Best Tips For Decluttering Your Makeup Collection For A Simpler Life

If you’ve been collecting makeup and beauty products over the years, you probably have a ton of items that you need to get rid of!

Unfortunately, makeup doesn’t last forever, and those expiration dates shouldn’t be ignored.

decluttering your makeup

But besides that, you probably would enjoy opening up your makeup drawer or cabinet and seeing a neatly organized collection of products you actually use. This can be so rewarding, and it makes life much simpler when you only have what you need on hand.

So, how do you declutter all your makeup? Below we will give you all the best tips and tricks on organizing and simplifying your life with the products that matter the most. You’ll be able to toss the items that no longer work for you or get rid of the ones that you forgot you even had!

Let’s get started!

How Do You Declutter Makeup?

The first thing you need to do is get all your makeup out of your drawers, bags, and other hiding spots to see what all you have.

Put everything together on a counter or table so that you can easily see what you have to deal with. This includes the cosmetics tucked away in your purse!

You will want to make three separate piles based on the following categories:

  • Expired Products – Start checking the expiration dates! Anything that already expired needs to go in a separate pile (we’ll talk more about that later on).
  • Never Opened Products – You should also put any unopened products that you have never used in another pile on your table.
  • Open Products – The only remaining items you need to deal with now are unexpired and opened makeup that you’ve previously used or still wear regularly.
Makeup Organizer with Swivel Base
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  • Rotating 360°
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Now is the perfect time to look at each item and decide whether you will use it again. If not, pitch it and move on!

Once you’re done going through all these products, you should only have the ones left that you love to use!

Continue reading to find out when you need to throw your makeup away and how to let go of items you’ve been hanging on to for way too long!

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When Should You Throw Away Makeup?

Many makeup items come with an expiration date, and this will apply to unopened beauty products. Once you have opened your favorite lipstick or mascara, you need to use it within a specific timeframe.

Below are the general guidelines on how long you should keep your open makeup. Once the date has surpassed the recommended lifespan of the makeup, you need to throw it away.

  • Three Months – Mascara and Liquid Eyeliner
  • Six Months – Liquid Foundation and Cream Eyeshadow
  • Two Years – Lipstick, Lip Gloss, Lip liner, Pencil Eyeliners, Face Powder, Primer, Blush, and Powder Eyeshadow

Pro Tip: If the texture or the scent of your makeup doesn’t seem right, toss it!

Does Unopened Makeup Expire?

Technically, expiration dates on makeup are for opened packages and not ones that have remained sealed from the manufacturer.

If you keep your unopened makeup sealed in a dry and cool location, then it is usually safe to store for up to three years.

However, some types of makeup products will spoil sooner, such as one that contains the following ingredients:

  • Oils
  • Butters
  • Creams

Note: Once your makeup is three years old, you need to get rid of it regardless of it still being sealed or unopened.

Any preservatives that were used in making the product will be broken down after this period.

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We should also mention that just because your makeup hasn’t expired yet doesn’t mean you need to keep it until it does. If you don’t plan on wearing some of your makeup products, you need to get rid of them and start the decluttering process.

If it’s unopened and still sealed, you can give it to somebody else who would love to add it to their collection of makeup. The goal is to get rid of whatever makeup doesn’t serve you anymore and make your life simpler by just keeping what you need.

How to Let Go of Old Makeup

If you’ve been hanging on to some of your makeup for a really long time, it’s probably time to let it go! However, we know that isn’t always an easy task!

That bright blue mascara or glittery eye shadow might bring back a lot of memories, and you might be holding onto it because it reminds you of someone or something.

But there comes a time when we all have to let go of our past and be open to new and fresh ideas. So ask yourself the following questions:

  • Will you ever wear this item again? Be realistic; Halloween doesn’t count!
  • Why do you think you need to keep it? The answer might surprise you!
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Once you have your answers to both of these questions, you will probably understand why you need to let it go.

It might not be easy to do, but you got this!

Just remind yourself about why you’re decluttering your makeup collection in the first place and how making these choices now will make your life easier later on.

Other Ways to Downsize Your Makeup Collection

Once you divided your makeup into the three categories listed above, you need to decide whether you will ever use the products that haven’t been opened.

Whether these were gifts or items you bought, you kept them for a reason. Look carefully at each item and imagine when you would use it.

If you can’t imagine using it, give it away to a friend or family member if it’s still sealed or pitch it if it’s been opened.

Many people find it difficult to part ways with expensive makeup products they bought but never used. But, if you don’t see yourself using it, why not give it to somebody who will enjoy it?

This will also help you appreciate the things that you do buy in the future and not spend your hard-earned money on makeup you’ll never open or wear!

Getting Rid of Makeup You Never Use

We all have some makeup that we stash away, thinking that someday we will wear it.

The problem is, someday never comes, and we keep holding onto those cosmetics for no good reason.

You need to make a cosmetic rule and then follow it to the letter.

This rule can be whatever you want it to be, but it must be effective in keeping your makeup collection decluttered.

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Example: If you haven’t worn a makeup product in three to six months, pitch it!

Do You Have Special Makeup You Enjoy Using?

If you like to get out that gold eyeliner, glittery eyeshadow, or something else to wear every year at the holidays or another special occasion, you should be able to do so without regret!

We suggest creating a special makeup bag that can house a few items that you will use once or more throughout the year. But keep in mind, this should only be 1 to 3 makeup items, and they still need to follow the expiration guidelines.

If you have some multi-use products, these can also be put together, so that you can easily find them whenever you want to use them.

What Are The Best Makeup Organizers?

If you want to organize your makeup and declutter all the cosmetics that you haven’t opened or don’t plan on ever wearing, then you need to know the best options for doing so.

Once you have sorted all your makeup and gotten rid of the products that no longer serve you, you’re ready to organize your collection in a way that works best for you.

Some people have smaller spaces and prefer to use makeup bags, while other folks have entire cabinets dedicated to their cosmetic collection and want to be able to see everything at once.

Regardless of which category you fall into, you need to choose an organizer that allows you to access your favorite items easily and looks organized.

You will find organizers that are:

  • Swivel Based for Easy Spinning
  • Briefcase Style
  • Storage Cases
  • Portable for Traveling
  • Designed with Multiple Compartments or Drawers

There is plenty of plastic, acrylic, or wooden organizers on the market that are designed to keep all your goodies in one spot.

Makeup Organizer Multiple Compartments
  • Large size
  • 12 draws
  • 4 piece unit
  • Pink color
  • Lots of space

Just pick out the one that makes the most sense for the quantity and size of your makeup collection.

The best makeup organizer is the one that you will use efficiently and which will make your life simpler!

Conclusion

Our guide on How to Declutter your Makeup for a Simpler Life is ideal for anybody who wants to get organized by getting rid of everything that no longer serves them. It’s the perfect step-by-step process that helps even the loyalist say goodbye to old cosmetics!

Once you declutter your cosmetic collection, you will feel empowered and accomplished.

It’s a great way to simplify your life and only keep what you actually need.

You’ll also be more mindful when looking to purchase new products.

declutter your makeup