Storage / Show Offs: Updated MAC Collection
Left half of my makeup cabinet (stored in a closet)
It feels so good to be organized again! It’s funny how your organization system always changes each time you put things back into place or slot new things in. I really condensed things into less bins than before, and I think I managed to clear off more counter top and utilize my drawers for some things that used to be on the counter top! (This will please my boyfriend!) This post mostly contains my MAC stash, both in my TV-stand-turned-makeup-cabinet as well as what products make it into my bathroom.
Last time I took photos, I was in a different apartment than I’m in now. The old apartment was around 800 square feet with lots of storage and space, and my new one, while definitely much nicer, is cramped in comparison at 640 square feet. My makeup cabinet now resides in my closet, which is overflowing with clothes and shoes, and this explains why you won’t see a full width shot of my makeup cabinet 😉
In the above photo, you’re seeing the left side of my makeup cabinet. The top shelf holds a silverware drawer filled with pigments. The middle shelf contains small containers housing mostly non-MAC, but I also have my Neon pigments/MAC glitters in one box as well as miscellaneous MAC products I rarely use (off color foundation, lashes, etc.). The middle shelf also holds a box of perfumes and LUSH products. The bottom shelf holds two of my three nail polish bins, as well as a big bin of crafting/scrapbooking materials. On the very bottom, you’ll see some bins with MAC in boxes… those are products I set aside to giveaway on the blog (I try to get a few things from each collection specifically to giveaway).
See the rest of my MAC stash, plus where most of it lives.
P.S. — Winners of giveaways have been emailed. In the event a winner does not claim a prize, a runner-up will be contacted via email on March 1st.
P.P.S. – I will not be posting close-up photos of my eyeshadow or blush palettes at the moment. I am in need of a serious depotting session for both eyeshadows and blushes (hello, my blush organizer is spilling over!), so I don’t want to take photos until I do that 🙂
This is the right side of my makeup cabinet. The top shelf holds more MAC pigments, as well as MAC Loose Powders and some palettes (from holiday sets). There is also a shoe box-sized bin of random glosses/lipsticks. The middle shelf contains a bin of random high-end (but not MAC) brands, a bin of sun-care/tanning products, and a larger bin of extra skincare products (products I tried but moved on from, mostly). The bottom shelf holds random body lotions and creams (mostly low-end).
All closed up
MAC to giveaway 🙂
Pigment Rack #1
Pigment Rack #2 with Beauty Powders, Palettes, etc.
Bathroom counter top
Bathroom drawer #1 with MAC powders/skinfinishes, lipglasses, lipsticks
Bathroom drawer #2 with MAC blushes in pots (28, oh my god!), lipsticks, and eyeliners
Underneath drawer #1:
haha I spot Guerlain!!!
Yep, all my fave high end products also get bathroom space!
Love it! Now eagerly anticipating the close ups of the palettes!
Just gotta find time to depot, ha!
A big OMG! O_O Nice organization.
What brand are the two big kabuki brushes with the cube handles?
those are mac 182 buffer brushes from the couture series from a couple of years ago.
They’re MAC 182s! They came out with the Couture line. I love, love, LOVE them.
this is INSANE! but I’m so envious of all the MAC!
lol, it didn’t seem like so much until I took photos!
this is ridiculously impressive. I wish I knew you in rl so that I could touch it all too. 😉 thanks for sharing.
aww, I’d definitely let you play!
beautiful!!! <33
Thanks 😀
Holy Guacamole, Christine! That’s quite the collection. I think it’s extremely thoughtful of you to place a designated place in your storage for giveaways. It shows how much you care about your readers!
Thanks for showing!
Leah
Aw 🙂 I’m happy to give a little back!
What a fantastic collection! It’s a great hobby isn’t it? Thanks for showing us. Don’t worry about 28 blushes! I have 36, plus 3 in my blush palette, and I love them. I love Margin, which you suggested to me. 🙂
Yes, it’s definitely a really fun hobby!
LOL, that’s just 28 blushes in pots… I think I have another 18 in palettes, and then I have sculpting/shaping powders, too!
