Spring Cleaning... Good bye old makeup!

Back 2 Mac Empties

Spring cleaning in my house not only consists of cleaning the house, but also all of my makeup.  I clean through my makeup several times a year - but during Spring is normally when I take in my Back 2 Mac Empties to trade in for new goodies and donate things like perfume samples, skin care samples and other to the local Women Helping Women Shelter.  I also take out cosmetic items that are expired, or about to be, items I purchased but never really used and so much more and either donate them (if they are still usable and barely used or swatched) or throw them out.  

I started with my Back 2 MAC Empties.  Normally I keep an empty MAC bag from a past purchase and stuff them with my MAC products that are empty or expired.  After 6 items, you can take them to a MAC counter for a free lipstick (limited edition colors not included) or a Free standing store for a free eye shadow, lip glass, lipstick with your trade in.  MAC has an awesome program because they take the trade in returns and recycle them.  I love this program not only because we are recycling - but it's always great to get back some goodies... you feel accomplished at the end.  I honestly wish other places like Sephora, Urban Decay, Too Faced and so much more would provide a similar option.  I have a lot of empties I have thrown out from them in the past.

Past Pigments from Bare Minerals, Avon Minerals and Mineral Makeup I created myself from way back in the day.

A bunch of makeup I am getting rid of from Avon eye shadow quads to mineral makeup, single eyeshadows and so much more!

Now cleaning out makeup is not a "all in one day task".  It has taken me several different times to really go and get everything organized and looking at expiration dates, averaging when I purchased the products and figuring out if it is something I will ever use again.  Besides my MAC stuff, I have gone through my pigment drawer and cleaned out over 200 pigments.  Some of them I bought from Bare Minerals or Avon but most of them are pigment colors I created myself.  Minerals last a really long time and for most cases, indefinitely as long as they are kept sanitary and you are not dipping directly into your jar.  I have been mixing pigments since about 2007 - providing colors I made for my brides and bridal parties as custom made colors just for them or even little touch up kits for them to use.  Because of this, I have made many many colors.  While HoneyXO only has about 86 colors, if I were to add up the colors I have made for clients over the years, I would have well over 250.  My client colors were custom formulated for them, so I do not ever sell them and only used them for personal use.  Since I will not be using them any longer, I figured it is time to get rid of them.  That is 6 years worth of pigments right there... all stacked up on each other and in a huge zip lock bag... whew, it was nice to clear out 2 drawers of that stuff and make room for more makeup. lol

I also decided it was time to get rid of palettes I haven't used in a while or makeup that may be near expiration.  Those are in the right photo.  Single eye shadows and so much more have been tossed in there, never to be looked at again... off to see another life.  Good bye! :)

Last but not least... my lipstick drawers.  I cleaned through those last month.  The drawer on the left of the photo is what was left.  The package on the right is what I am getting rid of, donating unused ones or just throwing out lipsticks all together.  It was really nice to get all my lippies into one drawer again... though since Lipsticks and eye shadows are my weaknesses... I know that I will be filling up and over filling that drawer once again before years end.  I know, I have a problem... but - at least I know when to throw things out. :)

I don't think collecting makeup is a bad thing... in fact, if it were - I'd be guilty of it.  But, I do think that not getting rid of makeup you don't use or makeup that is old is a bad thing.  I make it a regular ritual to go through my makeup at least every 6 months... and throw out the things that may be expired or no good... things like Mascara.  As you know - I'm a mascara junkie anyway... so I pick them up pretty frequently.  If they are not used up within 4 months, I usually throw them out.   But I really do like cleaning through my makeup.  I always preach that it should be a habit for women to go through their makeup, at least once a year and throw out the bad or get rid of what they don't use.   That's why I LOVE makeup spring cleaning.  It also gives me the opportunity to see makeup that I have neglected... and bring them to the front of my collection so I can utilize them more often and get the use out of them that they deserve.    Do you Spring Clean your makeup?

Happy Spring Cleaning!
Honey