, , , , , ,

Spring Cleaning: Decluttering My Makeup Collection


I've been partial to a good makeup decluttering video on YouTube recently, and with Spring finally here, I thought it was as good a time as any to sort through my makeup stash, throw out the old (to make room for the new). So here's my process, what I got rid of and what I am going to do with it all. 

First off, I get everything together. All the makeup I own, all together so I know what I have, what I want to keep and what needs to be cleared out. Glossybox's come in very handy for such a tidy up and it was easier to sort through things when they were split into boxes. I won't show you my whole collection before this declutter because frankly, it's slightly embarrassing, but I thought I would show you a peek at what I will be moving out of it's current location and passing on. 

TIPSWhen decluttering it's important to remember when you purchased or received the product so you can be aware of expiration dates. I have done a post on this previously so I will link that here. Powders tend to last longer than cream and liquid products, so if something isn't working at it's top performance, either it isn't creamy or blending right, or the formula has dried or separated, it's time for it to go.

Also if you haven't used a product for over 6 months to a year, and you don't see yourself using it, give it to someone else who can use it an love it more than you. Makeup is to be used and worn and loved, not stashed away in a drawer that you will never use. If you do a regular decluttering every 6 months or so, then you can see what you have used, and what you haven't and then make the decision to pass it along to someone else. This is the easiest way I have found to ensure my makeup stash isn't being cluttered up by products I don't use. It's also a great way to rediscover old favourites, who knows, there may be a hidden gem in your collection that you forgot about. 

I had a few different boxes to put things in. A keep box, a products to use up box, a throw in the bin box and a give away/donate/sell box. I had a bottle of makeup remover and a ton of cotton pads to hand so I could swatch and compare and although it took a while, and a lot of swatching, I am happy with what I've decluttered and feel like my collection is a reasonable size for someone who has a beauty blog and tries out lot's of products - and frankly just loves shopping for makeup and is a total hoarder. 

So here's what is going. I know, it's a lot, and I won't be throwing everything in the bin, the old and expired stuff will be thrown out, and the other stuff will be passed between family and friends, sold, or donated, who knows, maybe they'll be a giveaway and a blog sale. But I am really pleased with everything I've managed to declutter, it was difficult and I am sure I will regret some of it at a later date but a lot of this had expired, dried up, separated or just had a funky smell and needed to be put out of it's misery. Ready to see what I decluttered?

BASE: A lot of these were pretty old, the primers and concealers had expired or were pretty much gone anyway and the foundations were quite old. Somehow a skincare product got mixed in but that needed to be thrown out anyway. A lot of these products I liked like the L'Oreal Lumi Magique Primer and the Kiehls Micro-Blur as well as the Clarins Instant Smooth Perfector, the L'Oreal True Match Foundations and the Maybelline Fit Me Powder but they were old, they didn't perform as well and they needed to be thrown out. The YSL Youth Liberator Foundation is still okay and in it's date but I just don't use it, and the Bobbi Brown Foundation broke me out like crazy and has never been used. I hate wasting makeup but I'm not going to keep it if I can't use it, I would rather someone else give it a good home. 

CHEEKS: This was a difficult task as I love my blushes and highlighters, but there were a few things that I just didn't use or that had gone bad. The Milani Rose Blush is absolutely beautiful, but it's just not a shade I would wear, I didn't think it would be quite so bright, the same with their Baked Blush too, it was just too bright and way to glittery for my taste. The cream blushes that you say from TopShop, No7 and Bourjois had dried up so they were thrown out. The Collection Shimmer Brick type products were in perfect condition and had only been swatched so I will be seeing if a friend wants to give them a home, along with the I Love Makeup Blushing Hearts Blush, The Body Shop Instant Radiance Highlighter and the Kiko Bronzer

EYES: This category was pretty easy as there were a lot of old eyeliners and mascaras that needed to be thrown out with the odd shadow in their too. I got rid of Maybelline Color Tattoos as they had all dried up so I was sad to see those go as I hadn't used them as much as I had hoped I would so I feel like they have been wasted to be honest. There were a few other shadows like the L'Oreal Infalliable Shadows and the Kiko ones that are still in great condition and had barely been used but they just needed a new home as I wasn't using them at all really. As for the cream shadow sticks, most of them wear still okay and I kept a few back for myself. A lot of the eyeliners and mascaras, in fact all mascaras, most eyeliners, were thrown out as they were old, I did rediscover some old faves though which I am always happy about. The Makeup Revolution Metallic Shadow in Rose Gold is so beautiful but just not my kind of thing. It just didn't look right and I don't like super metallic things like that on my eye so that is still in great condition as I only tried it out once so I will be trying to find it a new home too. 

LIPS: This was also a pretty easy category to go through as quite a lot of these had got a funny scent to them or had dried up. The Too Faced Melted Fig Liquid Lipstick was a great product but it has now gone to a better place, makeup heaven, and no, I don't mean the makeup shop you've ever seen, but actual makeup heaven. The Revlon Matte Balms and Kissable Balm Stains were still perfectly okay to wear, I just don't reach for those as much as I thought I would and only used them a handful of times so a lot of those will be passed out to family and friends too. Most of the liquid lipsticks and glosses had expired or just weren't on the best form so they were thrown out. 

PALETTES: I have to say, decluttering palettes was a true test of my will power as I love palettes. But, I just wasn't using them and they weren't created to sit on my shelf gathering dust and not being used. So it was time to ditch them, and hey, more room for more palettes. They were all in great working order, there was a couple of cream palettes from Makeup Revolution which were still in perfect working order, like their Cream Blush Palette or the Concealer Palette. I had quite the extensive Makeup Revolution Palette collection and so any that were dupes to another palette like the Urban Decay Naked Palettes were kept whilst it's high end counterpart was thrown due to age, blend-ability and generally not working as well as the MR ones. I've held on for them for too long and when I don't use them and they don't even work well anymore, I finally realised it was time to let go. As for the others, bar a couple, they were still great I just didn't use them. Like the Collection Palettes, I kept one back to use as I love it, but the others I just wasn't using. 

BRUSHES: I have way to many brushes. I blame my eBay sessions in the middle of the night for my abundance of makeup brushes. But there were a few that were just not in good shape, or that just weren't my cup of tea anymore. They were mainly brushes found on eBay for dirt cheap but the EcoTools brushes that were in my last disappointing products post were just asking to be given away as I really didn't get on with them. Don't panic, my Sigma, Real Techniques and Look Good Feel Better Brushes were all safely tucked away in my brush holders on my dressing table so they were always safe. 

Yep, that's all of it. Everything I threw or gave away or even what I am selling. It's a lot and it's more makeup than anyone needs in their entire lifetime, but I am glad to have more space and not have makeup stashed here there and everywhere in my room. I have more storage to work with and I am really happy with the products I have left to use. I am sure I will do another declutter soon once it gets a bit overwhelming but I hope you enjoyed seeing what I decluttered.

I will let you know about any blog/Instagram sales or Giveaways in due course. But for now, I hope this inspires you to have a clear out of your makeup stash and see what you have been holding on to that should just go. 


You Might Also Like


What do you think?


Blog Archive