There’s a lipstick lurking at the bottom of your handbag that you haven’t worn in months. Probably a couple of hair ties tangled around it, too. And somewhere in that little zippered pouch is a miniature hand cream you were terribly excited about buying, right up until you forgot it existed.
Beauty bags have a way of collecting things. What began as a sensible place to keep your lip balm gradually becomes a second bathroom cabinet, only considerably harder to find anything in.
A little editing is in order. Not the sort that requires buying a beautiful new organizer, either.
The things you reach for after lunch
Think about an ordinary afternoon. You’ve had coffee, answered a few emails, perhaps caught sight of yourself in a mirror and wondered where your lipstick went.
What did you actually need?
For some, it’s a tinted balm and a compact. For others, blotting papers are practically indispensable, especially when the weather turns humid. Hand cream might earn its place if you’re constantly washing your hands. Try paying attention for a week. Not to everything you might need, but to what you genuinely use once you’ve left the house.
Then empty your makeup pouch onto a towel. The things you haven’t touched can go straight back to the vanity. You may discover that your entire afternoon beauty routine fits in the palm of your hand.
Three lip balms is two too many
Somehow, duplicates always find their way into these things.
Two nude lipsticks that look identical once applied. A pressed powder and a loose one. Three balms, none of which is ever around when your lips are dry.
Choose your favorite and leave the others at home.
If you’re undecided between two lip colors, swatch them beside a window. Daylight is rather good at revealing whether they’re actually different. A multipurpose cream designed for both cheeks and lips can be useful, too, provided the label says it’s suitable for both.
And don’t carry powder simply because you’ve always carried powder. Dry skin may prefer a moisturizing balm, while an oily T-zone might appreciate a few blotting sheets. Your makeup bag should suit your face, not somebody else’s beauty checklist.
A few things are better off in the bathroom
That backup mascara rolling around in the bottom of your purse? You can probably take it out.
The FDA recommends replacing mascara about three months after purchase, and a spare tube is awfully easy to forget. It also cautions against storing cosmetics above 85°F, particularly in hot cars.
Which makes the glove compartment a rather unfortunate place for a beauty collection.
Sunscreen deserves attention as well. Mayo Clinic advises protecting it from excessive heat and direct sunlight, and discarding it if the color or consistency changes noticeably. If you need to reapply during the day, carry a small tube somewhere it won’t sit baking in the sun.
As for glass bottles, leaky lip oils, and little pots with questionable lids, consider leaving those on the dresser. Nobody wants to discover foundation all over the inside of a favorite handbag.
Keep the bag small. Seriously.
There’s something wonderful about a beauty bag that actually closes without a struggle.
It needn’t be expensive. A little zippered pencil case works. So does that makeup pouch you got free with a gift set three Christmases ago. Once you’ve settled on the essentials, resist the urge to keep adding things. A new lip balm replaces the old one; it doesn’t move in alongside it.
Every month or so, tip everything out, wipe the lining, and check for expired products or anything that’s leaked. Five minutes, perhaps less. And if you can reach into your bag and find your lipstick without excavating six other products first?
Well, that’s a small luxury worth keeping.
