The 10 Best Makeup Organizers Out There
Proper makeup storage is a must. Even if you only have a few staple products, storage is key for efficient application. Nobody has time in the morning to search high and low for their foundation, mascara, or powder. Whatever the case may be, keeping it in the right place will make it easier to find at the right time.
But how exactly should you go about said makeup storage? Start here, with the 10 best makeup organizers. There’s an option for any budget, and to fit with any decorating style. Makeup organizers for just a handful of trusty pieces, to an entire collection with multiple choices in every product:
- Clear Acrylic Compact Organizer
- 4 Piece Acrylic Cosmetic Drawers
- Clear Plastic Makeup & Vanity Drawer Organizers
- 360 Degree Rotating Cosmetic Storage Display Case
- Divided Makeup Palette Organizer
- Acrylic Makeup Brush Organizer Holder
- Stackable Cosmetic Organizer Drawers
- Acrylic Makeup Organizer with Dustproof Brush Holders and Drawers
- Clear Plastic Shelving Unit
- Storage/Organization Standalone Drawer Unit
Whether you’re just looking for some method to your makeup madness or just to free up some space where you usually do your makeup, one of these is sure to work. Or, if you’re looking to do a complete overhaul of your space, a combination of a few might be a better fit. Either way, keep reading for the 10 best makeup organizers, as well as a few other tips and tricks for straightening out your cosmetics.
What is the Best Makeup Organizer?
DreamGenius Makeup Organizer 4 Pieces Cosmetic Storage Display
The best overall makeup organizer is this four-piece, clear acrylic unit. It includes nine drawers of varying sizes, perfect for more flat makeup like powder compacts and eye shadow palettes. There are also black velvet drawer liners that can be easily removed and washed when the inevitable powder spill happens.
Also included in this design is a tray that fits on top of the drawer unit. This piece has room to store lipstick, eyeliners, or mascaras upright. There are a few different sizes within each compartment.
The drawers and tray fit together with anti-slip grips and an interlocking system. But, they can also be used separately and spread out across your vanity however you see fit. There are plenty of options when it comes to adapting this one size fits all makeup organizer.
10 Best Makeup Organizers
Drumroll, please… now for the top 10, best makeup organizers. Each of these is great for its own reasons, so they’re not listed in any particular order. Again, if you have a lot of products, it might be a combo of two or three that you’re after.
Whatever the case may be, after rearranging your products, everything will have its very own home and will be ready when you reach for it. These 10 organizers are move-in ready.
1. Clear Acrylic Compact Organizer
Starting with compacts is a good beginning since many types of makeup come in this style of packaging. Pretty much anything that comes in a powder, or even a cream, can be found in a compact. There are eight spaces, so you could even dedicate one or two to eyeliners or lipstick to keep them from rolling around your countertop.
2. 4 Piece Acrylic Cosmetic Drawers
Although this four-piece design is similar to the overall winning makeup organizer, it lends itself to maximizing counter space. It can be stacked so that it’s taller, instead of wider, which will free up some room for you to work.
On top of the unit is a tray with room for lipstick or other slender items. But there’s also room in the drawers for lipsticks, so you could even use the top part for easy access to more frequently used items like concealer or brushes.
3. Clear Plastic Makeup & Vanity Drawer Organizers
If you already have a drawer dedicated to housing your makeup, then these handy helpers can help you make better use of the space. The combo of longer length bins and shorter, boxier ones lends itself well to storing different products of all shapes and sizes. If you have a deeper drawer, these could be perfect for standing lipsticks and nail polish vertically, to make even more room.
4. 360 Degree Rotating Cosmetic Storage Display Case
Hello, style points. This makeup organizer is not only functional, but it looks fantastic too. There are multiple shelves to hold up to 60 cosmetics. And, to literally top it off, there’s additional upright storage above the shelves.
But wait, there’s more… open shelving and room to spare aside, this organizer unit spins 360 degrees (hence the name), for the easiest access to all of your favorites. Brushes, bottles, palettes, and more all have a home with this display case.
5. Divided Makeup Palette Organizer
This smaller unit is similar to the first organizer; only it’s open-ended to allow room for larger pieces. It’s ideal for organizing compacts and flat palettes. Even thicker ones that wouldn’t fit in some of the drawer organizers can fit here.
It can be used as a countertop organizer, or it can be mounted on the wall or mirror for horizontal storage. This is also a great option if you have any double-sided brushes that need to be laid flat.
6. Acrylic Makeup Brush Organizer Holder
There are three sections in this piece that are meant for brush storage. It’s small but useful. It’s intended to be used with brushes, but it also works for mascara, eyeliner, lipstick, and other longer items. This could also be mounted on the wall to make extra room on a countertop.
7. Stackable Cosmetic Organizer Drawers
If you want to appear to be organized, but you prefer a throw and go method of picking up, this one is perfect for you. The drawers look great and make storage easy.
