4 ways to declutter your beauty cupboard

The solutions for a neat and tidy space

Beauty Crew Beauty Editor / May 25 2017

Battling with an overflowing beauty cabinet is never fun, so we’re taking a leaf out of Marie Kondo’s best-selling book, ‘The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up’, and applying it to our beauty belongings. The rule to live by? Start by throwing out things you don’t need, then organise your space thoroughly. Here’s how…

#1 / Check the date

Like food, your beauty products don’t last forever, and therefore it’s vital to keep track of when you open new products and when to throw them out. Most products should have a number and letter etched or stamped into the packaging to indicate how long you can use it for - just like a use by date. For reference, M means month, Y means year, and the number represents how many of those to adhere to (so 12M means that the product can last up to 12 months after it has been opened).

As a general rule of thumb, mascara can last three months after opening, foundation is around six to twelve months (or when the formula starts to separate into layers), and lipstick is around two years.

#2 / Try a multi-tasker

Instead of loading up your shower caddy and cabinet with several lotions and potions, try a multi-purpose formula that can cleanse and moisturise your skin in one. Cetaphil’s Gentle Skin Cleanser is designed with that in mind, and can even be used without water to remove makeup. Plus, the pH-balanced and fragrance-free formula means that it’s suitable for all skin types.

 

TOP TIP: To use your Cetaphil cleanser as a makeup remover, just dispense about half a pump onto a cotton pad, and swipe it straight onto your face.

#3 / Go for sample sizes

Next time you’re keen to try a new skin care, makeup or hair product, see if there’s are mini-sized version you can purchase or try. Not only can you see how the product works before investing in the full-sized version, but they’re much cheaper and smaller, therefore taking up less space in your cupboard.

TOP TIP: Most makeup counters offer take-home sachets or are able to decant some product into a small jar for you to take home to try.

#4 / Combine your products

Having several makeup products floating around your cupboard can prove to be headache-inducing (especially when they come tumbling out when you open the door), so try to consolidate your makeup collection by depotting products and adding them to multi-pan palette. Brands like Bobbi Brown and MAC offer handy solutions perfect for this occasion (all you have to do is pop single blush colours out of its packaging and add them to a bigger palette), or try Revlon’s new Eyes + Cheeks + Lips that offers 11 colours in one handy compact.

Iantha is BEAUTYcrew's Beauty Editor, and has been part of the team since the site launched in 2016. Besides pinky-nude nail polish and wispy false lashes, she has a healthy obsession with face masks and skin care ingredients. Her previous work can be found in Virgin Australia Voyeur, Women's Health, and SHOP Til You Drop.

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