We’ve all done it. The men in our lives nag us about it. The vanity, toilet tank, countertop, medicine cabinets, cupboards, drawers, and bath tub rim…covered with beauty products. “I only use my favourite moisturizer, but I still have seven different ones within reach, just in case!”
Tired of knocking over bottles with your hair-dryer cord every morning and want to simplify your routine at night? How on earth are you to make room for beautiful new products when you can’t even find what you already have? Worry no more: here are LUX’s tried and true methods for sorting out that stash and refreshing it just in time for spring.
It’s easy, we promise.
First step, use that sniffer. Throw out anything that smells like playdoh, rancid oil or just seems off. Products contain ingredients that have an shelf life, just like the groceries in your pantry. Be especially aware with 100% natural products, they tend to be their best for about 6 months. Formulas can also separate or change over time – if it doesn’t look like when you bought it, it might be time for the bin.
Watch products containing SPF carefully. These products will have a finite expiration date on the bottle. After this point, even if it looks and smells okay, the ingredients that protect your skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays will not be effective. As a rule of thumb, if it has been more than a year, it’s time to go.
Make-up comes in close contact with our faces everyday which does mean germs and bacteria. Tubed products such as lip glosses and mascaras get lots of that introduced on a daily basis and grows over time. Even if the formula is still good, best to toss after a year for sanitation sake.
Now it’s time to get organized! Clear off the counters and wipe them down and scrub off all the makeup dust and dried gunk. Sort products by type and keep your everyday routine products on the counter, and put the rest can go into your drawers. If you want to mix it up, rotate the products that stay on your countertop each month BUT you have to put last months faves back in the drawer. Consider having designated areas for categories, such as a spot for facial products, hair stuff, and makeup. If products start to migrate out of their sections it is time to re-sort.
Remember to wash your makeup brushes (at the very least) weekly using a gentle shampoo and lay flat to dry. Handles that are falling out of the ferrule (metal part) can be reattached with super glue. If they are beyond repair, take inventory and come check out our awesome selection of Sigma and Kevyn Aucoin brushes.
Check your nail polishes. If the colour has faded, changed or seriously separated it isn’t going to apply properly. Consider swapping your aged drugstore collection with quality 5-free lines like Deborah Lippmann and Butter London. Say no to the absorption of formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, camphor, toluene or dibutyl phthalate through your nail beds.
Dive into the cave of wonders. Clear out your drawers and boxes of makeup and beauty products, wipe them down and organize things by how and when you use them. Keep daily favorites close by and special occasion products can be tucked further back. We use different products between summer and winter so make seasonal boxes that rotate with the calendar. It’s almost time to bust out the summer goodies – full of bronzing and glowing faves!
Have some fresh and barely used products that just didn’t work for you? Round up your gal pals and have a make-up swap! Perfumes and polishes are easy to share but other make-up can be passed along too if properly sanitized. Powders only need to be wiped off with a clean cloth to remove the top layer. Cream or gel pots need just a spritz of alcohol and wiped. Pencils can simply be sharpened. Lipsticks can be dipped in alcohol and wiped dry. The only things we don’t recommend sharing are eye products such as liquid liners and mascaras or wand-applied lip products.
When you’re finished you need to reward yourself for all that hard work! Stock up on replacements for your faves or venture into something totally new like new brand Rouge Bunny Rouge.