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Diy Altoid Tin Makeup Kit - How I Turn Tiny Tins Into Sweet

★★★★★ 4.7 · 65

Wren Halloway03.08.2026JUMP TO TUTORIAL

I started making these to corral the lip balms rattling around my purse, and now I can't stop — there's something so satisfying about a tiny tin that shuts with a click. This altoid tin makeup kit project uses scrapbook paper scraps, a mirror sticker, and whatever pearls and ribbon I've got in my button jar. Grab a cup of coffee, friend, because once you make one, you'll want a whole row of them.

Gathering My Tiny Tin Toolkit

Flat lay of altoid tin makeup kit supplies including mini tins, scrapbook paper, and craft glue

Every good tin starts with an empty mint tin — mine measure about 9.5 x 6 cm, roughly the size of a well-worn Altoid box, which is exactly the point. I lay everything out before I glue a single thing, because I learned the hard way (three glued-shut lids later) that rushing this stage costs you time later.

Decorative paper: scrapbook scraps cut slightly smaller than the inner base, about 8.9 x 5.4 cm
Mirror sticker: 3.5–4 cm round, for the lid
Flat-back pearls or gems, ribbon or trim in whatever pattern makes you happy
Craft glue, scissors, a craft knife, ruler, and pencil

I also set aside little fillers — lip balm, hair ties, a ring — so I know right away what each tin needs to hold.

Getting the Measurements Right (Millimeters Matter)

Measuring the inside of an altoid tin makeup kit base and lid with a metal ruler and pencil

This is the step my design-brain insists on, and it's the one beginners skip. Open the tin and measure the inside of the base and lid separately — mine came out around 8.9 x 5.4 cm — then subtract 1–2 mm from each measurement so your paper fits with a little breathing room instead of buckling at the edges.

Why the extra millimeter matters

Paper that's cut exactly to size will crinkle the second humidity or glue swells it even slightly. That tiny clearance is the difference between a liner that lies flat and one that pokes up at the corners for the rest of its life.

A metal ruler and a sharp pencil will save you more headaches than any fancy tool in your craft drawer.

Round the corners to match the tin's shape, and always double-check by holding the blank template inside before you cut your pretty paper.

Tracing and Cutting the Paper Liners

Tracing and cutting floral paper liners to fit an altoid tin makeup kit base and lid

Here's where eight years of picking color palettes for a stationery company finally pays off in my own craft room. I trace both the base and lid shapes onto the back of the paper, non-pattern side up, so pencil marks don't show through the florals and gingham.

Trim each piece 1–2 mm smaller than your measured template
Use scissors for the gentle curves, a craft knife and ruler for crisp straight edges
Round the corners to match the tin
Test-fit both pieces before committing to glue

I cut one insert for the base and one for the lid every time — no exceptions, even when I'm tempted to eyeball it after my third tin of the afternoon.

Gluing the Liners Without the Mess

Gluing patterned paper liners inside an altoid tin makeup kit base for a polished finish

Squeeze-out glue along the edges is the number-one thing that makes a handmade tin look, well, handmade in the wrong way. I apply a thin, even coat of craft glue across the metal, place the paper before it starts to set, then press from the center outward with my fingertip to chase out any air bubbles.

Wipe any excess glue from the edges immediately with a damp fingertip or cotton swab
Let it dry 5–10 minutes for the best hold before moving to the next tin
Don't rush — I know it's tempting when you've got five tins lined up on the table

The before-and-after is honestly my favorite part of this whole project: plain metal one minute, tiny floral or gingham world the next.

Adding the Mirror Sticker

Centering a round mirror sticker inside the lid of a decorated altoid tin makeup kit

This little step makes the whole kit feel finished, almost professional. Peel the backing off the mirror sticker, position it in the center of the lid, and press firmly for 10–15 seconds — long enough to hum half a song, which is how I time most things in my craft room.

Centering trick: lightly pencil in a horizontal and vertical guideline before you decorated the lid, so you know exactly where the middle is once the paper's already down. Leave a small border of paper visible around the mirror's edge for a framed look, and always close the tin afterward to make sure the lid still shuts smoothly.

If you want extra sparkle, this is also the moment to tuck pearls or trim around the border — just keep touching only the backing side of the mirror, never the sticky face.

Trimming It Out With Bows, Pearls, and Lace

Adding pearls, bows, and lace trim to decorate an altoid tin makeup kit lid

This is the step that turns a plain little tin into something you'd actually want sitting on your dresser. I plan where each embellishment goes before any glue comes out — bows and lace along the lid border or corners, pearls placed one by one with tweezers for precision.

Use tiny dots of glue, not lines, to avoid bulky bumps that keep the lid from closing flush
Stay clear of the hinge and keep the latch area unobstructed — I learned this the annoying way on a tin that wouldn't open smoothly for a week
Keep everything flat to the surface so the lid still shuts easily

Let each piece set fully before you close the lid on it — a smudged bow is a heartbreaking thing after all that careful measuring.

