Organize Your Beauty Buys

This is my first post of the new year and I’m really excited for what 2013 will bring to me! One of the things I’ve learned about myself that I must take into this new year is that staying organized is the key to my own happiness. I have decided to make myself a weekly schedule to keep my beauty tools neat and easily accessible.

As an artist, I own so many beauty products that it’s easy for me to start tearing through my own cosmetic kits and just making a complete MESS of things! Spilled pigment containers, lip and eye pencil shavings, dripping foundation bottles, and powders that magically “puff and poof” all over everything drive me insane. If you have acquired quite a few makeup items, then you may want to check out my list of “do’s” for the new year:

1. Organize by products, so that all lipsticks are together, all eye shadows are together, etc.

 2. Color-code your products from lightest to dark or in reverse. This helps when you are looking for something specific. 

3. Create mini-kits that contain essentials so that you don’t have to lug around or rifle through a huge train-case of makeup. I buy makeup pouches and plastic containers to store items.

4. Use Ziploc baggies for cotton swabs and puffs. 

5. Purchase containers to hold your brushes. I bought a nice one from Marshall’s in the home section (I’m a Beauty Budget Babe)!

6. Sanitize your lipsticks, glosses, shadows, creams, pencils, and powders, packaging included. I spray rubbing alcohol on all recently used products and wipe them with a tissue or soft cloth. Then I wipe down all the containers with sanitizing wipes to remove smudged kohl pencil remnants, foundation, glosses, and shadows that may have spilled. 

7. Toss old makeup. If the makeup smells funky, the liquid products have separated into an oily mess, or the colors have literally changed into something unrecognizable, it’s time to practice your 3 point shots. TRASHCAN!

8. Unflattering makeup has no place in your life. If it didn’t look cute on you the first time you wore it, you still won’t look cute today. TRASHCAN!

9. Do not buy things just because they are pretty! Stores make beauty products look extra appealing so that you will buy, buy, buy. If you have already have 10,0000 red lipsticks, do you really need another one? 

10. Keep your tools clean. I cannot stress the importance of keeping tweezers, sharpeners, brushes, eye lash curlers, and other tools clean. Dirty tools mean a dirty face.  It’s not a good idea to walk around with a face full of makeup (and bacteria). That’s not cute. Ever.