6 Ways To Spring Clean Your Makeup Bag
Spring cleaning isn't just about throwing out old clothes and clutter, or reevaluating relationships, it's about the smaller, practical things too, like your makeup bag.
Spring cleaning your makeup bag won't just help you get rid of old makeup, it'll give you a chance to experiment with new looks and alternative cosmetics you may not have considered using before.
Reinvention is always sexy, so this is your chance to create a fresh new you and stay ahead of the beauty pack.
1. Keep it simple
Look in your makeup bag and take out everything in it, then group the items according to use.
How many eyeliners do you have?
How many lipsticks?
How many eyeshadows?
Do you really need them all?
Sure, there may be different color palettes you like to keep for work and going out, but seriously, some of the stuff in your bag you probably didn't even remember you had.
Keep things simple with a couple of lipsticks, eyeshadows, mascara etc. You can even make two makeup bags: one for daytime and one for evening when you're going out.
And don't forget, you can blend colors to make new ones, so use your two lipsticks to make a third color, and the same with eyeshadows and blush.
Think about it - you'll be spending less and space saving at the same time.
2. Keep it clean
This might sound strange, but you have to treat your makeup in the same way you'd treat food.
You wouldn't handle fruit and veggies with dirty hands, or leave milk out. It's the same with your makeup.
Many women use their fingers to apply blush, foundation and lip color, so make sure your hands are clean.
Makeup and powder can leak and stain the inside of your makeup bag, which creates a breeding ground for bacteria if it isn't cleaned up.
Always make sure your makeup bag is clean and that your containers are sealed to prevent leakage.
Simply wiping out your bag with a cleansing cloth once a week is all you need to stay on top of your makeup maintenance, or simply throw it into the washing machine.
With makeup sponges and brushes, wash them weekly in a mixture of baby shampoo and warm water.
Brushes, especially, are notorious for spreading germs, so you have to make sure they're as clean as they can be.
3. If in doubt, throw it out
Also like food, cosmetics have sell-by dates. Mascaras, eyeliners etc, they often contain organic ingredients, pigments and chemicals which react to oxygen and will deteriorate over time.
There are basic rules for how long you should keep certain makeup items:
Up to 3 months - mascara, eyeliner, eyeshadow, face creams
Up to 1 year - foundation, sunscreen, lipsticks, nail lacquer
Up to 2 years - face oils, loose powder
This rule isn't set in stone, but do keep an eye on your products and be honest about whether they're as effective after 6 months, as they were when you bought them.
A handy tip: where possible, keep lipsticks and nail lacquers in a separate shelf in your fridge.
This makes them last much longer and you'll find the colors more vibrant, too.
Even if your products are still 'healthy,' if you haven't actually used them for months, then you have to ask yourself if you really need them in the first place.
Just like clothes, if you haven't 'worn' that mascara for six months, throw it away!
4. Choose makeup that can multitask
You're a busy person, so you need a makeup bag free from clutter and easy to carry around.
These days, there are some brilliant makeup items which can do more than one job.
Cream blushers are fantastic for using as lipstick and eyeshadows.
A brown eyeliner is a great addition to your bag as it doubles up as an eyeshadow and/or eyebrow pencil.
It can also add a sexy beauty spot or freckles if you want that real Spring look.
Dark-colored lipsticks like wine, burgundy and brown will also double up as blusher and a creamy eyeshadow.
If you have loose powder in your makeup bag, brush some on your lashes before applying mascara - it will make lashes look much thicker and will last all night without smudging.
5. Be adventurous
Spring cleaning your makeup bag is the perfect time to try something new.
Try a more sultry wine-colored shade instead and notice how much sexier you feel.
Always wanted smoky eyes but never sure how to do it?
Check out some YouTube videos about applying makeup then treat yourself to a sultry, smoky eyeshadow trio for your new makeup bag.
Even changing your eyeliner by one subtle shade can change your entire look. Use your spring cleaning to go completely out with the old and in with a brand new you.
6. Keep an organized back-up
You can't keep everything in your makeup bag, but that's no excuse to just fling everything else into a drawer to collect dust and, worse, bacteria.
Invest in an organizer, either a clear acrylic drawer organizer in which you can easily see everything, or a fabric hanging organizer that you can hang under the vanity or inside the closet door.
Being able to see all your other products means you're more likely to use them, especially as not everything is small enough to fit in your makeup bag (big jar of coconut oil, anyone?)
