Makeup Organization

Full-Disclosure Makeup Analysis

This may sound like a painful exercise, but it's guaranteed to simplify your makeup wardrobe. It will also keep you from spending money on things you already own or repeating the common mistake of buying products that you never use.

Gather up all the makeup products - your essentials from the bathroom cabinet or vaity table, your ancillary items stuck in various tote bags and pocketbooks, coat and jacket pockets, and from the glove compartment. Dump everything together and arrange like products together.

• Toss anything that you've had for two years or longer.
• Smell everything. Toss anything that has a funny or musty odour.
• Toss anything that's chipped, messy, or runny.
• Throw out brushes that are falling apart and puffs and sponges that are dirty or falling apart.
• Check to see if any liquids have separated. If so, dispose of them.
• Throw out anything that you have not touched in the past six months - even that perfect red lipstick you've been saving. If you haven't found an occasion to wear it now, you probably won't ever.
• Edit out any colours that are just plain ugly or garish.
• Throw out any colours that are pasty or dull-looking - shades that don't do anything for your skin tone.
• Weed out makeup that has a strong shimmer or frost.

Expiration Dates

One of the most objective ways of clearing excess products out of your life is to toss anything that's been open to the air too long to still be safe, clean, or effective. Below are some rule-of-thumb life spans for products once they've been opened.

• Cream cleanser: 1 year
• Face Cream / moisturizer: 2 years
• Eye Cream: 6 months
  
• Foundation, oil-based: 2 years
• Foundation, water-based: 1.5 year
• Concealer: 2 years
  
• Gel cleanser: 1 year
• Lipstick: 1.5 to 2 years
• Mascara: 6 months
• Eyeliner: 2 years, but sharpen pencils frequently
• Lip Pencil: 2 years, but sharpen pencils frequently
  
• Liquid eyeliner: 6 months
  
• Powder: 2 years
• Cream blush/bronzer: 2 year
• Powder Blush: 2 years
  
• Eye Shadows: 2 years
• Sunscreen: 2 years
  
• Brushes wash every 2-3 months
• Sponges wash weekly and discard monthly