/s at the pharmacy that fit in the mac and id remove the shitty eyeshadow inside and just stick the pan in! LOL. But that would be wasteful

[macmistress]

quick question!

you know the actual plastic that holds the pan? if that is burnt but u still have containers left about 25..can we still return em?

[HeavenLeiBlu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by macmistress

quick question!

you know the actual plastic that holds the pan? if that is burnt but u still have containers left about 25..can we still return em?

I would assume that you mean the little part that cradles the pan, and not the entire pot ( the cover, and bottom). If so, that's fine.

[ri0tdorque]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jello89

Yesterday I went to a MAC freestanding store and asked if the accepted the pots without the pans. This was her answer :
'' I can't really answer that. *Pause*. If we dont realize it then we accept it. If we realize it, we dont.''

That's interesting. I went to a MAC store in the mall and asked a sales person about it. I told her that I had depotted all of my shadows and would they still take them if they were melty and whatnot. She said yes for sure so I guess it depends on who you get.

On a side note I've found that using a fondu fork thing works well for holding them over a candle I did all of mine that way and it didnt take very long at all (I had over 20)