My biggest frustration with my bathroom vanity is the lack of drawers; I’m sure more than a few of you can relate. With only a single short drawer in my space, a few years ago, I was convinced I could still cull and consolidate my makeup enough to designate it as my makeup drawer. And, I did. I was formerly using a small, deep acrylic makeup organizer on my countertop that took up too much countertop space and didn’t fit my makeup well so in an effort to clear the vanity surface, I purged my old makeup until it comfortably fit inside the vanity drawer. But, my success was short-lived as I realized with the limited drawer space, it really wasn’t the long-term solution I had hoped for. Any extra makeup had to go in the closet, under the sink, tossed in random baskets, and ultimately, still started moving to my countertop (which was also growing increasingly cluttered). I always talk about when it comes to organization, function reigns supreme but sometimes, it takes a few trial and errors to get it “right”. After several years of trying to stick to the single drawer system that just wasn’t working, I set my makeup organization at the top of my priority list for the beginning of the year. Well hallelujah because my bathroom and vanity have been conquered and my makeup can finally breathe again! And, when my makeup organization is on point and I can access and find things easily, I tend to actually use my makeup more. My solution — an acrylic makeup organizer with customizable modules that I was able to construct and assemble to fit my needs.
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While I had an acrylic organizer for my makeup several years ago, it was too deep and not nearly wide enough. The system I’ve now implemented is opposite — wide but not too deep. And, I’m gonna break it down and share exactly what I’m able to store in each drawer, along with each acrylic makeup drawer I used to round out my pretty little tower. As a reminder — or, if you never saw my former makeup solution — this is what I was working with.
As soon as I needed to add a bottle of foundation, I was done for. All the makeup ran together and while I was hopeful, it just wasn’t a viable solution for me. I needed something that had extra room and something where I could actually see what I had. I swear the back of the makeup drawer ate a couple brushes and eyelash curler…
Acrylic Makeup Organizer
I was hesitant to look for a countertop solution before because I really wanted my products hidden. But, given the choice of a bare countertop or solutions that actually work, I’ll take the countertop organizer! After looking for lots of solutions and hunting for something that would accommodate the dimensions of my tallest and longest makeup products, I landed on this Luxe acrylic modular system, with individual, substantial, stackable acrylic drawers that transform into the exact makeup drawer organization system you need. There’s also inserts that fit within the drawers so the customization is endless. Here’s what my acrylic makeup organizer looks like now…
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Turn on your JavaScript to view contentNow that I actually have my products out but orderly, I like the look. Plus, with the right organizer, I still have ample room for other items like my apothecary jars and there’s plenty of space to get ready and apply my makeup. If you’ve never had acrylic, it isn’t just a clear plastic that you may be more familiar with. It’s a hard material, has a good bit of weight to it, is durable, and cleans a lot easier than plastic that tends to get foggy.
How to Organize Your Makeup
Creating a custom makeup organizer from individual modules may look intimidating, but here are a few tips.
The good news is that the module sizes of the acrylic makeup drawers all work together within the same system, which makes building your own organizer way easier. There are only two heights (both a tall and a short — which is exactly 1/2 the height of the tall), and three widths (large — single drawer, medium — half the size of the single drawer, and small — half the size of the medium or 1/4 the size of the large). So for example, if you have a large, single drawer base — like I do — you could 1. stack a single on top, 2. stack two mediums on top, 3. stack a medium and two smalls on top, etc. Here are the exact components I used in mine.
Components:
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Turn on your JavaScript to view contentI think the benefit of the system is being able to customize it but there are also pre-packaged sets you can use or even use as a starting point. You can get more inspiration and configuration ideas here.
Pre-Selected Acrylic Makeup Organizer Sets
Turn on your JavaScript to view contentAcrylic Makeup Organizer — What’s Inside Each Drawer
I consider myself to (now) have an average amount of makeup — I definitely like to have options but my days of needing every color eyeshadow are long gone. I’m going to take a peek inside each drawer but first, here’s my overall drawer storage setup. I even still have multiple empty compartments in the top organizer and a full empty drawer.
My acrylic organizer on top of the unit is one piece; you can remove the lipstick tray if you want to, though to form one large compartment. The back sections where I keep my daily items and perfumes (plus an entirely empty last row not pictured) is actually on a little riser. Makeup palettes would fit well on these too, if you prefer not to keep them in drawers.
I have one short medium drawer with this divided insert for lip liners and glosses…
And a drawer next to it reserved for lashes. I used another short medium drawer and this divided insert for faux lashes and mascaras.
After years of not painting my own nails, I finally tossed my decades-old polishes. I held on to some of my files and tools and stored them in this small tall acrylic drawer.
Next to the nail drawer, I stacked two small short drawers on top of each other. One is still empty and one holds eyeliner, eyebrow pencils, and sharpeners.
