The Marie Kondo method to clean up and organize your beauty and skincare closet

Remember the last time, when you promised to clean and organise your overflowing beauty & skincare closet? But could never follow through because of lack of time, or sometimes when you simply weren’t in the mood.

Well, there couldn’t be a more apt time than now. The forced isolation due to coronavirus outbreak has given us a lot of time on our hands, and it is the best opportunity for us to use it judiciously, to finish off tasks we had promised ourselves to do long back. And we are going to help you in going full Marie Kondo on your beauty closet today, simply follow the steps as below.

One of the first steps to start with the cleaning of your closet is to take every single thing out of your closet, your facewashes, various scrubs, facemasks, balms, serums, oils, etc. From the beauty box, take out all your lip shades, glosses, eye shadows, mascaras, foundation creams, brushes, etc.

Once you take everything out, it gives you a clear idea on how much space you exactly have in your closet and box. Upon looking at the available space, you’ll realise either you were hoarding and stocking things here and there, or that you need a bigger box or closet.

Once everything is out, take a good look at you treasure. Now there can be only two reactions to it. Either you’ll feel proud about your collection. Or the realisation of you being a serial hoarder will start sinking in and you’ll start feeling bad about spending all those money of products that you’ve probably used once.

Worry not, as yourself with each product, “Does it Spark Joy?” If the answer is yes, put it aside for grouping, if it is no, chuck it into the trash bag. All the products you set aside, group them by their use. Keep facewashes aside, face-scrubs apart, face-masks on another side. Make another group of serums and the various skin treatment products. Do the same with your makeup products too. Do not forget to put them down on a list too.

Every time you pick a product from your stash to put it aside, as yourself. “AM I REALLY GOING TO USE IT?” Because many a times, we purchase products on an impulse, just because we saw an interesting advertisement on the TV or because our favourite celebrity is endorsing it. But then use it just once or maybe twice, because the spark of excitement is dead after the use.

Do not let such products take up space in your shelf and your life. Give it away to your friend, sister or mom if it is in good condition. If it is nearing expiration, off it goes into the trash bag. Yes, you got to be this ruthless.

One of the biggest reasons people end up suffering from skin allergies is because they end up using products that have expired its best before date and the various ingredients in it which have begun to go bad have reacted harmfully to their skin.

Now that you’ve taken everything out and grouped them, start looking at them. We’re sure there are a handful or more products that are nearing their expiry date, and a few that are way past the date. Off they go into the bin. And here’s a tip, the next time you purchase a product, take a paper tape and sharpie and label the purchase date on it. This way, you’ll be able to keep track of them well.

Now when you start potting back the products, organise them in a manner that the daily use ones are handy, and the ones that you use occasionally can be put somewhere in the back.

Many a times we end up being late to a party or meeting because we’re not able to find our regularly used cream or foundation, as we may have simply put it away somewhere in a jiffy after the last use. It hardly takes a couple of seconds more, but please put the things back in the same place as before. (We know, we sound like your elementary school teacher now, but, can’t help!)

Now you will definitely throw away those products which have expired, but what about those which you haven’t even opened the packaging and you already are using one right now? What about those products you received as gifts but you cannot use them because they’re not your skin types?

Well, it is one thing to give it to someone you know, but you can donate too. There are various organisations which accept slightly or partially used make up and skin care products and donate it to needy women’s shelters and hospitals. Given below are a couple addresses where you can ship your donations too or get in touch with them online.

1. Give & Make Up

Give and Makeup

P.O. BOX 855

London, W4 4AW

2. Beauty Banks

Beauty Banks, c/o Jo Jones,

The Communications Store,

2 Kensington Square,

London,

W8 5EP

3. Toiletries Amnesty

4. DropPoint

By following the above routine, not only you’re keeping yourself busy by doing something productive at home during the isolation, but also getting a cleaner, well organised closet of beauty and skincare products which won’t cause you any hassles in future.