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A Cheap and Easy Way to Store Your Lipsticks and Gloss

by 64 Comments

Makeup organization ideas

Back before BIC lighters and matches, primitive men went on quests for fire! And today, not unlike ancient man, I embarked upon my own special quest, but this one was for neatness and better makeup organization.

It took weeks of preparation! — okay, maybe not weeks. 🙂 The idea stemmed from a comment left by MBB reader Marisa (thanks, girl!) and the eyeliners and cream shadows I dealt with a couple of weeks ago.

Before that, I’d resigned to let my lip products live lives of disarray, tossing them all into a clear plastic box.

But that just wasn’t working.

Makeup organization ideas

I was stressing out every time I had to pull it out to find something, like yesterday, when I spent an obnoxious amount of time looking for my tube of Lychee Luxe (I knew it was in there!).

There had to be a better way.

A better way

See, this is why I love craft stores: cheap and easy storage solutions. For this project I needed scissors, Scotch tape, one big box and a bunch of smaller empty boxes from lipsticks and gloss.

Step 1

Find the big box. It should be deeper/taller than your longest lip product when you stand it up inside the box. I picked this pink one because not only does it fit my longest gloss, but it also has a lid, which makes it stackable.

Makeup organization ideas

Step 2

Flatten one of your empty lipstick/lipgloss boxes, and cut it through the middle to split it in half.

Makeup organization ideas

Makeup organization ideas

Tape both halves together, side by side. Do that a zillion times (or enough times, whichever comes first).

Makeup organization ideas

Step 3

Once you have enough split boxes to hold all of your lip products, start standing ’em up in the bigger box. Fill each of them with one of your lipsticks or gloss, label side up so you can identify the product without having to dig.

Makeup organization ideas

Makeup organization ideas

Ready for more?

Take your makeup organizing to the next level with this helpful reference tool. Swatch and label each row of colors from your big box on a piece of paper; so the swatches don’t smear, cover them with a piece of clear tape.

makeup organization ideas

Finally, glue, paste or tape the reference chart to the inside lid of the big box. Tada! You’re organized. 🙂

How do you organize your lip products? Got any tricks up your sleeve?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. i love your idea! not only is it more organized, but you’re also re-using the old packaging 🙂 i love finding new ways to organize using otherwise worthless stuff. thanks!! now if only i had enough lipsticks/glosses to actually make it look decent! haha maybe i will make use of a smaller box 🙂 love your organizing tips!
    .-= Agnes’s last blog post… New Love ♥ Green Nail Polish + Chanel Jade dupe? =-.

    Reply

  8. This is seriously brilliant. But I threw away all of the boxes, drat! I also like the idea of keeping swatches with your stash.

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  10. This is really an amazing idea! I should consider this as I have been neglecting my lippies a lot lately as they are just everywhere…..in the drawers, on the dresser, and it just makes me lazy to search for them one-by-one each time I want to use a certain color.

    This might make me use my lippies more…i mean, a variety of them! And I like the indexing of the shades.
    .-= Vonvon’s last blog post… EOTD/FOTD: Gold & Burgundy – From CLEO-Lancome Makeover =-.

    Reply

  12. I have GOT to do this with my lipstick collection, too! I just can’t stand to throw away those lippie boxes – they are just way too adorable for the trash can. 😉

    (In the meantime, though, I still need to rebuild my makeup collection; my current lipstick-and-gloss stash is small enough to fit into an old cigar box that I’ve found in my old bedroom. Here’s hoping I could organize the rest soon enough!)
    .-= meimei’s last blog post… If At First You Don’t Succeed… =-.

    Reply

  13. Gosh! That sure is organized and I love how you are reusing the lipstick boxes which would otherwise just be tossed. One question though – Won’t they move around inside the bigger box and wouldn’t it be a bit of a hassle pulling out the lipstick/gloss to find the box stuck to it? Ok that was 2 questions 🙂
    .-= Paris B’s last blog post… Guerlain Meteorites Perles Loose Pearls Illuminating Powder Teint Rose – Love the new packaging dahling! =-.

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  16. Awesome tip! I might do this for my lippies but using a slightly shorter box (maybe an index or recipe card box. I always have to root thru my little plastic bin for the lippies I want. Thank you!

    Reply

  17. This is a great idea!! Your organization before this looks just like mine. All my lipsticks and glosses are thrown together in a bag. I don’t save the boxes they come in though, so I’ll have to find something else.

