COBI
Well-known member
My first attempts at depotting left me with some dented pans; this is the method that I now use. It takes 2-3 minutes from start to finish with the longest time being spent on cleaning the adhesive off the back of the pan.
Tools needed:
1. Nail Polish Remover (or Goo Gone, but most of have NPR around the house) to remove adhesive
2. Flat-head screwdriver
3. Aim & Flame (or other flame source)
4. Shadow pot (I know, this would seem obvious)
5. Business card magnet (or other thin magnet); business card magnets can be found at any office supply store (such as Staples) and have a self-adhesive side
STEP ONE: REMOVING THE TRAY FROM THE POT
Insert the flat-head into the space at the hinge, and apply gently upward pressure. This is the easiest and quickest location to use for popping the top part of the tray out of the pot.
STEP TWO: HEATING THE TRAY
Heat the back side of the removed tray. You can heat this until there is an actual hole in the center of the plastic, but the next step can be done as long as the plastic is melted enough (even if has not created an actual hole.)
STEP THREE: REMOVING THE PAN FROM THE TRAY
Gently apply pressure pressure with the head of the screwdriver held at a slight angle. You do not want to push the screwdriver straight into the back of the pan. Use the polish remover (or goo gone) to remove the adhesive from the back of the pan. Be sure to clean the sides of the pan, also, as sometimes the adhesive finds it way there. Some pans have a lot of adhesive; others only have a small amount. For those with more adhesive, I will leave a tissue with polish remover on the back of the pan while I complete Step 4, and then I go back and clean the adhesive. This "soaking" time seems to make the adhesive remove more easily.
STEP FOUR: CREATING A MAGNETIC LABEL
Gently peel the label from the bottom of the pot. Some of these removal easily; others are tougher. A quick (3-5 seconds) blast of heat from your flame source can make this peel easier. Place the label on the magnet side of the business card magnet. Cut out the labeled magnet; for a quick size guide, cut inside the copyright circle of the MAC label.
Remove the backing from the magentic and place on back of pan.
IMPORTANT NOTE Don't forget to pop the empty tray into the pot, and bring it BACK 2 MAC for recycling and free cosmetics.
Why do I prefer to attack from the back? The main reason my pans ended up dented from my first attempt(s) was because I was trying to fit something between the sides of the tray and the pot, and I ended up causing damage to the pot as well as cracking and losing some of the shadow on the edges.
Hope this helps someone. I realize some of the pictures aren't in sharp focus, but hope they are clear enough to illustrate the steps.
Laura (aka Cobi)
Tools needed:
1. Nail Polish Remover (or Goo Gone, but most of have NPR around the house) to remove adhesive
2. Flat-head screwdriver
3. Aim & Flame (or other flame source)
4. Shadow pot (I know, this would seem obvious)
5. Business card magnet (or other thin magnet); business card magnets can be found at any office supply store (such as Staples) and have a self-adhesive side
STEP ONE: REMOVING THE TRAY FROM THE POT
Insert the flat-head into the space at the hinge, and apply gently upward pressure. This is the easiest and quickest location to use for popping the top part of the tray out of the pot.
STEP TWO: HEATING THE TRAY
Heat the back side of the removed tray. You can heat this until there is an actual hole in the center of the plastic, but the next step can be done as long as the plastic is melted enough (even if has not created an actual hole.)
STEP THREE: REMOVING THE PAN FROM THE TRAY
Gently apply pressure pressure with the head of the screwdriver held at a slight angle. You do not want to push the screwdriver straight into the back of the pan. Use the polish remover (or goo gone) to remove the adhesive from the back of the pan. Be sure to clean the sides of the pan, also, as sometimes the adhesive finds it way there. Some pans have a lot of adhesive; others only have a small amount. For those with more adhesive, I will leave a tissue with polish remover on the back of the pan while I complete Step 4, and then I go back and clean the adhesive. This "soaking" time seems to make the adhesive remove more easily.
STEP FOUR: CREATING A MAGNETIC LABEL
Gently peel the label from the bottom of the pot. Some of these removal easily; others are tougher. A quick (3-5 seconds) blast of heat from your flame source can make this peel easier. Place the label on the magnet side of the business card magnet. Cut out the labeled magnet; for a quick size guide, cut inside the copyright circle of the MAC label.
Remove the backing from the magentic and place on back of pan.
IMPORTANT NOTE Don't forget to pop the empty tray into the pot, and bring it BACK 2 MAC for recycling and free cosmetics.
Why do I prefer to attack from the back? The main reason my pans ended up dented from my first attempt(s) was because I was trying to fit something between the sides of the tray and the pot, and I ended up causing damage to the pot as well as cracking and losing some of the shadow on the edges.
Hope this helps someone. I realize some of the pictures aren't in sharp focus, but hope they are clear enough to illustrate the steps.
Laura (aka Cobi)
