Spring Clean Your Makeup!
Every year when spring rolls around, I get a fresh wave of motivation to give the whole house a proper clear-out – and yes, that includes the Beauty Room. At home, I’m lucky enough to have a space at home dedicated to all things beauty: makeup, skincare, hair products, perfume – you name it. It’s a complete joy and I’m so grateful to work with such brilliant brands who send over the most amazing PR packages. But let me tell you, keeping everything organised, tested, and in-date is a full-time job in itself!
I’ll admit, I can be a bit of a makeup hoarder (hands up if you’re the same!). I still have some OG Benefit bits (RIP to Miss Popularity, 10, Moon Beam… ) that I’d never actually use now, but I can’t bring myself to throw them away for nostalgia’s sake. Thankfully, I’ve got the wonderful Dawny to help keep me on track – and today we’re sharing our go-to solutions for spring cleaning your beauty space, no matter how big or small.
Before I had a dedicated room, these were my absolute go-to – and I still love them! The clear, stackable drawers from Muji are perfect for makeup: easy to wipe clean and, best of all, see-through, so you can actually see what you’ve got. No more forgetting about that lipstick you bought six months ago!
Inside my drawers, I use simple lipstick organisers to stop the chaos of tubes rolling around everywhere. For those that don’t have the shade name on the bottom, I swatch a tiny dot onto a sticker and laminate it – yes, really – so I can instantly see the colour.
This is amazing for anyone that is trying to save some space. Honestly, pallets are often so beautiful but take up so much space. So with this, you can basically decant an eyeshadows, blushers, etc. into this and it saves SO much space. This is a game changer for makeup artists and the best product of this kind that I’ve ever tried.
Okay, if you’re not an eyeshadow girlie, this is the one for decanting lipsticks. I know it sounds dramatic to cut up your favourite lippies, but it’s such a brilliant way to organise by shade and tone. My favourite containers are Vueset as they’re compact – meaning I can really stock my kit full of shades.
If you’re on a budget – or like me, trying to stick to a shopping ban – you don’t need to buy loads of new storage. One of the reasons we made our Velvet Smoke candle jars so beautiful is so they could be reused! I love using them to store brushes, lipliners, mascaras… honestly, everything. I even use them for my coffee! So, when your favourite candle burns out: don’t you dare throw it away!
LABELS, LABELS, LABELS
My Dymo label maker brings me so much joy. If I can label it, I will. It’s a game changer –especially if your drawers hide your products away.
Bonus tip: use your label maker to mark expiration dates or product categories to make your beauty storage even easier to navigate.
Let’s talk expired products…
I’m writing this for myself as much as you guys. It’s time for a bit of tough love: throw away the expired stuff. Right now. Most products have a little open pot symbol on the back (6M, 12M, etc.) that tells you how many months the product is good for after opening.If you haven’t used it by then, it’s got to go. This is especially important for hygiene reasons. Seriously – if you’ve never had a stye, don’t let that crusty mascara be your first.
And here’s a mindset shift: stop saving your “special” things. Use the bath salts. Light the candle. Wear the bold lipstick on a Tuesday. Life’s too short.
Clean. Your. Tools.
Right, when did you last clean your makeup brushes? Be honest. I’ve done an entire blog post on this but as a quick reminder, use a gentle brush cleanser and a silicone cleaning pad to get the grime out properly. You can use baby shampoo but be careful—some residues can irritate the skin. My favourite products for cleaning my brushes are:
This is my absolute favourite, tried and tested brush cleanser. As a makeup artist, I legitimately use this multiple times a week so trust me when I tell you this baby works.
Don’t forget your makeup sponge. This product designed by Beautyblender is the only product you need. Please stop putting them in the washing machine – it will break down the materials so much faster than using this!
And finally, my cleansing mat. This bad boy suctions to your skin which makes the process so much easier. I love this one as it features seven textures which is perfect for all different shapes of brush.
Whilst we’re talking about cleaning, it’s also time to throw your makeup bags into the washing machine. They get grubby so quickly and that bacteria is not what you want near your face. My current obsession are the Lenor Unstoppables – particularly the Outdoorable scent. Just throw these in with your fave washing powder and everything comes out smelling incredible.
Ok guys, final recommendation… I’ve told you how to store and clean your brushes properly, but let’s be real guys some brushes are beyond help. Why not treat yourself to a new set? You’ve heard me talk about them before, but MyKitCo are the ultimate brushes. This set is perfect to get you started.
Me and Dawny honestly get such a kick out of seeing how you organise your beauty spaces – so please share your tips in the comments or DM me on Instagram!
Love,
Lisa xx
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