How To: Organize Your Makeup

Dump contents on a flat colorsafe surface, such as a bathroom counter.

Keep only what you are really going to use. Discard any old, expired, or broken items. In general, mascara and liquid eyeliner expires after three to four months; eye and lip pencils, three to five years; lipstick and lip gloss, two to three years; and foundation, about two years.

Keep items together: all eye shadows, all lip liners, all blushes, and so on. Consider a pencil organizer to keep brushes upright and easy to access or a vanity tote if you’d like to move cosmetics from room to room.

Since you can see their names, you’ll choose the one you want at a glance.