When was the last time you sorted through your makeup and got rid of items that are old, unflattering or simply not being used? For most of us, the answer is probably “I don’t even remember!”
This is okay, and totally normal. It’s also why I’m here to gently suggest that you set aside some time to clean out your makeup collection (and educate yourself about makeup expiration dates). And I’ll totally level: This is entirely based on the fact that, last week, I was like, I really need to clean out my makeup, why is that green mascara that was a total disappointment still in my collection?!? So now you know that! Here are a few other helpful tips for your ensuing makeup purge:
How to Sort Through & Then Organize Your Makeup
Any kind of decluttering project can be overwhelming, even one as focused as a makeup purge. If you have a strategy going in, things will be so much easier — so I made one for you that you can use as a guide for how to execute a relatively painless cleaning out of your makeup drawer.
The first thing to do is to take everything out. Everything! For our purposes, we’re going to focus just on makeup, leaving things like nail polish, hair care products and skincare items like lotions and anti-aging creams for another day. Remove all of your makeup from wherever it is that you store it, being sure to check purses, tote bags, bedside table drawers, etc. for stray lipsticks.
Once you’ve taken everything out, group things by kind. This is going to help you make decisions about what to keep and what to toss — if you discover that you have five black eyeliners, only one of which you use regularly, it will be so much easier for you to pitch those four old black eyeliners that you’re not even using.
Repeat that process for all of your makeup, sorting through your eye makeup, lipsticks, foundation, blushes and bronzers, and so on. Throw out anything that’s expired, broken or just not being used. Using a slightly dampened paper towel, wipe down the exterior of the makeup you’re keeping. Curb your generous instincts to pass along barely-used makeup to roommates, friends or little sisters — you can spread bacteria that way!