All of my eyeshadow palettes are in the medium tall drawer — proof that Naked palettes do fit ;). They would also fit in the short small drawers on their side if you aren’t pairing them with other brand palettes.
I have a good amount of “face stuff” so I used inserts to group like items together in the large drawer. I used the long 2-section insert to corral my foundations and concealers, along with bronzer, powders, and highlighters. By the way, the tall drawers are tall enough to fit compacts in sideways, if you prefer to store them like this to save space ;).
Total side note but if you saw my gift guides this past Christmas, you may recognize that my sweet guy got me the initial necklace I wanted, with our three initials. It’s so dainty and sweet and came in the most beautiful packaging (HERE) — I’ve been wearing it daily.
I’m a few weeks into using my new acrylic makeup organizer and so far, so good — I’m hoping it’s the solution I’ve been needing. One of my favorite new implementations is displaying my daily products — from hair to deodorant — and keeping them easily accessible. While my drawer system is more sizable (I’m short and it still doesn’t obstruct my mirror view), the modules can be customized so others’ may have much smaller configurations. Or, if you have a wide vanity, you could do something more low and have a base of two large drawers. You can even add to it as your collection grows or your needs change/evolve.
While I was working on the makeup solutions, I went ahead and tackled the rest of the vanity– which I’ll be sharing next week 😉 In the meantime, you can subscribe to emails at the bottom of the post to catch that project, along with upcoming organization projects, and check out other organization projects in the organization gallery HERE.
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Choosing the perfect makeup case is like finding the right smartphone – it’s likely going to go everywhere with you so you’ll want to invest in one that fits your needs and is going to last. If you’re an aspiring makeup artist or on the road to influencer fame, having the right products and tools at hand for those killer looks is going to make life that much easier.
Are you just starting out and looking for your first case? Or perhaps you’ve hit the big time and need something flexible for when you visit clients. No matter what stage you’re at, here are five key things to consider when choosing your next makeup case.
First of all, what do you need to use your makeup case for? Is it going to stay at home in your bathroom and be used simply to organise and store your fave products? Or will it be coming with you on all your grand adventures? Determining what you need it for will also help you pin down how much makeup and accessories you’ll need it to carry.
If you’re keeping it light and breezy, the marble pochette might be all you need. Especially if you’re after a makeup case to chuck in your handbag full of essentially. However, if you’re going pro and need something more comprehensive, you might need (and love) all the space that the XL cosmetic case offers.
If you’re going to carry any liquids to your makeup case, it’s a good idea to check that the lining is waterproof (or at the very least, water resistant). The last thing you want is for your new white pants to get covered in a mystery goo when you’re on the way to a shoot #epicfail. Investing in a well-made case will not only save you cash in the long run (as they tend to last longer), but it will also help to make you look the part. A professional, top of the line case can help you build confidence and reassure your clients that you know how to get the job done.
You can’t always rely on there being good lighting everywhere you go, so why not bring your own! When it comes to lighting for makeup, you’ve got a few awesome options. Many newer makeup cases come with compartments that easily and safely store vanity mirrors of all shapes and sizes, so make sure you check what’s on offer.
Compact mirrors
These small mirrors are the real heroes of every babe’s handbag. Adding a compact LED mirror to your makeup case is a quick way to make sure you have some illumination at the ready should you get stuck. They don’t take up much space and are glam enough to go with any makeup case you choose.
Portable vanity mirrors
You might like to also add a portable mirror with lights, like the Wanderlite mirror, to your makeup case. It’s roughly the same size as an A4 notebook (and almost as light) and its LED lights are bright enough to use in a variety of lighting conditions. Slip it right into your carryon luggage if you’re jet setting, or slide it into your trolley case along with all your other tools.
This all depends on what you want to use your makeup case for and where you’re going to take it. Most professional makeup artists out there can vouch for how valuable a makeup trolley case is for a few reasons. First, it’s super portable and can come with you just about anywhere. Second, you’re not limited by what you can carry, so yes, you can pack every shade of eyeshadow (just in case). And lastly, you’ll look the part – your clients will see you roll up with a killer makeup station, ready to make their beauty dreams come true!
If you’re on the road, it’s a smart idea to invest in a hard makeup case. That added layer of protection will deal with any bumps and dings along the way. A large cosmetic case can handle what you throw at it, especially if you’re outside on set. But if you’re looking for something that will fit neatly into luggage, then the marble cosmetic carrier is a good option. It’s the perfect travel companion and fits all the essentials that any glam kween could need.
To keep all your tools and fave products organised while you’re away from home, get a makeup case with compartments. Your makeup might become a jumbled mess otherwise and your beautiful products might get damaged in the process. Look for removable compartments for your makeup case because they allow you to customise the case to suit your needs.
If you LOVE our makeup cases, we want to see! Tag us on Insta @luvostore with the hashtags #luvofam and #luvostoreto show us where and how you use your makeup case.