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My Make-up Chaos!

When I started collecting make-up (meaning, ah….not just throwing a small make-up bag in my purse, but seriously collecting large amounts of make-up) my problem didn’t happen over night.   I started by watching YouTube MUA tutorials.  I read about new trends in magazines.  This lead me down the rabbit hole of buying, buying, buying.   Nordstroms, Sephora and Ulta were my dealers.  I asked myself, “does it matter I like to hoard a little make-up and stash it in every purse, compartment of my car, end table, night stand and couch cushion?”

Then, the rationalization happened:  “You do too much for other people.  You need to give to yourself too!”   Then, the “I deserve a new lipstick,” morphs into “Oh, my God, it would take me five life times to use up all this lipstick!”  I’m drowning in lipstick!  That’s how the chaos started for me.  Life got super busy.  Moving, in particular, among other stressors, made me lose control over my stuff.   So, about 18 months ago, I began a decluttering/donating journey, which ultimately lead me to get honest with myself about my “little problem.”

Steps I’m taking to solve my “little problem”:

(1).     I went through all my make-up.   Threw out anything that was old, expired, dried up, smelled funny, or I just plain didn’t like.  I got a little high from it honestly.   The unburdening is awesome.

(2).     I put the rest into categories.  Finally, I could clearly see what was older and on the way to hitting pan.  I set goals for myself.  I decided what I would use first.   It’s a good idea to put these items in a small “use this first,” tray.  Actually using the products helps you see what will work for you.  I just don’t want to hold onto anything that no longer serves me.

The bonus?  Knowing what you are drawn to, trying not to repeat the past, is very empowering.  (I recently rediscovered Chanel’s Coco eau de perfume.  It’s a scent that I sacrificed a lot to purchase in my 20’s.  Now I get so much pleasure when I use this scent because, yes, it still calls my name.)

(3).     Then, I thought long and hard about the best way to store my makeup.  I considered those particle board/put together amazon drawer chest thingys that many make-up influencers use, to acrylic organizers from T.J. Maxx, to various Ikea desks and small tables.

Here’s what I found though.  I just couldn’t bring myself to purchase crap like that again.  They fall apart, are dust collectors and never seem to fit the makeup how I want them to.   I found that I would forget what was in the drawers and not use the products.  They didn’t draw me to them or make me want to even open those drawers to access my make-up.  So messy!

The poor aesthetics and functionality chased me away.  I fed into the cycle of not knowing what I own and helped me to fall into the trap of impulse buying.  Sadly, I even sometimes bought the same product that was sitting in those crappy fall apart drawers!

The Solution:

(1).     So, I finally decided I wanted something beautiful, preferably antique with lots of drawers.  I wanted something that would draw me to it and be a pleasure to use.   I wanted a piece of furniture that was like a beautiful jewelry box, where you keep your finest and have the pleasure of opening it, touching it, which encourages you to put on your favorite pieces, not let them sit lonely in dark, dusty drawers.

But, I also wanted to be able to hide my stash, until I winnow it down to a reasonable amount.  This would be very motivating for me and allow me to take an ongoing inventory, setting goals for myself to work my way through products, hitting pan as my goal.

Each time I do this, I’ll know, was it worth it?  Would I buy this again, or can I live without it?  Maybe that is one of the real benefits of aging, knowing who you are, what you like and want you want.  Not wasting money, deciding to spend it carefully on selected items you love, well…that equals a carefully curated life, that equals a life well-lived.

(2).     Then, I took a long hard look at my brush collection too.  If you are like me and also impulse buy too many brushes, it’s hard to keep track of what you have used and what you haven’t.  So I washed all my brushes using Dr. Bronner’s castile soap.  I prefer the lavender scent, as it is so calming. https://amzn.to/4aapKRB

Then, I put all my clean dry brushes in an attractive leather bag, so the dirty and the clean don’t get mixed up.   I made a promise to myself to use brushes and place them in a container under my sink, fully away from the table to be cleaned later.  If I really care about my skin, it’s probably best to not spread bacteria all over it!  Ultimately, since I have so many brushes, this system seemed best since I can go many days without running out.

Here’s the thing – since I also hoard brushes, the added benefit is, when you use your whole collection, you can see which ones you really like and which ones you don’t.  Winnowing down my brushes to the ones I actual use makes life so much easier at the end of the day.  That way, I can quickly and accurately apply my make-up, saving time and money.

(3).     Having decided I deserved a beautiful make-up table, I set about searching websites, craigslist, facebook marketplace until I found the perfect make-up table!!!!!  I was shocked to find this desk for only $95, a fraction of the cost of those Amazon Make-up organizers.  This one looked like an antique, but as it had a hidden electrical plug, so it’s not technically an antique.   My beautiful, petite secretary desk has tons of draws to organize all my make-up.  And, best of all?  Everything seemed to fit perfectly!

And when I don’t want to see it, I can just close it up.  Those furniture artisans who created the secretary style of desk really knew what they were doing!   How about the amazing natural light coming in from my windows!  It’s nothing short of inspiring and, certainly, the best light to put on make-up.

Now that I put everything into my drawers, organized by categories, I can see what I need to use up first.  Oh, I still have some little trays in my desk to collect items I want to finish up first.  I can also use them to pick out a make-up look, like all Charlotte Tilbury, or Chanel.  While it’s fun to mix and match, it’s nice to use collections by certain brands, as they seem to work so well together.

Here’s how I sorted and organized my beautiful make-up collection:

Seriously, who wouldn’t be inspired to take ten minutes and put on some make-up at a desk like this???

I hope if you are looking for a little inspiration, this post hit the spot.  We all have the power to take back our lives and make it exactly as we want.  My little make-up desk is, for me, a metaphor of my life ahead of me.  A life where I set goals and achieve them.  So, whether your goals are to hit pan on some make-up that’s been in your drawer for too long, or decide what works for you, whether that’s a job, a man, a place to live, a friendship or, even, a holy grail foundation, I encourage you to know your value and know what works for you.  Why?  Because, damn it, you (and I) deserve it!

Much love,

-Mrs. Sassy Pants