I had some recent requests from readers and friends who were curious as to how my dressing table looks and as to how to store makeup and skincare items. Reader Gette wrote to me:-
Hi Paris!
Ever since I’ve gotten into this cosmetics thing, my bathroom shelf is overflowing with my skincare, make-up and accessories. I’m pretty sure you have more things than I do, so how do you store your stuff?
Thanks!
Incidentally, just yesterday, Syen of Soloverly asked to see what my bathroom cabinet looked like. I don’t store my cosmetics or skincare in the bathroom but in my bedroom on/in a dresser. On a personal note I do not recommend the bathroom for storing cosmetics if you also use it to shower – the heat and high humidity can cause products to spoil. So, with the pressing requests, here’s a combined post showing you roughly what my dresser looks like (when its neat and clean) and how I store my makeup and skincare.
My dresser is part of a bedroom set that I picked up from a furniture store that promptly burnt down 2 weeks later. Ah yep! Insurance I have no doubt 😛 Anyway, I chose it for the many drawers it had and the large mirror it came with.
Most of my cosmetics are stored in storage boxes on top of the dresser which makes things very cramped and not pretty. However, its practical and I tend to go for practical over pretty. Practical means I have less to dust as boxes are easier to wipe down 😛
So ends the story of how my dresser looks – onto how I actually store my makeup, skincare and etc… 😉
Makeup Storage Tips
Try Toolboxes or plastic drawers
I started out with storing makeup in toolboxes – the sort you can get at your neighbourhood hardware shop or DIY shop. Don’t laugh – they are heck of a lot larger and cheaper and sturdier than most makeup traincases and you can get some decent looking ones at any DIY store! I found one in the DIY department of a hypermarket which was meant for storing screws and small objects in the garage! It was perfect for keeping loose eyeshadows and lipstick etc until I ran out of space. Key: Think out of the box.
An alternative is plastic drawer sets you can easily get at DIY stores or supermarkets. I had a few of those but I found them too impractical as they were not of the right height or width and they are now used for storing other things in my store room.
Mooncake tins or boxes come in handy!
If you buy or get those elaborate mooncake or cake tins or pretty wooden boxes, don’t throw them away. They make good storage options too! I have this box that came with some random skincare set (red box in picture above). It laid in my store room for ages until I picked it up again recently. Its the perfect size for some everyday face brushes AND looks pretty! 😀
Ikea is a fountain of ideas!
After lots of experimentation, my preference for makeup storage lies in none other than that storage and organization heaven – Ikea! 2 items I particularly recommend are the Antonius Basket Insert (RM5) and the Glis Box with Lid (RM19.90) and Glis Box with Lid set of 3 (RM12 for 3). The latter 2 Glis boxes are usually found at the Kid’s department 😉
I use the Antonius Basket Insert for skincare as its hard to find a box high enough to accommodate all the different heights skincare bottles come in. It is also useful for keeping foundation and powders neat. Most fit nicely in the spaces. Dusting is a bit of a hassle but I’m used to it by now.
The Glis Box with Lid comes with compartments and you can add your own inserts (included) to create your own compartment sizes. Very useful for keeping palettes and loose eyeshadow singles.
The Glis Box with Lid set of 3 that is found in the Kid’s department is very useful for keeping cotton pads and lipsticks! Its about the right height for most lipsticks or you can store the lipsticks or glosses lying down.
If you go to the kitchen department of Ikea, pick up the Forhoja wooden cutlery tray (RM25). Its useful for holding palettes or in my case, blush! It fits nicely in my drawer and there’s a handle so you can pick it up if you want to dust under it. I don’t have a picture here but there’s one floating around the blog somewhere 😉
To create more space on my dressing table top, I use the Ikea Rationell Variera metal shelf. Its meant to extend your flat surface area upwards. The new one is white and quite pretty. Look in the kitchen department by the cutlery trays – it sells out quickly.
Backups of skincare and perfumes are kept in a cupboard away from heat. I use a slim low Billy bookcase from Ikea. Its about the right height and the limited space prevents me from amassing too much 😛
Brushes, you already know are stored on the Ikea Spontan magnetic board at eye level and are easy to reach for in the morning. I also store my mascara there! I’m told its been discontinued but I haven’t been to Ikea lately so I can’t say for sure. Some shorter or more frequently used face brushes are now stored in the red box on my dresser. Hair brushes are stored in a round ceramic pot found in a random little shop which was meant to be for storing used oil after cooking. I picked it up because someone broke the cover and it was going cheap (RM5) and the ribbons came from presents and cost nothing 🙂
So there you have it. My makeup storage tips or rather, how I store my makeup and skincare stuff.
Do share yours! If you have a picture, you can upload it onto Flickr or Photobucket and share the link in your comment below, or if you have a blog, blog it! It’ll be fun to see how we all store our products – I’m sure some of you have very pretty dressers, not a mere practical boring looking ones like mine! 🙂
Stay beautiful,
Paris B
woah! quite neat n tidy! mine is still work in progress. haha. i procrastinate too much!
Hi plue
Its either i keep it neat or live in a tip LOL…
nice and neat! i dont have many cosmetic and brushes. Most of them is inside a big box
Hi Cat
I started out with 1 box too 😛
wow wow! That’s a nice collection of things. Very clean and neat too. Mine is on top of my writing desk (which I don’t use for study at all). And I only have a small tray for current products. So no dusting required. The unopened ones are kept in paper bags on shelves, and covered with cloth.
