Affordable Makeup Storage Solutions

Makeup. It’s fun to buy, but a pain to store. Over the years, I’ve stashed my products in cosmetic bags, caboodles (hello, 90s!), art supply carts, rubbermaid drawers, and pretty much anything else I could find. While all those worked for a while, it wasn’t until I discovered my current organizers that I truly realized how beneficial a great storage system can be. So, today I’ll be sharing my top suggestions – where I bought them, how I use them, and how they’ve helped my makeup routine!

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POSH ORGANIZERS

Acrylic organizers are super popular in the beauty community, because they are durable and easy to clean. Plus, clear storage means you’re always seeing your collection, and less likely to ignore products. Unfortunately, most brands are pretty expensive, but that’s not the case with Posh Organizers! Their sets range in price from $99-$159, and their individual add ons can be purchased for $19-$79.

The set I purchased is the Complete Makeup Organizer, which retails for $159.97. It comes with a 5-drawer unit, a 2-drawer unit, and a clear tray. You can stack them (like I did), or use them individually if needed. The 2-drawer unit has tiny feet on the bottom, making it stable and skid resistant, so you won’t have to worry about it slipping or falling.

The drawers themselves are about 1″ tall, so they won’t fit a ton of stuff, but it’s enough to stack two blushes on top of each other or two thin eyeshadow palettes.

What really attracted me to this organizer, is the clear tray it comes with. You can stash your foundation bottles, setting sprays, primers, or any other large items on it so that they don’t clog up your drawers. To really maximize the space, I placed a separate acrylic organizer in the tray, so I can store my most used lipsticks and eyeliners (more on that organizer below).

The drawers slide out nice and smooth, and never feel cheap or wobbly. In the future, I’ll probably add another 5-drawer unit to my vanity, but for now this one has been working great. I can find my makeup easily, and it has taken so much time off my morning routine – no more searching for that blush or lipstick!

ISAAC JACOBS ACRYLIC ORGANIZER (BIRCHBOX STORE)

The acrylic holder I have in the top tray of my Posh Organizer, is from Isaac Jacobs and is currently available in the Birchbox shop for $31.50. It has space for 12 lipsticks (or balms, glosses), plus two tall spaces for liners or mascara, and an empty space in front where I keep my beauty blenders.

This compact organizer would work great in the bathroom, on your vanity, or stored on your other organizer as I did. It’s easy to clean, and it feels thick and sturdy. Plus, how cute is its rose gold accent?! I highly suggest it!

REPURPOSED 3-WICK CANDLES (BATH & BODY WORKS)

If DIY is your thing, then this storage solution is for you! Instead of tossing your old 3-wick candles, put them in the freezer. After a few hours, take them out, remove the wicks with pliers, and gently remove the frozen wax with a butter knife. Throw it in the dishwasher, and you’ve got a clean glass jar that can hold deluxe samples, lip glosses, eyeliners, beautyblenders – the list goes on.

I’ve got about 10 of these jars stashed throughout my house. They can be used in the bathroom to hold cotton balls or q-tips, on your night stand to store EOS lip balms, or even in your office to hold paper clips and pens. Of course, my favorite way to use them is on my vanity 😉 Feeling extra crafty? Add a cute bow, or some glitter for a one-of-a-kind storage jar!

ACRYLIC BRUSH HOLDER (PINKIES ICE BOX)

As my brush collection grew, so did my need for an effective organizer. Prior to purchasing this three section holder, I had my brushes stored in about 5 different jars. It was time consuming to find the right brush, and it was taking up a ton of space on my desk. So, when I stumbled across this I was so happy! It has the same high quality acrylic feel as my other organizers, and I can store about 3/4 of my brushes all in one space.

This particular holder retailed for $19, but the seller of the Etsy shop seems to have gone out of business. Cosmo Cube sells a similar holder (with 6 sections) for $40 and you can find others on Etsy (like this one here).

BRUSH HOLDER (GLITTER MADNESS)

I stumbled upon these adorable brush holder jars on , and now I seriously want them all! They retail for $23 online, and shipping was super fast.  The jars hold about 5 large face brushes, or about 15-20 eye brushes, and they look adorable on display!

6 DRAWER HELMER UNIT (IKEA)

Most beauty junkies swear by the Ikea Alex drawers, but I don’t have the space or the budget for those right now. So, I opted for a smaller more compact (and much cheaper) alternative. The Helmer Drawer retails for just $39.99, and it fits perfectly right next to my desk. It holds the makeup I don’t reach for on a daily basis, like PR samples, brand new items (yet to be reviewed or photographed), back ups, or speciality products like glitter and nail tools.

The drawers aren’t the smoothest to open, but they are a great size (not too deep or too shallow) and they hold quite a lot. Once I have a larger office space, I’ll most likely upgrade to the Alex drawers, but for now this works really well and doesn’t break the bank. Plus, you can label the outside of each drawer with tabs, since technically this is mean for an office setting.

MICKE DESK (IKEA)

As for my actual desk, it’s also from Ikea and it retails for just $79. It comes with two large drawers, one I use for camera accessories and notebooks, the other I use for makeup. These are some of the items that didn’t fit in my Posh Organizer, but ones I reach for often enough to want near me (rather than in my Ikea drawers).

That’s it for my makeup storage ideas! Be sure to let me know your favorite way to stash your makeup!

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