I’ll take the Mac-To-Give-Away. 😀
Haha!
it’s like a store…
i spot the blue peep! how are you using it? i bought one, but haven’t pulled it out of the packaging yet.
I used it as an eyeliner before, and I’ve even used it as a base!
I would give just about anything to have half of the stuff you have. My collection is still very small compared to yours.
It’s been building since 2005! That’s four full years!
Awesome! Thank you for sharing! I love these clear boxes as well!
I adore them, they’re SO useful!!
Wow this is an impressive collection! Do you make any attempt to track the makeup expiry dates?
I pretty much buy things when they first come out, so I have a rough idea of when that way!
WOW!! I am drooling over your collection!! You are one loyal MAC fan!! Your collection is beautiful!! <3
LOL! My non-MAC is growing, though 😉
amazing collection!!!
Thanks, Viv!
Do we really have to throw away those makeup after they expire? I got a small collection, some not even used and already expired!
Bacteria can build up in anything, so you have to be careful. If the product starts to look or smell different, or you react to it differently, I’d say get rid of it. Personally, I think it’s more of a judgment call. I have some high-end stuff that I use very seldom, and I refuse to throw it away until I have a problem with it. On the flip side, I had to replace some face powder b/c I’d started to break out when I used it.
It’s really up to you! I couldn’t make that call for you. I do what a lot of readers do, though, and that’s the smell/look test. If it smells, tastes, or looks funky, then it’s time to toss it.
Anything I use often also gets tossed faster, too. I have a lot of glosses I’ve used once or twice (lol), so they’re going to stick around a lot longer than a gloss I use once or twice a week! What you don’t want is bacteria build-up, which is why some people make sure to use disposable lip wands and no double-dipping to maximize the life of their gloss.
*drooling* FAB COLLECTION! I was wondering how long it takes you to get through all of them! 😀
Never will I get through it, LOL.
Putting aside my complete awe at both your collection and your organization skills, I have to know what kind of containers you have on your bathroom counter. They look like exactly the kind of thing I need for my re-organization project.
Everything is from The Container Store, except the silverware drawers (Target/Ross) and the plastic drawer organizers (the ones under the sink, those are from Ikea).
Great collection!
With so much stuff does ever anything get too old too use like when it turns bad?
Of course! Several of my glosses are past the 2 year mark (I believe that’s the expiration for lipgloss), but I live by the smell/look test. If it smells funky, it’s out. If it looks different, it’s out!
I try to use disposable lip wands a lot, too, to minimize bacteria build-up.
Wow what a fantastic collection, Christine! I love drooling over others’ collections, and this is the best I’ve seen. 🙂 Can you tell me the name of the Mac MSF/powder in the “Daily face products” picture? Top left corner. Thanks!
Aww, thanks! 🙂
Margin blush!
Oh is it a blush? Looked like a MSF. Will check it out next time I’m near a Mac counter. Thanks.
Yep, a blush! My all time fave!
insanely jealous of your collection. wish i could win some of that!! by far, you have the best collection, ever!!!!
lol, thank you!
awesome pics! i love it when you post pics of your collection! thanks for sharing!
I like it, too, if only because it encourages me to get it all cleaned up and organized again!
OMG.. now I feel like a total piglet!! I have to get organized:( … and kudos on your fabulous collection. I wish someday I could have three or four products (AS IF .. lolol).
I loveee being organized, but I’m terrible at keeping up with it!
Wow! That’s amazing! My idea of heaven! And I thought I had lots of make-up, lol :o) !
lol! I never thought I had so much!
waw, very organized!
I try, lol!
this made me dizzy!!! lovely collection!!
somehow i never pull out the stuff that i keep in closed containers…like i just forget….
I tend to use what I buy most recently, and then I use it until I buy something else… so nothing gets used for long, LOL.
Wow….this is the most amazing makeup collection I have ever seen! I am jealous!
I love your organization!
Oh, wow! Thanks Ruth!
