Welcome back to “Make a Fresh Start,” where all month long we will be talking about ways to start fresh in 2021. This first week we are focusing on starting fresh with your belongings, and today I’m talking to the women. It’s time to start fresh with your makeup.
Makeup is one possession that tends to accumulate over time. We are much better at bringing it in than we are at sorting through and clearing it out. If you haven’t done this in a while, now is the time. Dump out your drawer(s) and/or cabinet(s) and throw away the supplies that are old or not being used.
A few guidelines to remember:
- Replace eye makeup (like mascara, eyeliner, etc.) every 3 months in order to avoid bacterial growth that could cause an eye infection.
- Replace powers (like eyeshadow, foundation, blush, and bronzer) after 2 years.
- Replace liquid and cream makeup after 1 year.
Most importantly, throw away the makeup you tried, but didn’t like. Bacteria will grow on these items, and it isn’t wise to risk putting something on your skin or hair that could be harmful.
One other thought: don’t berate yourself over products you bought but ended up not really liking. Sometimes we think products look good in the store or online, but when we get home and wear them in natural light, we realize they simply don’t flatter. No one makes perfect decisions all the time, and holding onto supplies we are unlikely to use doesn’t redeem the purchase. Doing so only clogs up our space and makes it harder to find the products we want to use.
Do you have a drawer or basket of makeup that could benefit from a bit of decluttering?
Great advice and I do have a drawer in my bathroom with all my makeup. I usually go through it a few times a year, but will also keep the product shelf life in mind now, too when I do. So, thanks for sharing that here.
It’s nice to have a “cheat sheet” to help know when to get rid of things. I’m always tempted to keep my mascara too long, and that just isn’t good!
You sure are speaking my language with this series because right now I HAVE to clean out drawers due to my move.I I’m going from 7 bathroom drawers to 3. I haven’t worn make up since March so that’s nearly a year in the drawer and who knows how many years before that. What fun! Thanks for the reminders.
I’m cheering you on from over here, Jan. When you only have three drawers, you want to make sure you are only keeping what matters most. I hear you on the makeup, especially lipstick, which I’ve given up on since I’m always in my mask:)
Thanks for the reminder. I do this periodically but it’s time to do it again. Tomorrow is trash day here so today is as good time. I have some free makeup that I don’t like. I tried it so I can’t give it away so today is the day!!
Once you try it and decide you don’t like it, let it go! Sometimes we need to see what it looks like outside of the store to know. I’ve gotten some free makeup that, to say the least, was “not my color.” 🙂
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