January 15, 2018

Time to Spring Clean and Detox Your Unhealthy Relationship with Makeup

Don’t you wish that your relationship with makeup wasn’t as toxic as Joker and Harley’s?! I mean I don’t know about you but I really feel like my relationship with beauty and makeup can be crazy sometimes. As crazy as Harley’s love for Joker? Well, maybe not that insane. Thankfully, I wouldn’t call myself a hoarder because with each season I try to de-stash, de-clutter, and rotate my products so I’m making good use of them. But I do wish that I could do more about my makeup collection as I feel like we’re both having a unhealthy relationship as things stand now.

Spring is around the corner even if it is cold outside and now is a good time as any to start detoxing your makeup stash. Why? Because it’s cold outside and you’re likely hibernating indoors a lot more. So, instead of having a Netflix and chill kind of night, and I do literally mean chill, take a second to sit down and look through your current stash and see what needs tossing.

After I took down my Christmas tree this month I decided that I’d spend a few hours cleaning out my closet and my makeup stash. I knew with January here there would be a lot of new makeup and skincare products launching and this motivated me to look through my own stash to see what was going off and either needed to be tossed out or donated. It’s always a good idea to just sift through what you currently have and see if you’re using it or not. If you aren’t? Donate it! Give it to a friend or even a family member who might like it. Why sit on something you won’t use and will likely go bad? Someone else might cherish it. As they say, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure!” If you’re not using an eyeshadow palette and you don’t think you will in the future think about who in your life might like it and ask if they want it. Or find an organization that you can donate it to.

I was pretty amazed at how much of my skincare was either close to empty or just unused. I had a moisturizer that I had meant to use but was in the box, brand new, never used. I ended up donating it and a bunch of other skincare to my mom’s senior group.

Try to go through not only your makeup but also your skincare and even your bath and body collection. I noticed some of the hand soaps that I stashed away from Bath & Body Works were smelling off so I ended up sadly tossing them out.

Doing all this might even motivate you to spend less money this season. I know I feel terribly wasteful after tossing out a few things. The hand soaps made me realize it was absurd that I was purchasing them ever season. I made a resolution I wouldn’t buy more until I got through what I already had.

So, take sometime out this month and do a Spring clean and detox before buying anything new. I bet it’ll make you feel a whole lot better about your beauty stash!

Good Luck!

Tell me what you end up tossing out, keeping, or donating!

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • Dee

    Did this last week. Product that could be passed on was given to friends and family and other things tossed. I’m also determined to not purchase on impulse!

  • Swoozy

    The Goodwill equivalent by me will take partially used soaps, lotions et al. so that the homeless can use them when they come by to use shower facilities. We have a give and take table in our women’s room at work to trade samples or gently used makeup. I’m on a no buy for lotion. I bought way too much when my favorite kind was on clearance, but I intend to not waste it.

    • Isabella Muse

      I used to do this with two shelters but they stopped taking new/used bath and body items without explanation. The next best thing was to bring antibacterial soap and other essentials to Midnight Run with me when I volunteer during the Holidays. It’s quite eye opening when people are thankful for something as simple as a small bottle of antibacterial soap which I take for granted and buy so many of. I LOVE that idea! 😀 That’s very cool!

  • Susan

    Great post! I used to buy several B&BW scented lotions every season but would only use a fraction of them. By the following year, they smelled “off” and had to be tossed. So much wasted money. I’m currently on a “use up what you have before you buy new” program with lotion, and when that’s done I’ll only buy one per season, or much smaller sizes.

    • Isabella Muse

      This just started because I used to have lotions for two years and they smell as fresh as the day I purchased them! Nowadays everything with BBW seems to go off after a few months!

      • Susan

        Huh, I just realized that too. I don’t know why that is, but if it’s because (hopefully) they’re using fewer preservatives and weird chemicals I can’t pronounce, I’m all for it! 😀

  • Deb

    I did this before the holidays. My biggest problem area was samples. Tons of samples. I knew I would never use them all so I found a place in CA that will take toiletry and hygiene products, bag them up, and send them to the troops overseas. Win! I got so excited about that, I went through everything. I sent them a big box of body wash and lotion and skincare, and hair care, and on and on. Donating this stuff is such a great way to get it under control.

    • Isabella Muse

      That’s awesome! I know a local org that was collecting for troops during the Holidays and I never got around to sorting through stuff to donate to them because I was busy with other stuff. But apparently they do this seasonally so, maybe when I do my really big Spring clean up I can donate some stuff! That’s really great and it makes you feel good doing it!

    • Kimkats

      Wow! Could you post the info for that group, or at least the name of it? I would love to declutter my stash and send it to our service people! I love that idea!

  • Amy

    I threw out old eyeliners that I’ve either never worn or that wear horribly. I also have realized I don’t like blush with shimmer, so I threw out a lot of blushes with shimmer. I gave unused nail polish to a friend who gave them to her nieces. I had to force myself to throw out my Revlon lip butters, you know, the ones they no longer make. They had to be 3 or 4 years old.