Great collection and organization! My boyfriend would flip like crazy if he saw all of that. He just doesn’t understand that makeup collecting is a hobby. He gets quite anal about my collection and I don’t even have close to how much you have!
Thanks so much for sharing!
LOL! I think my boyfriend looks the other way most of the time!
OMG, how do you feel about your Clarisonic? I am right now debating hard whether to get it or not…thank you!
I love it, I did a review of it here: http://www.temptalia.com/clarisonic-for-better-overall-skincare-appearance
Woooow i’m uberjealous christine!
Aww, don’t be Suuz!
Wow that’s a huge collection! Niceeee! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Happy to share, Charlieee!
Wow, I love your collection. It must be lovely to look at it irl 😀 ! I also like how your organized everything.
Thanks, Daniela 🙂 It’s nice to look at when it’s clean and organized, LOL!
You put my collection to shame! haha. Thanks for sharing I love “MAC porn” lol.
Psh! I want to see yours!
*Gulp*
That’s ALOTTA makeup, Christine!!! =P
Nice organisation work. Which reminds me, I need to clear up my table top too. Sigh.
LOL. Thanks for sharing all the goodies! =)
lol, more than I thought!
Thanks Syen 🙂
So organized – where do you get the plastic organizers?
The Container Store!
I love your collection! Thanks so much for posting!!!
Thanks, Crystal!
Wow, that’s so wonderfully organized!
Thanks, Christy!
Christine,who are you going to be in the future, I mean profession? You have lot’s of cosmetic. Is that a passion of all your life or just a pleasant hobby?
I don’t know yet, but makeup is still more of a hobby. I don’t think I would do it for the rest of my life!
Excellent organization. I use a 7-drawer craftsman toolbox.
Nice! Those are really handy!
Sheesh, *all* my mskeup fits into just one case! I’m so jealous! You should donate to the less fortunate. lol 🙂
This is unbelievably amazing ! All my makeup fits in one of those plastic 4 drawer units and all my beauty products in 4 HUGE shelves and I find that too much to handle ! Kudos on the super organization. It feels great right , to put everything in place….it always makes me feel better ! Thank you for sharing it with us !
I feel the same way – everything in its place feels great!
Wow Christine I wanna be like u when I grow up lol! I would love to have a collection like that but I would have to get rid of the hubby first…>:-)
LOL! A good hubby is harder to find than makeup, so keep him!
Thank you so much for sharing your collection. I love collecting all kinds of things (stuffed animals, makeup, CDs, etc.)
Something you might like from the Container Store are the small DVD shelves which will fit the MAC eyeshadow palettes! They might make it easier for you to reach the eyeshadow palettes at the bottom of your palette stack =)
I used to collect stuffed animals, too 😉 Any faves that you have?
Thanks for the tip!
WOW…
lol, Sophia!
What an eye candy! It looks like a Sephora/MAC aisle!
Haha! 😉
I am drooling all over your collection right now. 8 eyeshadow palettes?! Oh if only… then again my boyfriend would go berserk.
lol, I actually need to get another two :O
That’s amazing! I remember your stash from wayyy back when I first came to your site… it sure has grown!!
Definitely has grown 🙂
OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG… I can go on forever but I am not going too, way to boring then. LOL I have died and gone to makeup heaven. LMAO
Love the collection and Organization. thanx for sharing.
LOL!
Thanks Ming!
I have the same organizer tray, mine is from IKEA. I have two actually, one for make up and one for skin care and nails. I loooove them. I also have the holder for lipsticks, glosses, and liners. It’s amazing!
Love your collection and storage, it’s very enabling LOL
Awesome! Glad I’m not the only one who’s found good stuff at Ikea!
I am so jealous. You are so lucky!
Thanks, Lisa!
Beautiful! haha My bird was sitting on the laptop talking away to the screen, he loved it too!
haha! Thanks, Kella 😉
I can only dream to have that much make-up! Thats 100’s (maybe thousands?) of dollars worth of Make-up right there! Lucky you!
lol, thanks Faiza!
