Spring Cleaning!

A great way to keep your makeup stash up to date is to do it seasonally... 

When the seasons change many often clean out other aspects of their lives. Change out your clothes in your closet, do a major house cleaning and some may even do a cleanse :) 

So why not incorporate this into your seasonal routine?

Many clients and friends are guilty of never tossing old makeup! 

They hold onto it because they love the product so much that they want to get every last drop, or it's a product that's been discontinued and they are savoring it.. for 10 years! Sometimes you just feel guilty for tossing an expensive product that didn't work out for you... 

It happens! 

Make up is all about trial and error. How else will you know if something is going to work for you if you don't try it? Just remember that you can always exchange/return it! Most beauty suppliers are great about that... cough cough.. Sephora ..cough... cough... 

So here it is, a quick how to on cleaning out your makeup stash. 

Step 1: 

Take everything out and lay it in front of you. 

Okay, I stole this from the Kon-Mari Method.... But it truly works! 

With makeup it's easy to continually purchase small items without realizing you already have one that's similar or even the same product that isn't empty yet! So to avoid that in the future, take out all your products in one area-- you can categorize them to be even more organized, ie; eyes, lips, face, etc.

Step 2: 

Analyze by date of purchase. 

A good rule of thumb to help you know if you should toss an item is to recall when you purchased the item. If you can't remember, you may need to toss it! So pick up that mascara and think back to when you first opened it... has it been a week? A month? 6 months?? <--toss!!!

*side note: mascara for personal use (not professional) can be kept 3-5 months*

Maybe you pick up an item that you've held onto for years and realize that you don't use it. This is the perfect opportunity for you to find out!

Step 3: 

Do you use this? 

So often we hold onto items because we feel guilty about throwing them away. But do you use said item? Is it something  you actually like? 

If you can't remember the last time you wore it or even like the product anymore, throw it out!
It's taking up space that you could use to purchase new, more glorious makeup products!
Can't bear to part with something you maybe used one time? Give it to a friend! Every time I clean out my makeup stash or brushes, I can usually find someone who wants them. That way you don't feel as terrible about tossing something that's still in good use.

Step 4: 

Wipe down/clean up what you keep. 

Take this time to wipe down your palettes! You want to keep your products and the space they are stored, clean. So take a baby wipe, or a wet paper towel and gently wipe down all your products. Be sure to wipe down all surfaces as well. This should be made into a habit to prevent big messes and bacteria from spreading :)


There you have it- your step by step guide to cleaning out your makeup bag. I hope this was helpful and if you have any other tips, ideas, or questions-- feel free to leave them in the comments section!