How To Clear Out Your Makeup Collection

Aug 2

Aug 2 How To Clear Out Your Makeup Collection

Makeup collections can become vast, with many half-used, expired or just plain bad products hanging about in your vanity. It's time to streamline your collection, avoid having duplicates, and make sure you're maximizing your collections' versatility and travel-friendliness.

Color Selection

For a basic, all-purpose makeup kit, the colors you'll need are:

EYESHADOW

A neutral brown just darker than your skintone
A matte black
A beige/cream/camel color similar to the skin on your eyelids
A shimmery champagne
A matte dark brown
A gold, silver and bronze shimmer
A warm mid brown for blending

LIPS

A matte red
A nude
A muted pink, brown or berry (My Lips But Better Color)
A clear lip gloss
A berry

Feel free to embellish these lists with your fave colors, but if you're just looking for the basics these shades will do you a great service! Having a basic selection of colors insures you actually use all your eye shadows, but doesn't restrict your creativity in the same way buying only 3 or 4 would. If you like, ditch the single eye shadows and get a palette: travel friendly and easy to make sure you're actually using the products

Ditch the Old Stuff

If you haven't touched a product in 3 months, and it isn't a specialty or limited edition item, chuck it. Also, be on the look out for a post about how long beauty products actually last!

Only Keep Products You Know Work for You

Have chronically dry skin? It's probably best to ditch those super matifying foundations and drying toners. Hate blues? Why are you still hanging onto that bright blue eyeliner? Stuff that doesn't work for you, and is still within expiration, can be passed to friends or family. Better yet, why not donate you makeup? Check this out for more information.

You only need to keep makeup that works for you and makes you feel good. There's no point in wearing stuff just to use it up when you feel terrible when you wear it, and there are so many organizations out there that will willingly accept your gently used makeup!

Buy Multitaskers

A cream blush that doubles as a lip color? A face powder that doubles as a highlighter? Liquid lipsticks used as eyeliner (check this out)? These little queens not only save you cash, but also space in your makeup collection. They're fabulous for traveling and make great morning routine staples. Here are some of my favorite multitasking products:

MAC Lightscapade (or the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders) - doubles as a face powder and highlighter
Maybelline Colour Tattoo 24-hr Cream Eyeshadow (Creamy Beige) - TRIPLES! cream eye shadow, brow filler, and contour cream (be careful - it's pigmented!)
Stila Aquaglow Watercolour Blush - Blush and lip color
MAC Well Dressed - eye shadow and blush

Consult Reddit

/r/makeuprehab has become my go-to place when I'm trying to clear out my makeup collection. The site offers advice (including people willing to talk you out of buying stuff!), offers to sell your makeup (or exchange it for some new stuff!) and more advice like this about de-stashing. The community is friendly, supportive and fun. If you're just looking for a place to freak out about makeup without all the de-stashing talk, check out /r/makeupaddiction, which is full of reviews, looks and chat about all things beauty.

Now, you're armed to clear out that clutter. Having a more streamlined makeup collection saves you money, space and time. It might even help a good cause. Bring on Spring!

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Do you have any tips on cleaning out a makeup collection? Let us know in the comments below!