Makeup is something that most of us reach for almost every day but when was the last time that you sorted through yours? Organising your makeup bag may not be at the top of your to-do list but I promise you, it’s often the little things that make a big difference.
10 Steps To Organising Your Makeup Bag
1. Declutter. Take everything out of the bag (preferably not straight on to the carpet, we all know what those stains are like to remove)! Discard anything that has dried up/ run out or is no longer in date (more on this next).
2. Take note of expiry dates. Beauty, makeup and toiletry products will often have a 6, 12 or 18-month expiry date once opened. Mascara, in particular, can harbour bacteria which can cause infections or skin irritations. Admittedly, this doesn’t always occur and I admit to using my discretion when it comes to some of my own products, nail varnishes for example. What is more likely is the degradation of the active ingredients over time. This is particularly true of products containing ingredients such as Vitamin C, retinol and glycolic acid. To avoid making unnecessary purchases and wastage, do your research before you buy a product or try it in-store and ask yourself questions like- is it right for me, will it suit me, am I likely to use it more than a handful of times? These products are expensive so make sure to use up the products that you have before buying more.
3. Donate to a friend. If you have an item that is in good quality/ unused but doesn’t suit you, why not donate it to a friend?
4. Donate unopened products to the Wigs for Heroes Charity. It’s such a lovely charity that supports those who are undergoing cancer treatment or have recently gone through it. They gift pamper bags containing items such as face masks, nail varnishes, body creams and bath bombs. Items can be posted to- FAO: Wigs for Heroes, N and N Signs Ltd, 65A East Barnet Road, New Barnet, Hertfordshire EN4 8RN.
5. Give your make up bag a good wash! Despite all of your best efforts, they can quickly become stained and dirty. Don’t forget to give your products a wipe down and your brushes a clean too. I always opt for makeup bags that can easily be popped in the washing machine.
6. If you haven’t already, create an everyday make-up bag. There’s no need to lug everything around with you. Choose a little bag that just holds the essentials to enable you to refresh your makeup up throughout the day. You will probably find you don’t need to carry more than an eyeliner, concealer, a foundation, lipstick and a couple of brushes with you.
7. Consider buying products that have numerous uses like a CC cream. They can save a huge amount of room in your everyday makeup bag.
8. Consider the seasons. If you are someone who changes their makeup seasonally, set a reminder to do this quarterly. It’s the perfect opportunity to make sure that you aren’t carrying around items that you aren’t using regularly.
9. Don’t forget your brushes! I would recommend keeping them in a pouch can help to keep them clean and prevent the bristles from becoming distorted, particularly if you carry a few around with you.
10. Beware of duplicates. Do you carry a compact mirror with you when there’s already one in your compact?
I hope you have found this blog post useful and if you have any other tips for organising your makeup bag, I would love to hear them! Read more of my blog posts about decluttering and organisation.