New Makeup Organization

A little over a month ago, I got a new job (yay!) and as a treat to myself I bought the Ikea Alex 6 drawer unit to store my makeup.

I have had a lot of fun organizing my makeup, and while its by no means perfect, I decided that its coming along so I should share pictures of what I have going on.

I decided on the 6 drawer unit for a handful of reasons. One I really like that it has wheels, and I do move it around quite a bit. I also like that the drawers are wider and not too deep, while I have found that somethings could use a little extra height, i.e. foundations, the rest seems to work pretty perfectly. I haven't decided for sure if I am going to keep my nail polish in the Alex, it weighs the unit down and I am worried about it causing sagging issues or even breaking the drawer.

Details on each drawer ...

Drawer 1: Foundations, Concealers, Pressed Powders, MAC Eyeshadow Palettes

This drawer has a variety of products. I have my foundations, liquid, cream, powder, concealers, and MAC eyeshadows stored in this drawer. Eyeshadows take over a large majority of my new storage, so the palettes have to go in this top drawer.

Some favorites: tarte Maracuja Miracle Foundation (Fair), tarte Amazonia Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation (Fair), Cover Girl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation (Classic Ivory)

Drawer 2: Eyeshadow bases, single eyeshadows, eyeshadow palettes, loose eyeshadow pigments

I store my colorless bases (favorite: Tarte Clean Slate 360 Creaseless 12-Hour Smoothing Eye Primer), single high end shadows (favorites: MAC Satin Taupe, benefit Velvet Eyeshadow in Fawn Over Me), higher-end eyeshadow palettes, single drugstore eyeshadows, loose eyeshadow pigments (MAC, benefit, L'oreal HIP, theBalm). The two front compartments contain my more reached for products (bases and the higher end singles + wet n wild Brule) for convenience I keep those in front. I don't use my loose shadows as much as I should. I also keep some smaller quads in the front, that I use on the go all the time, currently have a smokey eye look in one and a neutral eye look one in the other.

Drawer 3: Cream Eyeshadows, Eyeliners, Mascaras, Eyebrow products, Fake Lashes

I keep the remainder of my eye products in the third drawer. In the front compartments I have my cream bases (MAC, benefit, Maybelline, tarte) and mascaras that are currently in rotation. Behind that I have my eyeliners, unopened mascaras, lashes, and brow products.

As you can see, I have a large amount of unopened mascara, so I have decided not to buy anymore mascara until I get through the ones I currently have. I tend to pick up kits that have mascaras, so thats where some have come from, and I have gotten a few others along the way during sales at the drugstore.

Drawer 4: Loose Powders, Face Primers, Blushes, Bronzers, Highlighters

This drawer has quite the variety. I have my face primers (favorite: benefit Porefessional), loose powders (favorite: tarte Smooth Operator Micronized Clay Finishing Powder), Cream Blushes, benefit liquid cheek stains and highlighters, powder blushes (favorites: tarte dazzled and fantastic, benefit Coralista, MAC Springsheen), highlighters (favorites: theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer, Philosophy Amazing Grace powder), Bronzers (favorite: benefit Hoola).

Drawer 5: Lipstick, Lipliner, Jumbo Lipstain, Lipgloss and some samples

This drawer needs more organization, and this is one of the times I would have liked if the drawers were slightly deeper. My lipglosses are too tall to stand up. I need more organization with the lipsticks, need to determine if I want to split them by brands (which is how its loosely organized currently) or by color. I am not sure if I have a favorite lipstick, per se, but I am really liking my new tarte Amazon butter lipstick in Plummy Rose and my new Milani Color Statement in Rose Amour. I really love the Philosophy lip glosses, especially Raspberry Sorbet.

I also have my tarte holiday eyeshadow palette and case in this drawer, just because its too tall to fit in other drawers. I would have preferred to have it in the top drawer with my MAC palettes.

Drawer 6: Makeup bags, Brushes, Fragrance samples, etc...

I am not including a picture of this drawer because it's just really not very exciting. I have some samples, of skincare and fragrance, and my currently unused makeup bags and brushes.