    Reply

  18. Such a cute idea! Too bad I don’t have any lippie boxes hanging around. Mine are actually in a similar fashion – stuck upside down in a small box. I just crammed so many in there that they kinda stand up on their own. Not as nice as your solution with the little compartments for each gloss!

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  24. Fantastic idea – my collection looks like my kids’ crayon box at the moment, not pretty. Totes jealous of how many you have, by the way… 😉

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  27. Waah, I threw all of my boxes away except for the LE ones, which I don’t want to cut up. But I love the idea of swatching them all in a notebook.

    Reply

  29. Great Idea! Usually makeup storage tips are something along the lines of “buy this thing from this store” so I love that you came up with an actual diy tip. Only problem is I’m starting to suspect that storing lip glosses upside down or on their sides contributes to them starting to leak….on the other hand I think I take MUCH longer than the average person to finish a gloss so maybe I’m one of the few who has even encountered the leaking gloss tube problem.
    .-= knownever’s last blog post… Is Lush in danger?: a One Bath and Body review =-.

    Reply

  34. This is a great storage idea, and I tried something similar but I found that storing my lipglosses upside down made it hard to reach the product inside the tube when I wanted to use it (because it had all collected in the top of the tube, away from the applicator) and some of mine (NARS) even began to leak 🙁

    Reply

  35. How random. I was looking around on the internet last night for this EXACT thing: lipgloss and lipstick storage! You read my mind 😀

    Reply

  36. Feliz Cumpleaños, Karen!!!

    I made something similar to storage my glosses and lipsticks recycling cereal boxes. I got the idea from this video:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69DGG4PZmEM

    but your method is much easier. I spent about 3 hours to make a 40 spaces storage box!! Sadly I dont´t keep my lipstick/lipgloss boxes. When I buy a new one I cut the name in the box and put it in a jar so when I´m uninspired I randomly pick one name of the jar and make a look around it.

    Have a very happy birthday!

    Reply

  39. Happy Birthday Karen!!!! Aren’t Geminis the best???lol I know because I am one..June 12:)
    anyways, i looove this idea im such an organizing junkie i always look for ways to organize my makeup, closet, etc. What I usually do is just throw all my lipsticks and glosses into a box, but like u said sometimes its not fun to dig around and this is suuuch a great idea. i cant wait to start on it..i already have the perfect box in mind but unfortunately i havent kept my gloss boxes so ill have to find another way lol thanks for the tip!
    .-= Aniela’s last blog post… 2010 MTV Movie Awards Best and Worst Dressed =-.

    Reply

  44. It’s too bad that I throw out lipgloss/lipstick boxes immediately once I get them home~ I really love this idea.

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  45. Happy Birthday, Karen!

    I am embarrassed to admit I have more lipstick than that.
    I have them broken down into colors.
    what can I say? Sigh,

    Michele

    Reply

  48. Ugh, this makes me wish I didn’t throw away all my old boxes 🙁

    And Happy Birthday Karen 🙂 Hope you have a good one!

    Reply

  50. You know, I”ve actually swatched all my lippies and lip pencils. I have the paper hanging on my vanity’s mirror. I thought I was just being super anal. I’m glad I’m not alone. 🙂
    .-= BrooklynShoeBabe’s last blog post… A Creamy Review =-.

    Reply

  51. No way… this is a very useful tip! How did I not come up with that? Haha. Like most of the people I”ve thrown away a lot of those smaller boxes though 🙁

    Reply

  54. Happy Bday!!!!!

    Egads.. my “organization” looks suspiciously like the first pic. Thus far I’ve resorted to using one of those big ole plastic Tupperware filing cabinet things.. I stick all of my lip products in the top draw but honestly, it’s a total mess. I did something similar like this with my nail polishes.. brilliant idea!
    .-= Marmar’s last blog post… Ride the beachy boho wave =-.

    Reply

  55. that’s an excellent idea. i was thinking i would have to buy a container to store my lipsticks but this works so much better. ^_^

    Reply

  56. yay!!!! I’m so excited my comment inspired you to do this! it came out so well! you can also even skip the outer box and just tape together the lipstick boxes, that way i can make the organizer fit whatever drawer i want.

    to everyone who is worried because they threw out their boxes: i had the same issue, but luckily, because each new product you buy will provide a compartment for two items, it starts to catch up with the number you have (provided you are a makeup addict such as myself).

    Reply

  58. I love this idea I created my own storage box out of an old box the a letter set came with and created the reference chart on the side of the box so I know what type im looking for. Thanks you have inspired me!

    Reply

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