If you’re a makeup addict like me, your bathroom counter must be spilling over with far too many products: lipsticks, eyeshadows, shimmer and bronzer, makeup brushes, foundation… Half your makeup routine is spent rummaging through your collection for the pink lipstick you know you have (somewhere), or frantically trying to remember where you put your favorite Nars Blush in Orgasm.
Here are tips on how to organize your makeup so you can find products easily (and prevent those messy, and expensive, spills!)
Take inventory
Check your stash to see if your makeup needs to be thrown away. In general it’s best to throw away mascara after 3 months, lipstick and foundation after one year, and eyeshadow after two years. Read this article on how to check if your makeup has expired.
Sort your makeup
What’s your everyday makeup and what are the ones you use for special occasions? For example, I have a makeup bag where I put the colors I usually use for work, including my ‘lazy day’ palette of tinted moisturizer,concealer and cream blush that I can swipe on in two minutes and be ready to go. (Read more tips on makeup for busy women.) Shimmery, sparkly eyeshadows that I usually reserve for evening parties go into another box.
Get small containers
It’s annoying and time consuming to wade through a big box to find one small eyeliner pencil. If you store makeup in your drawer, use a cutlery tray to keep small items neatly organized (for example, all eye products like mascara and eyeliner in one section, and lip pencils and lip crayons in another).
Store brushes properly
I have a brush bag for my complete set of makeup brushes, but it can be a hassle to get it out just to get a foundation brush. So I keep the frequently used brushes within easy access, like in an old jar or mug, which I keep in front of the mirror. That way, I can also clean the brushes regularly—since they’re within easy reach, I can give them a quick swish after brushing my teeth or waiting for a mudmask to dry, etc.
Get a caddy
Keep a caddy for nail polish and other manicure and pedicure tools.
Photo from glamorizedskin.com