Minimalist Makeup Hacks for a Fresh Start to the Year

Switch to natural options

If you’ve been wary of toxic ingredients in the past but haven’t yet made the switch, maybe 2018 is a good time to start transitioning your collection to include natural makeup. A few years ago, natural products paled in comparison to chemical-laden formulas in terms of pigmentation and quality, but things have definitely changed.

Killer brands such as Nude by Nature, INIKA, Bite Beauty, Youngblood and Jane Iredale meld quality and natural, no-nasties ingredients, creating products you’ll love using every day. With simpler formulas and total knowledge of exactly what’s going on your face, you’ll feel safer and more in control, and that’s what your minimalist makeup journey is all about!

Know when your makeup is expired

Okay, everyone — serious question. When was the last time you did a big chuck out of all your makeup? If your answer is within the last 3-6 months, we’re proud of you. If it’s not, chances are you’re putting expired makeup on your face, or are at least hoarding it for no real purpose. Makeup shelf life is actually a lot shorter than you may think, especially when it comes to eye products and anything without preservatives (i.e. natural products).

Jump aboard the minimalist makeup trend by giving your collection the thorough clear out it needed way back in spring. Anything expired, in the bin it goes. Traditionally, mascaras, eyeliners and beauty sponges are the first to go, after 3-6 months. Your liquid foundations, concealers and primers should last around two years, whereas lipsticks and glosses ‘go off’ after a year.

Get rid of what doesn’t bring you joy

Perhaps it’s a bit of a wacky concept at first sight, but Marie Kondo was clearly speaking some truth when she said ‘if it doesn’t bring you joy, let it go’. Sometimes we buy items (makeup especially) on whims or because they’re hot commodities, only to realise they’re not getting any use a few months later.

Go through your makeup bag as intentionally as possible and ponder whether an item warrants being discarded, whether that’s because it won’t get used, doesn’t suit you or doesn’t deliver the results you expected. Friends and family are sure to be grateful for your cast-offs, no matter how well loved they are — makeup is expensive!

Empty before you repurchase

We all tend to lust after new makeup items to the point where we’re accumulating way too many of one product type. I’m definitely a repeat offender (there are currently nine foundations in my collection, send help ASAP). One practice to try out in 2018 is fully finishing off an item before you repurchase something of the same type, whether it’s the exact same brand and item or a new formula.

Of course, your collection needs to be culled to begin with, so execute the above steps and then take stock. If you’re still inundated with concealers, for instance, after the routine giving away and chucking of products, then work through them as best you can before buying something new. We’re not saying you have to live off the one lipstick shade or eyeshadow palette, but this is definitely a good practice to put in place for items that are more essential, such as face and brow products.