How To Declutter Your Beauty Desk—a Tried and True Spring Cleaning Guide

Struggling to keep your beauty desk in check? Ahead, Beauty Editor Red shares her tried-and-tested tips for cutting back on beauty consumerism.

When it comes to the endless spiral of beauty consumption, believe me, I am familiar. It is quite literally my job to consume—and, as someone who loves beauty, I’m constantly gagging for the next hot thing. My bedroom is an endless chasm of beauty launches, and for a long time, that’s exactly where I wanted to be: buried under hundreds of fragrance, makeup, and skincare products. 

That said, recently, I’ve kind of hit a ceiling. It’s great having every new launch on hand to try—let it be clear that I am insanely grateful that this is my job—but I am only one person. At some point, even after I share out most of my stash with friends, family, and colleagues, I’m still left with a surplus that no human being could finish in a lifetime. You don’t even have to work in beauty to be in this position. The rise and rise of social media’s influence encourages rampant consumerism, and even you may have found yourself with a huge pile of beauty goodies you simply don’t need. 

I’m not saying you have to give it all up, but I am saying that, if you take it from me, it’s worth clearing out your vanity. I know what you’re thinking. “No, not my beauty desk!” you scream. “I need everything in it, from my 18 foundations to my 36 eyeshadow palettes and my 104 lip products! They’re all definitely different and unique, and they all might be needed in the very hyperspecific scenarios I’ve made up in my head!” 

I know, because I’m you. I’ve been there. In fact, I’m sometimes still there. But the grass is, in fact, greener on the other side, and once you’ve pared down your vanity to the absolute must-haves, you’ll be much happier for it. So, without further ado, find the five foolproof steps you need to take to declutter your beauty desk.

Step 1: Stop shopping for new products

This should go without saying. If you’re still actively buying new beauty products, you’re never going to whittle down your stash in any meaningful way. This doesn’t just apply to new buys, by the way—it includes repurchases! Before you restock your stash, you have to figure out what’s worth restocking. 

Step 2: Clear your beauty desk completely

Every declutter warrants a deep clean, and you’re never going to get anywhere if you’re not clearing the space in its entirety. Once you’ve emptied each drawer, go in and wipe down (or scrub) each surface thoroughly. And, while you’re at it, get your beauty products squeaky clean, too! No more crushed powders on your foundation bottles or caked-on lipsticks on your cases—go one by one and clean any residue and dust off.

Step 3: Chuck the expired stuff

Now that you’ve put a plug on the influx, it’s time to sort through your stash. Expiration dates really depend on the product, but as a general rule, here’s a little guide:

• Lipstick: 12 to 24 months after opening
• Mascara: Three months
• Liquids and Creams: Six to 12 months
• Powders: 24 months

The general rule is that if you can’t remember when you bought it, you should probably chuck it. Alternatively, separation in the formulation, a rancid or odd smell, or a change in texture can also indicate that your product has expired. Either way, you’ll want to make sure you purge every expired product from your stash, for the sake of your skin and to save space.

Step 4: Set aside the stuff you own and actually use

The most important step in decluttering is to figure out what you actually need. This is obviously easier said than done, but there is one foolproof method I have found that works for me. It’s really simple—get yourself a box and go about your regular routine for a couple of months. Every time you use a product, put it in the box. With time, you’ll likely find that the box is full of your actual go-tos, and you can work from there to whittle down the rest of your stash!

Once you’re set on the essentials, you can then think about what you should use up and what you need to repurchase with more clarity. Do this every six months or so to keep your vanity clear—or don’t! That’s also an option… if you want to remain a victim of the clutter!

Step 5: Dispose of your waste responsibly

Decluttering your house doesn’t mean you have to clutter up the landfills! Once you’ve sorted your stash and restocked your vanity, divide the remainder of your no-gos into trash and donation piles. From there, you can distribute the donation piles to willing friends and family, or ethically dispose of the trash.

READ: Spring Cleaning: How To Ethically Declutter

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