How to Organize a Weekly Makeup Basket April 11, 2018
For anyone with a large makeup collection, the prospect of rotating between beauty items on a daily basis can feel daunting. Moreover, for anyone actively trying to use up products (like me), constant rotation can make it harder to finish products before they expire. However, putting together a weekly makeup basket, you can still make an effort to work on finishing up products while you rotate through your collection. Keep reading to learn about how to organize a weekly makeup basket.
Who Should Try a Weekly Makeup Basket
Anyone with a large collection will benefit from trying to ”shop their stash” or maintaining a weekly makeup basket. Keep in mind that large is a subjective term. In fact, you don’t need a collection as large as mine to justify starting a weekly makeup basket series.
Also, weekly makeup baskets naturally lend themselves to beauty lovers who are Project Panning, trying to finish products up. You prevent boredom or frustration by rotating in new products alongside the ones you’re actively trying to use up. Read about my experience trying Pan That Palette in 2018 or my 20 in 2020 Project Pan.
Weekly makeup baskets are beneficial to beauty lovers who aren’t participating in Project Pans, too. In fact, by gathering together your products for the week, you’ll cut down on the time needed to get ready in the morning.
How to Organize a Weekly Makeup Basket You’ll Want to Use
The most important element in organizing your weekly makeup basket is to include a diverse mix of products. What do I mean by this? Choose a mix of products that you know you love using as well as some products you are less inclined to reach for.
Second, keep your basket small. More specifically, only include 1-2 options per product category. For example, include only 1-2 lipsticks within one weekly rotation.
Third, do not be afraid to swap out products you hate. Although I try my hardest not to waste beauty products, I refuse to use products that I truly hate. Moreover, I refuse to use products that cause irritations. If you discover that you hate a product in your basket then get rid of it!
There are ways to donate or sell gently used makeup products. Poshmark has a pretty robust makeup reseller community.
P.S. If you feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of options for each product category, try designing a makeup inventory system. Next, use a random number generator to randomly select products in each category.
Want a glimpse into my most recent weekly makeup basket? Keep scrolling.
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links (*). If you purchase by clicking on my links, I may be compensated at no additional cost to you.
My Current Makeup Basket
Eye Products & Miscellaneous
Understanding that Anastasia Beverly Hills Eyeshadow Palettes expire quickly, I want to get as much use as possible from my Master Palette by Mario and my Modern Renaissance Palette.* See where these two palettes landed in my intense Anastasia Beverly Hills Eyeshadow Palette ranking.
Outside of the two concealers, I want to finish every eye product shown above. From left to right:
- CoverFX Brightening Concealer in 120N – now discontinued
- Make Up For Ever Full Coverage Extreme Camouflage Cream in 4.0 – now discontinued
- Urban Decay Primer Potion* in Minor Sin ($24.00, CF) – shade is now discontinued
- Maybelline Great Lash in Clear ($6.99)
- Benefit Goof Proof Eyebrow Pencil in 4.0 ($24.00)
- L’Oreal Lash Paradise* ($9.99)
- Mini Dior Diorshow Iconic Overcurl mascara (full size: $29.50)
- Mini Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper (full size: $21.00, CF)
Please note I ended up, shortly after taking these photos I decluttered my CoverFX concealer. As the concealer formula aged, I broke out wherever I applied it.
If I don’t finish my CoverFX Illuminating primer (now the Dewy Skin Primer,* $38.00, CF)) or Garnier SkinActive Clearly Brighter Anti-Dark Circle Eye Roller* ($14.99) by the end of 2018 I will likely declutter them. At this point, I’ve owned these products for close to two years. Finishing the primer should be doable. However, the eye roller is tricky since the packaging is opaque. Therefore, I can’t see my progress.
The second picture is my RMS Beauty Living Luminizer* ($38.00, CF), This balmy highlighter is one of my favorites of all-time. Although I do not want to finish this highlighter by the end of the year, I want to see a much larger dip in the jar. I love the glossy, dewy finish that this highlighter provides the skin.
Lip Products
In a matte world, I’m a gloss girl. I love lip glosses. Don’t believe me? Read my intense lip gloss ranking. I’m excited to be so close to the end of my Buxom Lip Polish in Dolly ($21.00, CF). If I didn’t already own a mini of this lip gloss, I’d repurchase a full size.
My Bite Beauty High Pigment Lip Pencil in Rhubarb is a wonderful product that is just getting too old. However, I may have considered repurchasing Rhubarb. Sadly, Bite Beauty discontinued this line in 2017.
Cheek Products



Physician’s Formula Butter Bronzer, BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal, MAC Blush in Warm Soul, Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush Deluxe Sample in Paaarty
In an ideal world, I would finish each of these powder cheek products in 2018. However, given the sheer volume of powder in each pan, I will settle for hitting pan on each product. Warm Soul is one of my oldest and favorite blushes. However, I can’t seem to make any progress despite my constant usage. See where the Butter Bronzer ranks in my bronzer ranking for fair skin.
Benefits of Shopping Your Stash
All-in-all, there are two main benefits to keeping a weekly makeup basket. First, by ”shopping your stash” each week you will be less tempted to make new purchases. Instead, your collection will feel fresh. Second, you’ll be more successful in finishing up products.
Let’s connect on social: Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest | Bloglovin’
Did you enjoy reading about how to organize a weekly makeup basket? Check out this post on how to create a beauty inventory or this post on my Pan That Palette 2018 Introduction.
Do you keep a daily makeup basked? If so, what is in yours? Please let me know in the comments below.
advice beauty how-to makeup makeup basket makeup journey minimalism project pan
I do a monthly makeup basket post on my blog as well. I only have so much time in the morning. :0