Restoring a Vintage Compact 

me too

I wonder what works better for powder, a sponge or a velvet pad?

Either would be ok I think, though because velvet is fuzzy I'd be gentle while applying powder to avoid removing any foundation.

That's awesome! It's a great idea to use tape, I'm glad you decided to try doing it yourself. I hope you have a lovely holiday as well!

It's because cosmetics, as well as most products, were built to be reusable and stand up to long-term wear and use. That simply isn't a priority anymore

@@thetaaaa yeah, I wish it were still like that tho

Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it! Your compact restoration might be harder than expected. Enamel is basically glass that has been melted onto a surface. Trying to fill scratches in enamel is something I haven't attempted myself. There are paints that say they give an enamel finish but need to be cured with heat to be permanent, which may ruin the original enamel on your compact. What I would do in your case is start by finding a jeweler or enamel artist that can give you a better idea of your restoration options that won't damage your compact. Best of luck!

Hello and thank you for the advice, I'll keep it in my back pocket for later. Sharing ways to improve is nice but I find I'm the type who enjoys the experience of making things with my own hands more than I care about being perfect. This was my first ever attempt at restoring a compact; I believe in trying new things even if I'm not perfect at first. Because where's the challenge in doing stuff I'm already perfect at? I succeeded in learning a new skill and I got the compact I wanted. Overall I'm quite happy with how it turned out. I've been using it daily since 2018 with no complaints. It was my birthday gift to myself that year, to have the experience of being able to use a compact I restored with my own hands. For me personally if I get too wrapped up in being perfect it doesn't leave a lot of room for enjoying what I'm doing. Hopefully you still had a good time watching the video, thanks for stopping by. Have an awesome day.

Thanks!

You're welcome 😊

Thanks! The brand didn't stamp their logo anywhere, not surprising given how old this compact is.

That's a possibility, I guess it would depend on what the mirror is made from and how dry you can get it after. Mold would also be a worry. If you decide to try this project I'd start by identifying any little holes into the back of the case, try to avoid them and drain the water out, drying it as much as possible afterwards. Try using a drinking straw to blow any moisture out of the back and place it in an environment that will dry it out like rice or silica beads. There is an element of luck when working with vintage. Everything is a one of a kind and any restoration can go wrong at any moment. I filmed this a couple years ago, no black spots so far thankfully. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right? At some point I had to just do it despite the risk if I wanted to start using the compact. Thanks for your question! Have an awesome day!

I used water and the teatree oil facial cleanser from The Body Shop to clean away any traces of makeup from the last owner. The brass is not bright anymore from gaining a lovely patina from all the hands that have touched the compact through the years.

Thanks!

Thanks for asking. I used Fray Check to glue the tulle, it's pretty viscous so it was able to flow through the gaps to reach all the layers. It held in place long enough to sew the ribbon. I hope this answers your question.

Hello! glad to hear it! the tulle you should be able to find at any fabric store, it's used in skirts all the time. The puff used permanent stabilizer that will Not dissolve in water, it should also be at a fabric store. If you can't find it it would be just as good to use a piece of cotton in place of it. I hope you have a fun time antique hunting and fixing up your compact, best of luck!

@@mossandsilk1330 Hello! Happy New Year 2023! Im sorry late reply. May I know what is the green bottle with the word Tea, you use to wipe the powder case? Thank you.

@@gomosh6967 Happy New Year! No worries, its a Teatree oil facial cleanser from a store called TheBodyShop, but any soap/facial cleanser/makeup remover would work as long as it cuts through oils.

@@mossandsilk1330 Hi there, okie! Thank you once again. From: Singapore. :)

@@mossandsilk1330 Hi, I have some other question to ask need your help, may I have your email address please? Thank you. :)

Hi, thanks for your comment. I have plenty of teacups that I found for cheap in a thrift shop and I like to use them for everything. Plus I thought my veiwer's might appreciate how pretty they are. My advice is if you have something you love like these teacups, use them as much as you can; dont hide them away for good occasions because we deserve to enjoy them while we are here. Have an awesome day!

i think it said 1910 at the beginning of the video. 😊

This one is an early 1900's compact, made around 1910 according to the vintage re-seller I purchased it from. Hard to tell for sure but it was a lot of fun to work on!

@@mossandsilk1330 No, it's from the 1950's.

​@@dclaet1135 do you happen to know the brand name? I just bought a similar looking one and would love to know! It says "Paris made in France" on the lid

Hi! I just used whatever I had on hand that I knew was safe for skin but also takes off makeup. In this case it was Teatree facewash from The Bodyshop.

​@@mossandsilk1330 thank you 😁 I have 3 compacts that I wanted to clean for a while but I was scared that I'll damage them. Thank you for doing this video, it's very helpful 🌻

Thanks for the suggestion! I like to try stuff, I'll be the first to admit I don't know everything so I'm happy to hear about others people's experiences. I'll look that up. Have a nice day!

hello! thanks for your comment. I personally chose to make new ones because the thought of the over 100 year old screen and puff touching my face made my skin crawl. I tried anyways just to see but they disintegrated. I cut the footage out because the video was a bit long.