I have them separated by brand, and then usually by formula, which is usually wear it stops. For MAC products, like their lipsticks and Lipglasses, I have then organized alphabetically (just by As, Bs, etc. but not alphabetical within each letter).
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I just recently reorganized my collection. I now have three acrylic organizers:
(1) A spinning lipstick organizer that holds 64 bullet lipsticks, where I keep what I think of as my everyday shades organized by brand. Two sides of the spinner are MAC, so these are organized by shade. The top of the spinner has slots, too, which hold Colourpop Lux and Lippies.
(2) A flat lipstick organizer that holds 32 bullets, where I keep reds, fuchsias, purples, and miscellaneous shades, like teal, organized by color. These are my “going out” lipsticks.
(3) A round organizer with four large sections that hold liquid lipsticks and glosses. It also has a drawer where I keep minis.
Many are in a rotating acrylic lipstick “tower”, some are in a traditional lipstick holder that’s on top of an acrylic makeup storage thingy, most are in 2 large drawer trays that I keep up on top of my makeshift vanity. Liquid lipsticks are in the drawers of that acrylic makeup storage unit, a glass tumbler, and in my son’s XL coffee mug that I was supposed to turn over a few years ago!
Oh gosh – for those who are organized and precise, my lipsticks would make them break out in hives! I have a drawer in my kitchen where I have maybe 20 lipsticks and glosses – some are multiples of those I have upstairs in my bathroom – and it’s so I can either swipe on some lippie before heading out without having to traipse upstairs or just if someone comes to the door and I want to look presentable. I’ll often “park” a lipstick there if I’m changing what I’m carrying in my purse makeup bag (otherwise, I’d end up with 10 lipsticks in there) or if my purse is going to be in my hot car for any length of time, I’ll remove the lipsticks entirely and plop them into that kitchen drawer before heading out. In my bathroom, I have an empty box from Godiva chocolate and my regular lipsticks that I use on an almost daily basis are in there. Then I have a makeup back in a dresser drawer with other lipsticks or lip crayons that I like but don’t use regularly. If I can’t find one of my regular/favourite lipsticks, the first place I check is that kitchen drawer!
I have three acrylic and mirror square trays with sides that I have all of my HE lipsticks in and they are organized by brand and then loosely into shade ranges. The remaining gazillion lipsticks are stored in their original boxes that have been cut in half and either taped or glued together. That keeps them standing upright and they don’t topple over when I remove one. These are arranged by colour families and frankly, I don’t reach for them as often since they reside in a drawer. I am going to invest in two spinning acrylic holders since I got one for my daughter and I can see it takes up a lot less space.
My one pet peeve and I wish the makeup brands would listen, would be to put the shade on the outside of the bullet in some way. Whether it is a small band around the bullet where the two pieces meet, an end cap in the shade, a clear end where you can see the shade, etc. Frankly, drugstore brands do a lot better job of that, IMHO.
OMG cutting the lipstick boxes in half for storage is brilliant!
I use that technique for quite a few products including any compacts like highlighters, blush, small palettes, etc. Almost anything that comes in a box and needs to be stored. I hate getting a product out and then everything else shifts or falls over and it is a mess. This isn’t the prettiest storage since all the boxes are different but it works well.
I have two acrylic square trays, one on top my vanity by my bedside and the other inside the drawer of my vanity.
every day lipsticks are on top, shades I tend to only wear going out or realised don’t suit me, are underneath.
on top shades are arranged: darkest back row, going from lightest to dark, next row is cool shades, going from light to dark, next row is orange tint shades going from light to dark, bottom row is my neutrals and nudes.
drawer goes.. favourite but not every day at the front.. going from light to dark, “lesson” shades at the back.. and by lesson shades I mean the shades that taught me a lesson about what colours don’t really work for me… I keep them as a reminder.. in case I’m drawn to a dupe.
