Breakouts, eye infections, skin irritations. Not exactly words you’d associate with all the pretty makeup in your beauty bag. But if left unattended, these products quickly become a breeding ground for bacteria. Instead of scaring you with statistics, I have a simple solution. Let’s start at the bottom of the bag and the root of the sticky issue. Here are 5 simple steps I take to clean up my makeup bag that you can do in 15 minutes.
product overload!
1-Access Your Mess
First, place a towel on the bathroom floor and dump everything out. Don’t forget cosmetic bags, drawers, cabinets, and even the products that you may have left in your purse. It’s ok at this point to slightly panic at how much product you’ve collected! Or am I the only one?
the culprit
2-Toss Expired
Inspect each product and toss everything that has expired. Not sure how to tell? If it is discolored, has lost its original scent, has an unusual texture or is dry or flakey, go ahead and toss it. It may be hard to tell, so consider using a dot sticker to label when purchasing new products. Be sure to notice the suggested expiration, a number followed by an “M” on the back, denoting month. This number is fairly accurate if the product has been stored in a cool, dry place.
Squeaky Clean
3-Disinfect
Next, use rubbing alcohol or an antibacterial cleanser and wipe down each product including the makeup bag and any containers. I wash each of my brushes and the interior of my beauty bag with Johnson & Johnson Baby Shampoo. Clean brushes with warm water until the water runs clean. Use a paper towel to lightly squeeze out excess water and lay them flat on the edge of the sink to dry. This helps keep bacteria at bay and prolongs the use of your brushes. Don’t forget to sharpen your eye and lip pencils too as this is a great way to minimize germs.
Divide & Conquer
4-Organize
Now separate the makeup you use every day from your seasonal or special occasion makeup. This simple step saves you from having to dig through a big bag to get to the products you use every morning. For example, in summer you can leave out the tinted moisturizers, but now is a great time to store the heavier liquid foundations. My go-to “day look” consists of 10 products. Try to lighten your bag to the products you actually use. This will make it easy to pack up and travel too.
Nice & Neat
5-Store
You’re almost there! Still under 15 minutes? If not, don’t fret, you’ll get quicker with each beauty cleanse. You can store your makeup in a cosmetic bag or use a plastic or wood drawer organizer. You can easily find these at drugstores, but be sure to measure your drawer before purchasing. I also use colorful zip lock bags to keep my powders from spreading. Store your products in the order that you use and group products together for easy access daily.
For every day
