I’m surprised that this even happened, but I had a sort out. Yes, I actually went through stuff that I owned and made the extraordinary change to throw things away. This was tough for me, as I’m a hoarder. I like to collect and I like to keep. This did get a little out of hand, hence this post.
In this post I’m going to go through some of the things that I did to downsize a little, as do we really need a Soap and Glory hand cream that has been sat in a draw for three years?
Check the Sell By Dates
Just like food, makeup expires. Most cosmetics have a little symbol that’s shaped like a jar with the amount of months it should be kept. This is different for most products depending on the formula and what the product is. Here is a list of what product have what shelf life:
Foundation: 6 to 12 Months
Concealer: 6 to 12 Months
Powders: Around 2 Years
Pencils: 12 Months
Mascara: 3 to 6 Months
Lipstick: 12 to 18 Months
Creams: 12 to 18 Months
I mainly threw away skin care that I’ve had for what feels like decades and a few old lip glosses that I picked up in B&M. I will admit that I don’t really stick to these dates, as you can tell when a product has gone bad, if the smell has changed and there’s a change in texture, it might be time to say goodbye.
Do You Use It?
If you have products that have been sat in a draw for a long time that have never seen the light of day, do they really need to be there? Just think something you really love could be sat there instead. A lot of people sell this kind of makeup on sites like Depop or simply give it to friends or family. This might also be a brilliant way of rediscovering your older products. Also if you have products that are new or barely used they can go to a women’s shelter!
When Was The Last Time You Wore It?
If you haven’t worn that lipstick for over a year are you going to wear it now? I totally understand that some products are seasonal like plum in the Autumn and Corals in the Summer, but if that coral lipstick was not whipped out last Summer, is it really going to make a special appearance next Summer?
Do You Really Need That Dupe?
I don’t know about you, but have a dupe for an expensive product can be a really good feeling, especially if the cheaper option is good quality. Nothing like a bargain! Sometimes though when you invest in the real thing the dupe is pushed to the back of the draw never to be seen again, so it may better going to a different home.
Categorise
In order to make the decluttering process a little easier, it may be a good idea to sort your products into three different categories: Keep, Throw, Unsure and Give Away for example. This will make it so much easier when it comes to the end, as you’ll know what you want to do with everything.
Ask Yourself The Right Questions
It can be a little easy to carried in the ‘but it’s so pretty!’ hype, but if the product doesn’t work for you, is it really worth keeping? Asking yourself questions can really help you narrow your products down especially in your maybe pile. For Example:
Does it fit with my current style?
If you no longer like orange lipsticks do you really need four of them?
Is it Compatible With Your Skin Type?
Sometimes you may get drawn in to a foundation that’s better for people with dry skin when you have oily, so it may be a good idea to say goodbye.
I really hope these tips help you!
When was the last time you had a sort out?
Thank you for reading!
Good tips for sorting out your stash! x
Thank you!x
Believe me, it inspires me to forward this post to my wife who always look for trendy things to keep her makeup collection updated.
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haha thank you! I hope it helps her!
I went through my beauty stash lately and I was so ruthless! I feel much better for it now though 🙂
http://claresloves.blogspot.com/
Such a helpful post, hun, thank you for sharing all these tips! Whilst I am not a hoarder by nature, I am definitely a little bit of a hoarder when it comes to makeup. I find it difficult to part with products, because 'Who knows I might need it one day', haha! <3 xoxo
Kay
http://www.shoesandglitter.com/
These are great tips!
xo, Liz
http://lipstickandconfetti.com
You feel so good afterwards don't you?! x
I'm glad you think so! I struggle with that too, but I found that once it had gone I didn't miss it! It's so hard though x
Thank you x
Really great tips – it's so hard to chuck away makeup though haha x
♡ itsjessiejane ♡
I'm a massive hoarder too so these tips are really helpful! I recently went through my skincare stash and found things that were out of date, hadn't even been used 🙁 so annoyed!
Danielle's Beauty Blog
Thank you! It is really difficult! x
I'm glad you think so! Oh no, it's horrible when that happens! x
This is me to total T. I did this clear out but with my wardrobe a few weeks ago and god it felt good. I’m yet to do this with my make up and beauty bits as I’m overdue to throw some things out. I always think ‘if you haven’t used it or wore it in the last 6 months, do you need it? No.’ Otherwise I’d never get rid of anything!
It’s so hard to declutter makeup isn’t it?! It does feel so much better after a clear out! That’s what helps me too, such a good way of thinking!xx