I store in acrylic drawers by color regardless of brand or formula type e.g. brick reds, blue reds, burgundy/berries, pumpkin (orange browns etc), neutrals…this has really helped me keep my collection in check – I quickly noticed that my weakness is blue red lipsticks! I’ll still look at new red lipsticks and will read the reviews etc. but even if I try to rationalize the purchase it’s hard to ignore 6 drawers of reds and I really want to use what I have.
I keep them organized by color first in small round glasses (actually cute Ikea repurposed candles!). I clean them super well first remove all trace of wax and place in each glass about 5 red, pink, orange, coral, berries, magentas, one for odd ones that i don’t have 5 of such as nudes which I love but they don’t love me back since I’m pale they hardly show on me or any single colored ones. Then by brand but by color first I feel it works best so I can pull a glass forward according to season. Oh! Love lipsticks! ???can’t win enough. ??♀️
Forgot to add I keep the liquid lipsticks, glosses, balms on round glass containers in top of shelve, then extras that have been given to me on a narrow acrylic container inside shelve. Oh! Also the lip glosses sets inside drawers, then what I mostly use everyday on the smaller glass repurposed IKEA candles). I do have lots and of all kinds. Then I’m a runner there comes plenty if chapstick also. But all super neatly organized in fact I’m like a Monica/Friends always organizing my stash. Lol!
All my lipsticks are just in one bag and I have to root around to find the one I want. In other words, not very organised!
I keep mine in acrylic Muji drawers by brand, brands paired just by whatever fits nicely in the drawer! I organize liquid lipsticks / glosses separately, but in the same way.
Everyone is so very organized! I am a little ashamed to admit that I have 2 small 8″ width drawers containing lip products in no particular order.
I do have a small acrylic container in one drawer containing all my clear lip balms and clear glosses.
I really like the idea of Seraphine’s “spinning lipstick tower”. I wish there were pictures from others readers. I have to find a better system to organize my lip products. I have a 3 drawer plastic storage thingy from Walmart that’s a chaotic mess. These drawers are just a smidge too shallow to stand any lipsticks up. I find myself trying to go by memory and proceed to dig through the mess. Lol, that’s not really working out for me too well. I need help with organization big time!
My NARS x Erdem lipsticks are kept in their shipping box, along with my other NARS products. Most of my lipsticks are kept in the right tray of my KVD 10th Anniversary train case-reds in the left section, pinks/nudes/metallics in the right sections. My lip glosses are currently kept in one of the sections of my train case’s left tray, although I now have enough of them that I’ll have to move them where I keep my lip balms-an Ipsy zippered pouch gifted to me by my cousin. It features a sketch of a purple-haired woman, and I now know from Googling that it’s from the Sugar Highness collection. https://www.amazon.com/Ipsy-Collectible-August-Sugar-Highness/dp/B0173TO1G4
Somewhat-related tangent that I wanted to share because I think it’s fun: I call the Sugar Highness bag Columbia-I’ve named all my zippered pouches after Rocky Horror Picture Show characters. I have 5: a Victoria’s Secret trio-large black patent with red glitter lips (named Magenta, because her lips lip-sync “Science Fiction/Double Feature” to Riff Raff’s voice during the opening credits of the movie), medium gold (Rocky, because of his gold shorts), and small red glitter sealed to not shed (Riff Raff-it just felt like the right name); a black-and-white striped Sephora bag overlaid with a photo of red and pink gems (Frank, because the gems reminded me of Laverne Cox’s main costume as Frank N. Furter in the TV version) (Frank is also a gift from the same cousin), and Columbia. Pouches 6 and 7 will be Brad and Janet, 8 and 9 Eddie and Dr. Scott. 10 might be Trixie, after the Usherette’s name in the TV version. If I end up with 11 or more, I’ll have to find names from a new entertainment property.
Forgot to mention-my Disney x ColourPop Designer items (Belle/Jasmine/Snow White lipsticks, A Smile and a Song highlighter, and A Whole New World/Be Our Guest/Under the Sea eyeshadows) have their own purple velvet drawstring pouch.