Filling Each Tin With Purpose

Filling a finished altoid tin makeup kit with lip balm, bobby pins, and small jewelry

Now for the genuinely fun part: deciding what each tin gets to hold. I sort by size and weight — a beauty tin gets lip balm and a rollerball perfume, a hair accessory tin gets scrunchies and clips grouped together, and jewelry gets laid flat so earrings don't bend.

A few rules I follow every time

Never overfill — leave a sliver of space for the lid to close without straining the hinge
Avoid sharp or loose items that could scratch the paper liner or the mirror
Keep medicine in its original packaging if a tin becomes a pill-and-remedies kit
Add a small label if you're making several so you can find things fast

Test-close every tin before you call it done — if it doesn't shut cleanly, remove a piece or two rather than forcing the hinge.

The Finished Mini Tin Makeup Kits

Eight finished altoid tin makeup kit organizers styled together on a craft table

Lined up together, all those little tins look like a tiny quilt — hearts, gingham, florals, polka dots, each with its own mirror or bow. Before I call any of them finished, I run through my own checklist: measured, cut, glued, decorated, filled.

Let everything dry fully before use, especially the mirror sticker edges
Seal paper edges if you want extra durability for a tin that'll live in a purse
Replace the mirror if it ever gets scratched — they're cheap and easy to swap
Clean with a dry cloth to keep the outside looking fresh

These make wonderful gifts, travel kits, or just a sweet little upgrade to the mint tin that's already living in the bottom of your bag.

Why I Keep a Basket of These Tins by My Coffee Cup

Staged step photos are helpful, but they never show the actual chaos of my kitchen table on a Tuesday morning, coffee going cold while Mochi eyes the yarn basket from across the room. I wanted to show you what making a whole batch of these altoid tin makeup kits really looks like at my house, mess and all, because that's the version that makes you feel like you can do this too.

Woman arranging altoid tin makeup kit supplies and paper scraps on a craft table with coffee

This is my actual starting spread, not a styled flat lay — coffee mug included, because nothing gets glued before that first sip. I always lay out more paper scraps than I think I'll need since I inevitably change my mind about a pattern halfway through.

Hands testing the fit of an altoid tin makeup kit lid and base before adding paper liners

Fitting the lid and base together before decorating is a habit I picked up after gluing a liner into the wrong half of a tin more than once. It only takes a second and it saves you from redoing a step you already loved.

Overhead view of hands tracing paper liner templates for an altoid tin makeup kit

I trace with the paper resting on a folder, not directly on my table, because pencil marks have a way of transferring to wood finishes I actually like. This overhead angle is also exactly how I check my patterns are lining up before cutting.

Applying a thin swirl of glue inside an altoid tin makeup kit base with a cotton swab

You can see the glue swirl I spread with a cotton swab here — it's a trick I use to keep the coat thin and even instead of squeezing a blob straight from the tube. My mug of coffee has definitely gone cold by this point every single time.

Positioning a mirror sticker inside the lid of an altoid tin makeup kit by hand

Placing the mirror sticker is a two-hand job, honestly — one hand holds the tin steady while the other lines things up, because my table isn't perfectly level and things slide. The crocheted yarn basket behind me is where half my WIPs live, for the record.

Adding pearls and a bow to an altoid tin makeup kit while several tins sit open on a table

This is the stage where I get genuinely absorbed — tweezing tiny pearls into place while a half-finished mug of coffee goes ignored on the table. I always decorate three or four tins at once so the glue has time to set on each before I add the next layer.

Sorting jewelry, hair ties, and bobby pins to fill several altoid tin makeup kit organizers

This is my favorite moment in the whole process — laying out earrings, scrunchies, bobby pins, and pills to decide which tin earns which job. Grouping by color even though it's not required just makes the whole table look happier.

Nine finished altoid tin makeup kit organizers arranged together in different patterns

Here's the real payoff: nine tins in different patterns, all made from the same basic steps but each one completely its own. I keep a couple of these in my bag right now, and one lives permanently on my nightstand for bobby pins.

Wrapping Up

There's a small, satisfying kind of magic in turning something that used to hold mints into something that now holds your favorite lip balm or your grandmother's pearl earrings. Make one, then make five — they're the kind of project that's just as fun the tenth time as the first. Happy stitching, Wren

Hi! I'm Wren

Hi, I'm Wren — welcome to my cozy corner of the internet! I'm Wren Halloway: crocheter, amigurumi enthusiast, recovering perfectionist, and the…

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need an actual empty Altoid tin, or will any mint tin work?

Any small metal hinged tin around 9.5 x 6 cm works beautifully — I've used mint tins, lip balm tins, even a few thrifted vintage ones. What matters is that it opens flat and has a sturdy hinge.

What if my paper liner keeps buckling instead of lying flat?

That usually means it was cut too close to the exact measurement. Trim another 1–2 mm off all around, apply a thinner coat of glue, and press from the center outward rather than the edges.

Can I skip the mirror sticker?

Absolutely — it's a lovely touch for a beauty or jewelry tin, but for a pill or hair-accessory tin, I usually leave it off and add extra pearls or trim instead.

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