This has motivated me to get more organized! Is it better to store the lipglosses/glasses upside down?
I actually don’t know. I store mine that way so I can read the labels, LOL!
Christine I think you have the biggest make up stash ever. WoW
My favorites are the Mac giveaway bins :o)
=0!!
i just saw heaven right in front of my eyes omg! if you were standing right in front of me i would get on my knees and kiss your feet lol you are like the queen of make up holy shit i wish i had that much lol
Awwww!
Just in 5 years you got that many stuff already! *faints* Gosh I love MAC porn, too!
lol, five years seems forever to me!
OMG!!!, I thought I had so much makeup with my collection, but its insane to see all those products!!.
I’m no where close, lol!
Its understandable though, so may I ask, do you have to pay for all of it (do you get reimbursed) or do you get them sent at no cost because of you line of work.
if not, you should cos you help market their products, which increases sales a great deal!!
I don’t get reimbursed for any of the makeup I buy, LOL!
Some products are sent, but considering how much I spent last year on makeup… not nearly enough, LOL!
And What camera, do you use, your pictures are always so clear!
thanks in advance!
I took these with a Nikon D90!
Oh my God!!! That’s a looooot but I like 🙂 Before I found your website I didnt care too much about make up, now I always checking beauty blogs even if I just wear mascara n eyeliner I like to read about it, I wish I could have all ur make up … with all those products I would feel like a child with a lot of toys, I would be happy just knowing they are there and are mine 😛
Aww! I don’t even wear that much makeup most of the time anymore, so you aren’t alone on the mascara and liner!
Late to the party, but I love it, and your organization skills are crazy. I just got a lot of containers for makeup, clothes, etc., and while I spent a ton of cash, it is so worth it to have everything so organized. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Elle! 🙂 I am glad you got your stuff organized! I’d love to see pics!
I am speechless!!!
LOL ;P
wow that’s amazing! how do you get so much makeup lol
It’s been a long time collecting!
Christine, I think my post was deleted??
not sure, Just wanted to know..if some of your makeup is given you, since you help market their products…
plus I wanted to know what camera, you use to take your pics since they are so clear.
great collection 🙂
Disregard, just saw your response, WOW
so the Nikon, D90…is it portable ala piont and shoot?
lol, portable? Well, I’ve carried it in my purse, but it’s not really a point and shoot camera. It’s a bit bulkier than that!
I’ve been known to accidentally click “delete” instead of “reply” (they are right next to each other), so that might have happened… I could have sworn I replied to you comment though!
WOW! your make up collection is sooo big! hehe I see a hello kitty blush popping out! Man I would love your collection! full of MAC stuff <333
lol! Thanks 🙂
OMG! you are like a MAC goddess. That is like the most make-up I’ve ever seen by far.
On another note, I wanted to purchase some pigments cuz I really like what you do with them. The colors I usually use are purple, brown and sometimes blue and green maybe. Can you tell me what pigments I should get for those colors? I know on some your eyeshadows you mix it with different colors but I just like to stick with one color but different shades. Please let me know. I don’t like it too light so darker and brighter is good. 🙂
You should try Violet, Tan, and Cornflower 🙂
Oh..forgot to say..
I notice that you labeled one of your picture “Mac to giveaway” I DO NOT MIND getting those. I think my makeup collection is half of one of your smaller plastic bins..HAHA.
lol, aww!
🙁 im so jealous… u are soo lucky..but i absolutely adoreeeeeeeeee your hole collection bu t extradupper adoreeeee your organization lol im never gonna have suemthing as organized..i specially love that mas to giveaway tehee :D….Congrats on all those blessings
much love…
Thanks, Caro 🙂
-twitch-
I’ll rob you.
-cries in corner-
LOL, noooo!
this is amazing! im so incredibly jealous lol.. how did you even get your hands on all this makeup!! i wish i could fill up just one bin:-p fantastic.
LOL, it’s been a long time collecting!
