Weekend Decluttering Challenge - Beauty Products
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There's nothing like a cosmetic drawer to show you how quickly time flies. Even if you use these products daily, I bet you can still find several items that are older than a year. Perhaps a palette of eyeshadows you received as a holiday gift or that matte red lipstick you thought you'd wear more than once a year.
There are two essential reasons to declutter and organize your cosmetics:
Contamination
Streamline your morning routine
Don’t forget to schedule this weekend's decluttering challenge in your calendar!
Is there CVS distribution center in your house?
Dig deep under your bathroom sink, back inside the linen closet, in those hidden pockets in your purse, and everywhere else these products tend to accumulate. Pull everything out and set everything on a large, clean surface. Sort them by categories, such as hair care, makeup, body, etc.
Are you shocked by the quantity? If so, don't worry, you're in good company.
Beauty product clutter is typical, and for women, it holds more guilt than most other clutter. The United States spends 93.5 billion dollars each year on cosmetics. Every time we purchase an item, we are sold a promise for clearer, healthier skin, a sexier appearance, or the confidence to tackle the modern world. But when those empty promises fall flat, we are left feeling guilty that we spent so much on something so ineffective. Throwing these items away feels like defeat.
Examine products and dispose of anything questionable
It's important to check the integrity of the product and its expiration date. You may be tempted to hold on to that expensive face cream, even though it's six months past the expiration date, but think again.
Beauty products expire, usually long before we throw them out. Within 6-12 months, they begin to decompose. Any bottle or compact that requires contact with your fingers or requires you to double-dip a wand or applicator should be tossed after six months. These products are especially prone to bacteria or yeast contamination. The chemicals in cosmetics will begin to separate and can become ineffective, or worse; they can cause irritations and burns on our skin.
How to find your product’s expiration date
Look for your product’s period-after-opening symbol (PAO). This symbol identifies the product’s useful life after it has been opened. The US FDA does not require expiration dates on cosmetics, so chances are you will only find the PAO (example below).
The expiration dates you might not have known about - PAO (Period After Opening)
When in doubt, throw it out.
Has the color, texture, or smell changed?
Will you use it before its expiration date?
Do you hate it?
Take this opportunity to wipe down bottles, compacts, and brushes with warm water and a gentle soap or a cleanser designed to clean your delicate makeup brushes. Dermatologists recommend washing your brushes and applicators at least twice per month.
Tip: When you open up a new product, take a fine point marker, and write the number of the month on the underside.
Proper storage and organization will save you money!
Keep cosmetics away from harmful bathroom humidity and light
Like a lot of habits, just because we're used to doing something doesn't make it right. Storing our beauty products out in the open in our warm, steamy bathrooms is no different.
Keep your cosmetics, perfumes, and lotions out of the light and away from humidity. They may be popular and beautiful, but bathroom countertop cosmetic organizers are a no-no! Simple drawer trays can keep everything protected, separated, and in clear view.
Use smaller organizers within your cosmetic drawer for optimal customization
Tip: Use a small amount of clear museum gel underneath trays to keep them from sliding around in the drawer.
Have nothing in your routine that doesn't make you feel fabulous!
Imagine creating a streamlined beauty ritual that awakens you. How would that ritual look and feel? For some, it may be as simple as being able to open a drawer and locate a favorite lipstick quickly. For others, it may mean eliminating several steps in their morning routine so they can make room for something else. Whatever you choose, stay mindful of how your beauty routine impacts you. Only bring in and keep what you love, and release what you don't, guilt-free.
Aimee Olson of Life Done Simply is a Productivity and Organizing Coach and is a member of the National Association of Productivity & Organizing Professionals (NAPO).
