Not all beauty girls can KonMarify their beauty closets. There’s always more than a couple of go-to red lipsticks. And nudes. And pinks. There’s the mascara for daily wear and the mascara for special days. There’s the acid toner for pore degunking week, the essence toner for regular days, and the toner for when a zit shows up. There’s the life-changing moisturizer that’s always replenished and all the recent buys that excite and please. Many, many things just always spark joy. And that’s all right.
The best part about the beauty world is that there will always be a place for all, minimalists and maximalists alike. For many of us who have overflowing shelfies, the next best thing to purging and simplifying could be tossing everything past its shelf life and organizing our vanity meticulously. An impressive makeup and skincare collection need not always be overspilling and chaotic. Here are some storage tips and ideas for your makeup and skincare.
Use accessory trays to divide your vanity drawer into organized sections, where you can place products that could look too cluttered elsewhere such as small pots and chunky pens. Most would think of drawers as convenient storage for clutter, but the usual drawback with that is the products stored in them would rarely be seen and therefore end up becoming unused. A tidy drawer—even if it’s only you who’ll see it—is both practical and therapeutic to see.
Pretty plates can work as easy-access storage for your small daily essentials such as lip balms and blushes.
Another easy-access idea for daily skincare? Use trays on your main vanity surface to store your skincare products for day and night.
We use one of our vanity drawers for all our beauty gadgets and tools. To neatly arrange them and easily see what we need to use, their charging cords are all stored in a separate pouch.
Multi-layer beauty carousels or even cupcake stands make for practical and pretty storage for bottled products, be it your base collection, perfumes, or skincare essentials.
Trolleys are smart organizers for pretty products like perfumes and hair accessories. You may opt to add decorative things, too, like vases and flowers.
You can arrange big eyeshadow palettes on a shelf as you would with books and add decor and design elements you prefer.
Acrylic organizers for lipsticks and even glass jewelry boxes look chic and are worth buying for a neat and beautiful display of your favorites.
The Beauty of Letting Go (To Make Space)
Part of organizing your collection could be learning to let go of what no longer serves you—yes, even that foundation you swore you’d use again but never did. If it’s past its shelf life or just not your shade, don’t just let it sit there. Here’s what you can do instead.
Donate expired makeup to mortuary science schools.
Schools like PCAS (Philippine College of Advanced Skills) accept old makeup for student morticians to practice with. It’s a smart way to give products a second life even beyond the usual beauty space. PCAS typically accepts both powdered and cream-based products like foundations, eyeshadows, blushes, lip products, and even makeup brushes and sponges. If it’s still in usable condition, even if it’s expired, it can be a valuable training tool. Check out select PCAS-affiliated locations here. If you’re not near one, they’ll also accept items shipped through courier (just be aware that you’ll need to cover the shipping costs).
Recycle your beauty empties the right way.
Instead of tossing empty bottles and compacts in the trash, drop them off at L’Occitane’s Be an Eco Hero program, which accepts empty packaging from any brand—not just L’Occitane.
You’ll find the Eco Hero bins at select L’Occitane boutiques across the Philippines. And here’s a little bonus: bring in three full-sized empties (100ml and up) or six minis, and you’ll receive 10 percent off your next in-store purchase, valid for two weeks. It’s a small but satisfying way to clean up your vanity and lighten your footprint all while getting rewarded for doing the right thing. Learn more about the program and how you can be an Eco Hero here.
Watsons Philippines is also making it even easier to give your empty beauty and personal care containers a second life with their Recycle for Rewards program. Now, instead of just tossing out those bottles and jars, you can drop them off at select Watsons stores and earn rewards in return. It’s another simple way to help reduce waste and get a little something back as well.
Find a new home for unused or barely used products.
Some products may have seemed like great choices when you bought them, like a daring lipstick, a moisturizer that didn’t quite work for your skin, or a trending item that didn’t fit your routine. If they’re still in good condition and haven’t expired, consider passing them along to someone who may put them to better use. Friends, family, or even makeup artists practicing or working on shoots might appreciate the extra supplies. Just make sure to keep it clean and let them know how much the product has been used.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY NICOLE MORALES. ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY JUSTINE GAERLAN.
