Spring is finally in the air! The sun is emerging, the birds are chirping and colorful flowers are now in bloom. Like many others, you might be celebrating spring’s long-awaited arrival by cleaning, decluttering and organizing every inch of your home. While you’re undoubtedly familiar with the KonMari method and other popular home cleaning techniques, you may not know as much about cleaning up your beauty routine. We don’t just mean tossing away old products and organizing your makeup with tidy bins. We’re also talking about making the switch to “clean” beauty products that are better for your health and the planet (think plastic-free deodorant and plant-based makeup).
Whether you’re a diehard beauty enthusiast or do the bare minimum to look good, chances are, your beauty routine could benefit from a few healthy changes. Ahead, discover six tips to help you clean up, simplify and modernize your beauty routine for a healthy and sustainable spring.
Table of Contents
1. Start Purging
Every good spring cleaning starts with a purge, and your beauty stash is no exception. Start going through all the products in your bathroom drawer and getting rid of anything that no longer serves you. For this step, you may find it helpful to separate your stash into three piles.
Expired: This pile includes all the beauty products that have reached their expiration dates or ones that look or smell gross. If the product comes in a container, check the brand’s website to see if they have an internal recycling program or try to recycle it yourself (always check your municipal recycling regulations first).
Barely Used: This pile includes all the products you bought on a whim (thanks, Sephora) and tried once or twice before deciding they weren’t for you. If the product is still usable, consider passing them on to friends and family so that nothing goes to waste. Additionally, you may be able to find new uses for unwanted beauty products. For instance, you can use unwanted conditioner as shave cream.
Essentials: These are the products that you consider crucial to your regimen and plan to keep. This includes products such as moisturizer, cleanser, shampoo and conditioner, along with hairbrushes and other basic beauty tools.
2. Get Organized
Getting organized is a crucial part of cleaning up your beauty routine, especially if you’re an “out of sight, out of mind” personality. When our products aren’t organized properly, it’s all too easy to buy multiples of the same item.
Organizing your beauty products doesn’t need to be overly complicated! It could be as easy as using drawer organizers to keep your beauty products from rolling to the back of your drawer. (Pro tip: Old ice cube trays are perfect for holding eye shadow and other small makeup products.)
Here are a few more ideas for organizing your beauty products:
- Invest in a mirror with shelf space to keep your favorite products front and center
- Store your makeup brushes in a jar
- Store your nail polishes on a picture ledge
3. Clean and Sanitize Your Beauty Tools
Before you put your beauty essentials back in the drawer, take the time to clean and sanitize them. Even if your makeup brush looks perfectly clean, it could be teeming with harmful bacteria and fungus that can lead to hard-to-treat infections. Wash your makeup brushes in lukewarm water and soap, clean your heat styling tools with a damp washcloth and wipe rubbing alcohol on your nail care tools with a reusable cotton round. If you have trouble remembering to clean your beauty tools, set a reminder for yourself on your phone.
4. Go Plastic-Free When Possible
Plastic waste in the bathroom isn’t just unsightly. It also poses a serious threat to the environment and human health. Scientists estimate that over 10,000 chemicals are present in plastics, many of which are known endocrine disruptors and carcinogens. To reduce the amount of plastic in your beauty routine, choose products that are “naked” (aka package-free). Some simple swaps include solid shampoo bars and body soap bars, both of which come in plastic-free packaging and tend to use nourishing, plant-based ingredients. You can also cut down on plastic by opting for products that come in refillable and easy-to-recycle containers.
5. Rethink Your SPF
With temperatures heating up and the sun coming out to play more often, it’s time to get serious about your sunscreen. Most experts recommend lathering up with an SPF of at least 30 since it blocks about 97 percent of UVB rays. But if you have fair skin or plan on spending a lot of time in the sun this spring and summer, you may want to bump that number up to 50 or even 100. Additionally, make sure your sunscreen is labeled “broad-spectrum,” which means you’ll get protection from both UVA and UVB rays.
While you’re at it, consider choosing a clean mineral-based sunscreen. Chemical sunscreens often contain a slew of toxic chemicals that have been linked to cancer and hormonal issues.
6. Switch to Reusables
Nobody likes seeing a drawer full of plastic razors or disposable cotton rounds. Not only do single-use items such as these take up precious space in the bathroom, but they’re also incredibly wasteful. To cut down on clutter and waste, switch to reusable beauty products wherever possible.
Here are a few easy swaps you can make for a cleaner and more sustainable beauty routine:
- Swap disposable cotton rounds for reusable cotton rounds
- Swap disposable razors for a reusable safety razor
- Swap disposable sheet masks for a reusable silicone sheet mask
Make It Fun
Spring cleaning can feel daunting, especially when it comes to our beauty routines. Why not have a little fun with the process? Get in the spring cleaning zone by blasting your favorite tunes and pouring yourself a tasty drink. You’ll have a cleaner beauty routine before you know it!