    • Isabella Muse

      Ugh I understand how you feel about those Revlon Lip Butters. I threw mine out a year ago because they were just too old to use.

  • MJ

    Hey Muse! I love getting rid of old makeup. My sister was in town for the holidays so I gave her a ton of stuff. Mostly mini Buxom lip glosses and polishes in colors that I don’t reach for. It made me realize that I need to stop buying them!

    • Isabella Muse

      nice! ;-D I know! I start sorting through stuff and it really gives me a life lesson about what I shouldn’t be buying in the future 😀

  • Stephanie

    Hi Muse! My goal this year is to use what I already have and not bring in more stuff. I have a decent amount of makeup along with body care products that I would really like to use before they go bad and it’s all stuff that I love so it’s not like I’m forcing myself to use them.

    A no-buy is hard for me, but I’m trying to stick to that or at least limiting myself to one purchase per month.

    • Isabella Muse

      I wish I could do a no buy but the blog and also, I suck at no buys 😀

  • Ogami Itto

    I want to get rid of all my purples since I am getting older. I tried to use them as lipliners but I think It is time for me to move on. Maybe berries and Mauve colors now.

  • NikkiNeverWithoutPolish

    I hear ya! Lately, I feel like my home is so full of stuff! I’m working on decluttering/destashing everything. I sent a huge box of make-up (filled up a Sephora box to the top!) to my 15 year old cousin last month – it was all stuff I tried and it didn’t work for me. She’s just getting in to make-up, so I told her to try it out, practice with it, share with her friends, and donate what they didn’t want to use.

    I am also resolved on not buying more stuff to just have new stuff, so I’m writing everything I purchase down in the back of my 2018 planner to be more aware and accountable of my spending. I feel crushed by stuff at the moment, but it’s going to take time for me to go through it all and get it out! Wish me luck! LOL ^_^

  • Jen

    I’ve gotten into the habit of checking my stash for anything ready to expire/change in texture/lack of use every time I need to toss my current tube of mascara, but have placed myself on a no buy after replacing nearly all of my brushes and the Sephora end of year sale.

  • Kris

    I just started going through my 2 bins of lipsticks, glosses, balms etc. I give a lot to my sister but she’s picky about what shades she’ll wear. I hate getting rid of something that I used to love but just don’t wear anymore. I have tons of Mallys liquid lipsticks that I love but don’t use.

  • Kel Habicht

    i did this after christmas. threw out anything that was old, falling apart, or that i just hadn’t used. then put it all in a brand new kaboodle! its so great knowing where everything else. and i gave dozens of lipsticks to my little nieces….colors that i just wasn’t wearing. they are probably the only kids in school using lime crime lipsticks:)

  • Randi

    I joined a project pan group. Motivation to finish some pallets. I also put myself on a very low buy.

  • Joyce

    I kon mari’d my life recently. In her book, she said you only need to do it once in your life, but I had to do it twice, haha (once last year). I decluttered makeup, clothing, kitchen stuff, toiletries, and books! Now my makeup fits in a shoebox tucked away in my closet and I’m trying to use up what’s in the shoebox this year. I’m on a makeup no-buy right now. Honestly, the detox from consumerism feels good!

    • Isabella Muse

      I read her book and I swear I’d have to do it in my life numerous times not just the once lol! That’s amazing! You should be proud of yourself!

  • Lisa

    I try to do this regularly. I have found that Poshmark is a great place to sell unused or lightly used higher end makeup to other makeup junkies.

  • Brandy

    I have my makeup bag and two small baskets in my closet for make up and skin care. If the baskets start filling up to the top, that means I can’t buy anything until I go through them and throw away or finish what I already have. I’ve done so well for the past year that now I only buy what I run out of. I allow myself one impulse buy a month as a reward. Saving up for a house has also helped curb my makeup buying. I tell myself, “Nope. I don’t need that eyeshadow cuz I want a house.”�

  • genevieve

    Every now and then at our Priceline stores in Aus (a cross between a beauty place and a DS) they have these specials where you spend $70 and get a free bag of amazing goodies. Having purchased a few of these, I had a stack of products that just did not suit me. So for Christmas I made up a beauty bag for my daughter in law and gave her all of these products – really good brands, but just items that were not for me. In the end you needed a crane to lift it and she was absolutely thrilled with it.
    I am currently de-stashing all my old lipsticks and a few eyeshadow quads that have gone past their use by dates and I never use.

  • Chris

    Another organization which is a 501(C)(3) tax deductible organization to which you can send gently used or new makeup and new hygiene products (pads) is Project Beauty Share. They are located in Spokane, WA. They send their donations to shelters in WA & ID. They will send you a postcard thanking you for your donation. Google the name to see what they accept.

  • Ashley

    It feels so good to sell partially used samples to resale shops. Or be generous with friends and family if you notice something they would like. Who doesn’t like free samples. I do!!!! And I obviously have a problem but…anytime someone gives me crap for it (mom, boyfriend), I kindly tell them its much healthier and cheaper than drugs!:) That usually shuts them up:)