If you see my cosmetic stash, you will notice that I don't own a lot of products. It drives me mad when I don't have an overview over my things -- it makes me ignore the stuff and not use it. Also, after the many uncluttering purges I have done lately, I realised that I don't want to own stuff that I don't and won't use.
My bathroom is pretty small, and it is important for me to keep it looking tidy and pleasant to be in. This makes it easier for me to streamline my products.
Here is a peek into my bathroom drawer:
I also avoid "unitasker" cosmetics: I don't buy shaving gels, I use soap. I prefer soap to shower gels since they are more eco-friendly and take up less space. I don't buy creams for the hands, the feet, the cuticles... I actually use product for all of them (usually an Alverde oil, which is also my body moisturiser and my hair oil). For cases of extreme dryness I have the Weleda Skin Food which is also my undereye cream, my lip balm and I also use it on the kid's cheeks. The aloe-vera gel is a moisturiser as well as an anti-frizz product.
The husband sometimes prefers to have his own stuff, but that doesn't take up much space. The kids use the same stuff as I do (my shampoo and conditioner to wash their hair, adult toothpaste). I'm not a huge fan of the typical too-sweet-glittery kid's products, and my kids don't see anything strange about using the same stuff as the rest of the family.
I'm not a saint though -- I own several each of moisturising creams, clay masks and cleansers. However each one of them is very different from the other and in a way serves a different function (for example the cleansers are an micellar solution, an Aleppo soap and a traditional gel cleanser). Also, the essential oil collection that I and my husband share isn't very small.
My coloured cosmetic stash is varied but not very big -- as long as you don't count my stash of mineral makeup samples -- I can't figure out what to do with ones that don't fit work for me. Any ideas? When I find something that suits me (foundation, bronzer) I tend to stick to it and not try any different ones unless I read a really mind-blowing review of something. I promptly get rid of any product that doesn't work (if I don't find a good way to repurpose it).
So what do I hoard? I'd say jewelry. I have lots of jewelry. Lots. However, the way I justify it is -- jewelry doesn't go old, and chances are a granddaughter will wear it some day.
For me it's not about being spartan -- it's about having what I need. It's also about not losing stuff at the back of the drawers. I do need three kinds of cleansers because each one works differently. I don't however need a different moisturiser for every body part.
The vanity unit is something I made of an Ikea commode, following these instructions. I stained it with boiled walnut shells + potash, and then made it waterproof with several layers of linseed oil (when it dries, it crystallizes and makes the wood pretty much waterproof).
What does your cosmetic stash look like? Do you prefer to have a few chosen products? Or do you love to have a lovely big collection of products you can pick and choose from? Anybody ever tried to hack an Ikea piece?
My bathroom is pretty small, and it is important for me to keep it looking tidy and pleasant to be in. This makes it easier for me to streamline my products.
Here is a peek into my bathroom drawer:
On the left are products for washing the hair (shampoo, conditioners and masques), on the right are cleansers, moisturisers, deodorant, aloe vera gel, a couple of oils, sunscreen, leg bronzer, razor, nail file. In the middle are his and hers dry brushes, and of course you can spot my microfibre cloths.
The right part of the second drawer (the left half has contact lense stuff and my guy's stuff). You can see my self-tanner, a bunch of hair products (dry shampoo, scalp rub-in, mousse, moisturising spray) and the unfortunate sundepil. On the right are my clays and scrubs as well as hammam scrubbing mitts.
The bottom drawer holds detergents for the bathroom. Other skin-care products that stay outside the drawers is my micellar solution (the bottle is too big and doesn't fit), a body butter, and my epilator. My make-up stuff is in the bedroom, and I'll show it to you another day. Oh, and the drawer near my bed holds my Skin Food, cuticle oil and Weleda rose oil, so that I can use them right before sleeping.
I hate having duplicates, so I will buy most products (like conditioner) only when the old one runs out (unless I have a very good reason for owning several conditioners: for example one protein one and one light one and a heavy one). Probably the only think I keep a stash of is soap -- but then I display it in a pretty porcelain cup and it makes the bathroom smell nice. Everything else -- shampoo, razors, cosmetics, gets bought when the old one is running out. If by chance I have more than one product of a kind, the unused one goes at the back of the cupboard where it waits for its turn. I won't have three half-used shampoos standing on the counter.
I also avoid "unitasker" cosmetics: I don't buy shaving gels, I use soap. I prefer soap to shower gels since they are more eco-friendly and take up less space. I don't buy creams for the hands, the feet, the cuticles... I actually use product for all of them (usually an Alverde oil, which is also my body moisturiser and my hair oil). For cases of extreme dryness I have the Weleda Skin Food which is also my undereye cream, my lip balm and I also use it on the kid's cheeks. The aloe-vera gel is a moisturiser as well as an anti-frizz product.
The husband sometimes prefers to have his own stuff, but that doesn't take up much space. The kids use the same stuff as I do (my shampoo and conditioner to wash their hair, adult toothpaste). I'm not a huge fan of the typical too-sweet-glittery kid's products, and my kids don't see anything strange about using the same stuff as the rest of the family.
I'm not a saint though -- I own several each of moisturising creams, clay masks and cleansers. However each one of them is very different from the other and in a way serves a different function (for example the cleansers are an micellar solution, an Aleppo soap and a traditional gel cleanser). Also, the essential oil collection that I and my husband share isn't very small.
My coloured cosmetic stash is varied but not very big -- as long as you don't count my stash of mineral makeup samples -- I can't figure out what to do with ones that don't fit work for me. Any ideas? When I find something that suits me (foundation, bronzer) I tend to stick to it and not try any different ones unless I read a really mind-blowing review of something. I promptly get rid of any product that doesn't work (if I don't find a good way to repurpose it).
So what do I hoard? I'd say jewelry. I have lots of jewelry. Lots. However, the way I justify it is -- jewelry doesn't go old, and chances are a granddaughter will wear it some day.
For me it's not about being spartan -- it's about having what I need. It's also about not losing stuff at the back of the drawers. I do need three kinds of cleansers because each one works differently. I don't however need a different moisturiser for every body part.
The vanity unit is something I made of an Ikea commode, following these instructions. I stained it with boiled walnut shells + potash, and then made it waterproof with several layers of linseed oil (when it dries, it crystallizes and makes the wood pretty much waterproof).
What does your cosmetic stash look like? Do you prefer to have a few chosen products? Or do you love to have a lovely big collection of products you can pick and choose from? Anybody ever tried to hack an Ikea piece?