Hi Jyoan
I keep new products in a cupboard – that way no dusting required! 😀
Wow!!!! I really like your storage Paris!! 😀 It’s not boring at all!! The magnetic board is such a neat idea!! hehehe!! 😀 I feel like rushing to Ikea right now to pick up a few stuff!! 😀
I keep my makeup in a boring ol dry box! lol! 😀
Hi Jenn
A dry box! That’s seriously impressive and not boring at all! 😀
Oh wow! Soooo many barang-barang and you still managed to keep it tidy and clean. Guess I need more tips to organized my stuff :p I got myself the magnetic board too, but its mostly overdue bills and receipts etc. ^0^ I can’t seems to find enough storage space for my skincare & cosmetics.
Hi Ant
Storing skincare is always a problem for me due to the height of bottles which is why I opted for an open tray. Perhaps try that? 🙂
This is possibly the first time I’m seeing how your store your beauty stuff. LOVE IT! So neat and tidy. Thanks for sharing 🙂
PS: The magnetic board of makeup brushes? Genius!
Hey Tine
Thank you! I’m still loving my magnet board 🙂
looks like i should pay a visit to Ikea! I’m moving soon to a place with less space…meaning I’ll have to be much more organized. Haha I always thought guys’ toolboxes looked like traincases. Thought about getting one before but the ones I saw look so masculine and ugly 😛 They are super durable though, and cheaper too. I’ve also seen some tool drawer sets with shallow compartments for nails n stuff that would be perfect for makeup…if only they looked prettier!
Hi Blue
I’ve found that Ikea storage is the best for me. I’ve actually seen pink toolboxes at the DIY store – don’t ask me which handyman would use pink… 😛
wow.. i like the magnetic board… it’s so brilliant and looks cool.. hope that it’s not discontinued…
i keep my stuffs in some DIY plastic toolbox/ small drawers too =)
Hi Shaynajo
Personally I don’t know if its discontinued but if anyone would like to confirm it it would be helpful
Very practical indeed! I use the very same storage items! (The Glis boxes, metal shelf in grey) *I heart Ikea*. I use them mostly to organize my stationery before, and now for my toiletries & beauty products. I agree Ikea has a lot of storage ideas, just you let your creativity and imagination run wild. I have to agree with you on the moon cake storage boxes, I love the packaging, a friend bought 1 nice one, with 2-3 drawer inserts and it opens up like a jewelry case! I should take a picture of it and share soon 🙂
Hi SerraQual
Hurrah! Someone who uses the metal shelves too! Isn’t it so brilliant? 🙂 Do share a pic of that mooncake box – sounds pretty.
That looks like a very well equipped cosmetic kit!
I love the magnetic board idea. I’ll try to look for it the next time I visit IKEA.
Hi Adino
I hope its still there!
This post hits the spot! Am looking for storage solutions for my makeup and stashing some here and there is very time consuming to look for in a hurry.
Hi Adrianna
I hope you picked up some ideas for storing your stuff. Storage doesn’t have to be expensive 🙂
LOL you are so tidy I would LOVE to adopt you 🙂 You know what, I laughed out loud when you said mooncake boxes are handy! So true, once I’ve used the cute mooncake tins to put my MAC paintpots! 🙂 Love your dresser!
Hiya Nikki
LOL I used to use mooncake boxes too – some are so pretty!
“… furniture store that promptly burnt down 2 weeks later.” That has to be the Taman Desa furniture shop.
I am moving out of my room soon so all of my makeup and whatnot are stored in takeaway boxes. I once used takeaway bento and sushi trays but the sides weren’t high enough. Maybe one day, I’ll get a wooden bento box for my mineral makeup and use the sauce compartment as a swirly bowl….
Hiya Eli
It was in Subang actually but then furniture stores have a way of burning down every so often 😛 A bento tray is a great idea! Would love to see that one day 🙂
Wow!
…and I thought I owned too many cosmetics…I was wrong..you have more LOL
I keep my body care in the bathroom. I also put my facial skincare there.
For makeup, I use 3-stories small plastic drawer. The bottom is for makeup bases; the middle is for cool-tones eyeshadow and blush; the top is for warm-tones eyeshadow and blush.
I put makeup pencils inside 3 glasses: one for lip liners; one for eyeliners; the last one for mascaras.
I’ll post a picture because it’s pretty confusing without picture 😀
Hi Indira
Do share a pic! 🙂
Hi Paris. Here’s the link to my makeup storage.
http://indirasiregar.blogspot.com/2009/11/my-makeup-storage.html
love your arrangement!!!!
my stuff…..is everywhere in the room! 😛
Hey prettybeautiful
Its easier once you get your own place 😉
wow, you have quite a collections…
Haha… understatement Reese! 😛
I’m such a voyeur cos I like to see how other people organize their stuff. Heh. Mine is just chucked higgly-piggly into 2 drawers of a chest of drawers in my room so I have to search through my stash when I want to make-up. Normal every stuff is on my dresser though. 😀
Hey Rinnah
Organization is therapeutic – try it! And you’d find yourself using up more stuff than you thought possible 😉
Wow,,You have a big dressing table..Mine’s so small..I love the magnetic board. So cool!!
Hi Slowbrogal
Thanks and yes I opted for a large dresser!
I’m like you…I use plastic storage drawers and boxes!
Hey Jamilla
They are the easiest to clean and look after! 🙂
wow! That really a lot of stuff!
I don’t have a special cupboard for my cosmetics products yet but I really need one because the number of the products are increasing!!
Hi Jean
Yup it started growing so it was organize or be buried under the mess 🙂