But, if you’re in a pinch without a ton of time to put things back neatly, tossing them in the drawers will still have the overall clean up effect. If you want to go the extra mile, you could label the drawers with the type of products they’ll hold.
8. Acrylic Makeup Organizer with Dustproof Brush Holders and Drawers
A dusty makeup brush is gross on so many levels. Save yourself the trouble of extra cleanings by choosing this model with doors that cover the stand-up brush storage. There are smaller drawers on the side, but the dustproof storage is the focal point on this one.
9. Clear Plastic Shelving Unit
This simple and sleek unit is a no-frills open shelving unit with four levels. There’s enough room to store and stack any of your makeup products upright, without taking up too much space on your counter or vanity. A wall mount is another option with this one.
But, this versatile design can also be used flat in a drawer or countertop. It would work for brushes or other cosmetics, but also for fragrances and other skincare products.
10. Storage/Organization Standalone Drawer Unit
If you’re a bit of a makeup hoarder, with multiple kinds of each product, a separate unit might be a good idea. It won’t take up any precious counter space, allowing you more freedom to work when you’re getting glam. These drawers aren’t transparent, so labeling each one would be helpful.
How do You Organize Your Makeup?
Makeup organization is a fairly personal thing since everyone will learn to apply make-up differently. Some start with eyes, others go for the face makeup first. Making your products easy to access for the most efficient application is priority number one for organizing. There is no one size fits all method, but the following steps will help you get started.
Dump it Out
That’s right. All of it. This is the perfect time to sanitize your makeup by wiping it down. Bacteria and germs love makeup, especially brushes, so taking some time to disinfect packaging and applicators with wipes will help prevent that yucky stuff from transferring to your face later.
As you wipe down and clean each product, check for expiration dates. Toss out anything that’s past its prime. But don’t stop with just the dates, anything that’s not yet expired but looks a little rusty and crusty should also go straight to the trash. Make sure lids are on tight and latched while you’re doing this, too.
Sort by Product
Now that you’ve gotten rid of some things, you’ll hopefully be working with a lighter load. If you’re into a full face glam look, you’re going to have a lot more to sort through than those that have just the basics. So, if you are looking for some top-tier make-up tools, taking a glance at the best make-up brushes can help you add quality products to your organizer.
But, take your time on this part. The more organized you are, the easier it will be to find your products later. Make a pile for each kind of product. If you haven’t already chosen a makeup organizer, seeing how many of each product you have can give you an overall feel of what you’ll need.
Put it Back
Cleaning up a mess is never the fun part, but that’s not the case here. Your makeup is getting a new home, and it will make your life so much easier. If at all possible, arrange your makeup with the most used items closer to where you’ll be reaching. Those that you don’t use as frequently can go toward the back.
This doesn’t just have to be for colors or brands within products, but for actual products themselves. If you don’t always use a concealer, for example, it can go in a place that’s not as easy to access, since it’s not used all the time. Or, if you have a particular contour palette that’s only for special occasions, it can get tucked away, so it’s not obstructing your reach of any of the day to day things.
Make it Work for You
Again, this is just a starting point. Try out your new arrangement and adapt it where necessary. Give it a solid few days to get used to and make a note of anything that bugs you while you’re putting on your makeup.
Maybe you bump into the eyeliner on your way to the lipstick, so you want to move the taller items to the back. Or your eyeshadow brushes are getting colorful powder on your face brushes, so you need to separate those. Just make sure that whatever arrangement you land on is best for your personal use.
How to Clean Your Makeup Organizer
Disinfecting is key when working with makeup. Reminder, brushes touch your face, touch your makeup, touch your face again… so spreading bacteria and germs is going to happen, unless you keep them clean. You can look at the 10 easy steps to clean make-up brushes to keep them in top shape. You’ll want to clean your brushes, and the organizer. So, cleaning your makeup organizer is really, really important… but also easy!
You’ll need to take all of the makeup out and clean the organizer at least once a month, if not more, depending on how frequently you put on makeup. If you’re a daily makeup user, then a weekly cleaning would be a good idea.
First, you’ll want to take out all of the makeup. To make it easy on yourself, keep the makeup together with its makeup family when you empty the organizer. If your makeup organizer has multiple parts, disassemble each piece can be cleaned on its own.
Soak the organizer in warm, soapy water. Dish soap is perfect for getting rid of any stubborn, oil-based debris. If necessary, use a soft washcloth to gently scrub away any lingering stains. Rinse with cold water.
Now that the organizer is clean, it’s time to say bye-bye to the germs, and their bacteria friends. Vinegar is a gentle and natural disinfectant. Fill your sink or bathtub with enough water to cover the organizer or organizers if you’re cleaning multiple. Then, add vinegar. You’ll want to do equal parts vinegar to water.
Let the makeup organizer soak for about 10 minutes, again, using a soft cloth to gently brush away any lingering germs that are hanging on for dear life.
