How To : Organize Your Cosmetics Collection

With the new year fast approaching you might want overhaul your makeup collection. I’m sure over the past year you’ve collected or accumulated lots of products and they’re taking up valuable space. Get a head start by following these tips and tricks to get your cosmetics collection organized.

Images: Container Store

Before you get started, choose an area of your home where you will be able to sit down and “put on your face”.  Ensure that the location you choose will be able to accommodate your whole collection that way you’re not running back and forth from one area to the next.  One of the best places I think is right by a window so you have the benefits of working with natural day light. If you don’t have an area available by a window, choose a place where you have adequate lighting.

1. Throw out old makeup. Before you can start organizing it’s best to sort out your makeup and throw away anything old and unused, especially mascaras or anything liquid (foundations, creams, lotions etc.). Old compacts and containers are breeding grounds for bacteria.

2. Sort your cosmetics by type. Eye shadows with eye shadows, blushes with blushes, skin care products together. You can even go one step further by arranging by shades (from dark to light).

3. Use containers or train cases. A great storage solution are clear containers such as the 3 Drawer Box (Container Store $9.99) or this cool lipstick container ($6.99).

4. If you keep your beauty products in a dressing table drawer, use shallow dividers to keep items separated and in place.

5. Deep clean and sanitize! Wash makeup brushes, toss or replace out old applicators and tools. Keep the area when your makeup will be stored clean and sanitized. Make sure to have cosmetic wipes and hand sanitizers within easy reach.

6.  Sharpen all eye and lip pencils. This is optional of course but it’s one less thing to do when you’re in a hurry. Also, make sure to sanitize your sharpener first prior to doing any sharpening.

7. Set up and organize your makeup brushes. Use colourful cups or do the ever popular glass vases with coloured sand or beads to store your brushes upright. Or if you’d rather not have your brushes on ‘display’, keep them in a travel friendly brush roll.

8. Use palettes. If you’re a MAC Cosmetics fan, you can depot all your eye shadows and store them in the 15 pan eye shadow palettes. You can purchase these at MAC stores and through the website. Doing this will save you a lot of space as well as keep your eye shadows in tact and within easy reach. You can go a step further by arranging your eye shadows by colour within each palette.

Even if you’re not a full on makeup junkie these tips will help you organize any makeup collection from small to department store sized ones.

If you need more tips and tricks, check out this very helpful YouTube video by MakeupByTiffanyD.