OMG! Wait until I show my friends this! They don’t understand my MAC obsession and they think my collection is bad, I don’t even have a quarter of this lol
You are my hero 😀 haha. Keep up the good work 😛
LOL!! 😉
omg i’m speechless! you have an amazing stash, i’m jealous haha
Thanks, Mikki!
I don’t have nearly as much makeup as this, you’re so lucky!! My m/u is currently in a basket that used to be a christmas hamper and 2 boxes I got with birthday presents in them. I’m waiting for Costco to open up here in July before I properly organise my stuff. I want one of these 12 coloured draw stand things that I saw on pursebuzz. Looks pretty and is really big so theres plenty of room for my m/u.
I hope you get a good organization system at Costco, Elle 🙂
Amazing, fabulous, wonderful, nice collection and Organization.
I loved lipglasses and bathroom drawer #1
Thank you for sharing but please, wash the brushes ok.
I always wash my brushes 🙂
wow impressive collection christine! do you always remember the names of all the products you own?! how do you find something you want to use?! im sooooooo jealous! can you tell us your favourite product from all the categories? favourite blush, favourite lipstick, lipglass, foundation, etc?!
I don’t remember everything off the top of my head, but if I want to use something, I’ll remember if I own it or not, LOL!
I have a question for you…. those little containers of pigments… are they samples because I remember you once saying somewhere in the site some Mac Stores may give samples… are those the samples? and if they are do you just ask for them?
You can buy empty, clear 5 gram jars on eBay, which I’ve done, so I can travel with my pigments more easily, too 🙂
This is like candy to me!
sweet, sweet candy, lol
I can’t stop looking. I heart!
lol!!
And
this question prob. doesn’t belong here but do Mario Badescu products work for cystic acne?
I see a derm too…
Yes, it does, at least for mine…
If you EVER want to sell anything i’ll take the moonbathe blush i see off your hands! I’ve been looking for it everywhere!
lol! I don’t have any plans to sell anything at this time, but if I do, I’ll let ya know!
Damn Christine, that is one seriously impressive collection.
I love it!!
I’m in the middle of moving right now and if I had that much make up/beauty stuff to move into my parents house my dad would s**t a brick and my mom would bitch but then she’d raid and my sister would probably be in a heaven when she came home to visit. I don’t even know how long it would take me to move all that either. How long did it take you to organize it all?
LOL! Many years collecting! 🙂
It didn’t take me very long, but mostly because I already had most of my makeup sorted by brand, just in plastic bins instead of drawers like these. I’d say about 2-3 hours to get everything into place in the new carts!
omg eye spy MAC for A Mei in the giveaway box!!! I wants!
wow you have an awesome collection & organization system 🙂
that’s half the fun!
LOL!
you have an amazing stash!!! does it ever feel really overwhelming?
and i couldnt help but notice guerlain meteorites… i JUST bought these! what color do you have, and do you like them? thanks!
Sometimes, but when it’s organized, it doesn’t!
I bought them sooo long ago, I can’t even remember. I think one of them I swapped for. I believe I only own two – one is Mythic pressed for sure. The other is a pearl one, but I have no idea what shade. Maybe Pink Fresh!
hiii christine!!! 🙂 awesome collection!!! i’m sooo jealous. i was just wondering… you mentioned that you have some pigments that you don’t use or rarely use… would you be interested in selling some specific ones??
Hello, your collection is goregous! I have a question. I was at the art supply store and notice that they have the same brushes as MAC. Can I use art supply brushes or stick to MAC! They are expensive and money is tight for me!! Please let me know!!
Thanks, Glam!
You can — but they’re not always the same. I’ve found that they’re a bit scratchier/rougher than MAC brushes, but they’re still good for the money. If you’re on a budget, they’re not a bad way to go!
What is that amazing slanted brush in your Buffing brushes/face sponges bin? I need that brush, it looks awesome… it’s the one on the top right.. the only slanted one lolll
MAC 168?
WOW! I wish I could just go to your bathroom and look at everything! I don’t feel so bad anymore with my make-up situation anymore. By that I mean, my room is being slowly inundated with make-up. You motivated me to start organizing it.