How to Spring Clean and Organize Your Makeup Like a Pro
Quiz time! Please answer the following questions honestly:
Is your makeup bag a mess? Yes/ No
Have you ever had to jam your bathroom drawer shut because it was filled to the brim? Yes/ No
Is that lipstick you loved in 2006 still around? Yes/ No
Have you ever considered just throwing out all your makeup because you feel overwhelmed by it? Yes/ No
If you answered "Yes" to any of the above questions, then it's time to get it together, woman. I know you probably cringe when you hear spring-cleaning rhetoric, so I'm sorry, but now is the time for you to get your (beauty product) life together.
To ease your cleaning anxiety, here are some of the makeup organizing tips Raychel Wade, New York City makeup artist, and Justin Klosky of The O.C.D. Experience (Organize and Create Discipline) shared with me:
Tip 1: Evaluate the situation
In order to tackle any organization project without getting overwhelmed, you need to start by assessing the situation. "Pile all your makeup in one spot, to assess how much you actually own," says Wade. Cover your kitchen table with a trash bag and place everything out on it -- that way you can see everything clearly, she advises.
Tip 2: Divvy it up
Next, "divide everything into categories: lips, eyes, foundations, etc. That way, off the bat, you can see how many like items you own that you probably don't even realize," she says. To find the best foundation for you, click here.
Then, grab the trash bin. "Within each sub-pile, instantly [throw away] any item that you haven't worn in over 8-12 months. If you haven't worn it yet, chances are you're not going to ever," Wade continues, and it likely has bacteria. To be safe, find out the expiration date for all your beauty products here.
Next, toss "anything that is shattered or missing tops," says Klosky. We know you think you will salvage these items and use them to their battered bits, but don't, he continues. "Any broken powders or blushes will spill in your makeup bags and you will spend more time cleaning them than actually applying the product," he warns. The only exception Klosky gives is "eyeliners without lids -- as long as they are kept in a small brush bag or a plastic baggie."
Tip 3: Separate your brushes
Now tackle the brushes. "Most likely you have brushes that are snarled, knotted or frayed. Toss them," says Wade. "Brushes should always be stored in a separate makeup bag or pouch (whether you travel with them or leave them at home). These are the tools of the trade and so they should be treated with TLC," she continues. (See the only makeup brushes you actually need here.)
If you store brushes at home, "keep them upright in a container or invest in a brush roll like the pros," says Wade. Also, never neglect to clean them. Wade recommends aiming to clean brushes once a week with warm water and shampoo, then laying them out overnight to dry.
Tip 4: Keep it in a drawer
When it comes to organizing your at-home makeup stash, Klosky recommends keeping your now categorized makeup in a clear drawer organizer, which you can find at the Container Store or a beauty supply store. Keeping makeup in a drawer and not out on the counter where it is exposed to sunlight and steam will also ensure the life of your products. In the drawer, "you will be able to keep like products together and the clear plastic of the organizer will show any powdery residue that needs to be cleaned," he says. For some keep-it-clean inspiration, Klosky says to "put a cheerful patterned drawer liner" beneath it as "you will subconsciously want to keep the drawer looking nice."
Tip 5: Try not to stack
Stacking eyeshadows and blushes on top of each other so that you have to dig is a surefire way to annoy yourself and make you late for work. Instead, lay them flat when you can and for storing items that do not have a clean or clear top lid, "store them upside down," says Klosky, that way "you can read the label and know what color you're grabbing."
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