Why a #drawerdetox is just what you need (and how to do it)

Just when you thought you were all Marie Kondo-ed out…we’re here to tell you the revolution isn’t quite over yet. You might have spent hours painstakingly parting with dresses and shoes that you swore (ten years ago) you might just wear one more time, but it’s our guess that there’s one place the #sparkjoy movement didn’t quite make it: your bathroom drawer.

Yep, it’s time to throw away that orange lipliner you bought for a Halloween party in 2003. And that foundation that you bought because it was on special at the pharmacy, but actually isn’t that great a match (because you’re more dewy beige than ochre dust, and you kinda knew that anyway)? That’s going too. Take my hand, and let’s detox the drawer. Because you really don’t want to put stuff on your face or body that’s been sitting there for a decade or is potentially full of products with harmful ingredients, right?

Think of it as an opportunity…

…to brush up (literally) on the that products are best for your skin type and colouring, to work out what you’ve outgrown, and do a big reset. Why? Plenty of reasons.

The products you were using in your 20s shouldn’t be the same as what you use in your 30s and your routine will change again as you hit your 40s. Ageing will happen to all of us, and instead of avoiding it, we can be proactive instead. With more advanced technology and armed with greater knowledge, we have the tools and products to make the most of what we’ve got and prevent sun damage and other signs of ageing. So if you’re still using the same moisturiser your mum introduced you too when you were 15, it might be time for a rethink.

If you’ve made a big change to your usual cut or colour (or both) then it’s important to reassess your haircare regime. Especially if you’ve gone a few shades lighter, you might need to consider colour-specific shampoo and conditioner, sun protection and a masque to ensure you are caring for the colour between salon appointments.

Hair colour can impact your makeup choices too. While you might be used to warm tones with your darker hair, going lighter means you may need to swap peachy shades for pinks. It’s a matter of trial and error.

Changes of season can wreak havoc, with skin requiring a little extra care and hydrating heading into the winter months.

If you’re pregnant it’s likely too that you might adjust your routine, as your skin may respond differently to what you’re used to: you might be more sensitive, or have some pigmentation issues.

And beauty technology advances, you can take this chance to educate yourself further on things like products that work from the inside out. Nope, we’re not saying you should eat your blush; instead, think protein and superfood powders.

Arbonne is encouraging the #drawerdetox using their ‘Pure, Safe, Beneficial’ philosophy, to get rid of products that contain harsh ingredients and may be damaging to the skin. The brand operates a strict ‘not allowed list’ which contains more than 2000 products the company will not use, to adhere to its vegan, cruelty-free philosophy.

Australia and New Zealand Senior Sales & Marketing Director, Melissa Amavisca stressed the fact that our skin absorbs everything we put on it. “Makeup and skincare can become ineffective or potentially harm the skin if used after their expiry date,’ she says. “And you don’t want to be lathering yourself in stuff that’s ineffective at best, and full of bacteria at worst.”

Up for the challenge?

Let’s do this

First, you need to find out exactly what’s lurking: not just in the drawer but on the shelves, in the shower, under your bed or in the spare makeup bag in your handbag or desk drawer (I’m sure it’s not just me…)

You’ll want to ask yourself the following questions:

• Has it expired? Eye products will be the first to go. Mascara, for example, will last an absolute maximum of six months. If you’re using it every day, it’s more like three, but either way, if it’s started to dry out, it needs to go. Water-based foundations will last a year and oil-based products for up to 18 months. If you’ve had them longer, chuck them in the bin.
• Is it broken? Dropped your favourite eye palette and smashed a couple of colours beyond recognition? Ditch it. Are you keeping it only because…you wore it on your wedding day/your sister passed it on to you/your mother-in-law gifted it to you? You know where this is going…straight into the ‘do not keep’ pile.
• Does it contain harmful ingredients? Has it been tested on animals? Or does it contain unethically sourced ingredients? Get rid of it – you don’t want to be part of that cycle.
• What are your beauty values? The more we all become conscious of how we live impacts on the planet, the more likely it is that our choices – even in makeup and skincare – might change? Will you support brands that have good corporate values and put their customers’ health first?
• Have you used it in the past two weeks, and it’s still within its safe lifespan and it suits your beauty philosophy, hair colour, and skin? Bingo (finally). It’s a keeper.

Yeah, they’re strict criteria, but that’s the whole point. Your end result should be a streamlined, simplified collection of products that make your bathroom feel less cluttered.

What now?

Arbonne’s suggestion is to donate unexpired and unopened items to Share the Dignity’s  It’s in the Bag Christmas charity drive for women and girls in need. For products you might have opened but aren’t using, you can always check whether family or friends need them, before recycling them. You can drop off unrecyclable beauty products to a TerraCycle drop-off point.

As an extra incentive to clean up your beauty act, tag a picture with #drawerdetox to be in the running to win a capsule of Arbonne’s vegan, cruelty-free and carbon neutral products.

So set aside a couple of hours, throw on a great playlist and get into it. We guarantee there’s a big feel-good factor both in minimising and in donating and gifting the stuff you no longer need. Win-win!