My Makeup Collection and Brand New Storage – The Glam Beauty Box!
I Bought This August 11, 2013 | Makeup, Misc., Storage
Several weeks ago, as I was getting ready for work, I looked at my Muji 5 Drawer Acrylic storage box, and felt like I needed to apologize to it. Despite the fact that I only use it to store my most commonly used essentials, it looked burdened; life weary, even. If Muji Drawers had feelings, they would feel the way I do when I go to the grocery store thinking I don’t need a basket, then regrettably hobble to the checkout balancing 5 liters of seltzer water and 5 or 10 other “essentials” I picked up along the way. Not only were my acrylic drawers overstuffed, but my supplementary drawers were also filling up with makeup, much of which I used just as much as the items in the Muji box. It was time to admit that I’d outgrown my storage system. This is how the Glam Beauty Box came into my life.
At first I considered getting a second set of Muji drawers since I’d been so pleased with them. But as much as I love them, they do have their shortcomings. It was hard to store some of my larger palettes in them because the drawers were so shallow. I also had several blushes and lipsticks that are too tall to fit, so I really wanted something with deeper drawers. I looked at The Clear Cube. It was cool, but it was way too big for my limited counter space, and $300 was far more than I was willing to spend. I also looked at options on eBay, like this acrylic 4-drawer system with top caddy. The price was right at $117, and it looked suitably roomy – but again, the dimensions were far too deep for it to fit on my tiny bathroom counter.
Surprisingly, it was Instagram the led me to the Glam Beauty Box. The moment I stumbled across the photo, I checked the website for the dimensions, and was ecstatic to see that it would fit (but just barely) on my tiny counter. Additionally, the height of the bottom drawer was taller than any of the other options I’d explored, which was a huge selling point for me. It was specially priced at the time – $130 ($156 with tax and shipping), which, while not the least expensive option, was not outlandish. It’s worth noting that once I received it, I felt the price was an excellent deal considering quality of the construction.
Here are the dimensions for the Glam Beauty Box:
Total: 12″W x 8″D x 12 1/2″H
Top Drawer: 1″ H
Middle Drawers: 3 1/2″ H
Bottom Drawer: 4 1/2″ H
I waited until this past Friday to transfer everything over – it was important for me to choose a night when I knew I could take my time. My usual Friday night plans were cancelled, and reorganizing my makeup actually sounded like a peaceful alternative to a night out. I don’t know about you guys, but makeup organization is a ritual for me, and I actually get a lot of pleasure out of the process. There’s something intensely satisfying about seeing my whole collection laid out before me. I took lots of pictures, so instead of boring you with more jibber-jabber, how about I just show you how it went? Less talk, more rock!
My poor, overburdened Muji drawers. This is about 70% of my most used makeup products.
This is the box as it arrived. Batu is pumped!
Size comparison – the Glam Beauty Box will obviously be able to store everything in my Muji drawers and more.
First things first – I took out all my most used makeup items and separated them into groups.
Setting Powders – Nice mix of Guerlain, Chanel, Hourglass, Alima Pure, and Missha.
Concealers – Estée Lauder, Bobbi Brown, and Alima Pure
Blushes – Chanel, Estée Lauder, NYX, Kat Von D, Be a Bombshell, and Nature Republic
Sunscreen – Elta MD, Hera, Missha, and Primera
Foundations, BB Creams, and CC Creams – Guerlain, Chanel, Urban Decay, Tarte, Alima Pure, Kat Von D, Hera, IOPE, Missha, Holika Holika, Etude House
Highlighters & Bronzers: Estée Lauder, Kevyn Aucoin, theBalm, Alima Pure, Etude House
Palettes- Lorac, Urban Decay, Kat Von D, Chanel, Kevyn Aucoin
Primers – Urban Decay, Hourglass, TooFaced, Lorac, Korres, Laura Mercier, Make Up For Ever
Eyes (Eyeliner, Mascara, Brow Powder, and Single Shadows) – Urban Decay, Laura Mercier, NYX, Benefit, Chella, Estée Lauder, Sephora, MICA, Alime Pure, Rimmel, Etude House
Lips – Urban Decay, Clinique, MAC, NARS, Kat Von D, Shiseido, BareMinerals, Sonia Kashuk, Burts Bess, A’Pieu, Etude House
Now to get everything into this Glam Beauty Box!
I’m very happy about how sturdy this box is – the acrylic width is nice and wide, and the box as a whole feels solid and has some weight to it.
The Glam Beauty Box comes with 3 separators like this one. I only needed two of them for this go-round, but I like having the option of using the third as my collection changes.
I put all my pencils, my brow powder, and my mascara in the top drawer. Even though they cover the drawer, there’s plenty of room to stack a whole second layer of pencils in here.
All my lip products went into the second drawer, as well as my eyeshadow singles. The drawer was a bit too short to stand everything up, but I was fine with stacking.
The third drawer holds all my palettes and blushes. When I took this photo, I’d also included my concealers in this drawer, but I later moved them to the bottom drawer.
The bottom drawer holds all my powders, primers, highlighters, and bronzers. I later added my concealers to this drawer. The only foundation that fit in this drawer standing up was my Chanel Perfection Lumiére – the rest live on top.
Aw yeah! Lookin’ good!
Haaaay, Glam Beauty Box! Can I get that number?
All done!
If you’re interested in picking up a Glam Beauty Box for your own collection, they are only sold through the Glam Beauty Box website. They are sadly sold out at the moment, but according to their Instagram feed, they will be taking preorders in the near future, and will be back in stock soon at a special price. In terms of ship time – I ordered the box on July 21st, and received a shipping notification on July 23rd. Though the shipping method used was FedEx Ground, there was no tracking number included. This bummed me out a little – one of my favorite pastimes is obsessively tracking packages. Luckily, I didn’t have to wait too long for it – it arrived on my doorstep in North Carolina on July 29th.
EDIT 07/12/2013: I just wrote to Glam Beauty Box to ask when these will be back in stock. Good news! Not only will they be back in stock in September, but they are also working on two additional models! Glam Beauty Box will begin accepting preorders possibly within the next two weeks.
How do you store your makeup? Are any of you dealing with limited counter space like me?
Ooooh, pretty! Especially that lip drawer!
I’ve got zero bathroom storage, but we’re considering moving, and if we do, I want either my own dressing room (a.k.a. an ‘office’) or space for a decent organizer. I think I’m going to need an Alex (5 or 9, not sure yet) but I love the look of the acrylic display. Money very well spent!
Also, it sounds like you grocery shop like I do…dangerous things, those grocery stores!
Oh man, if you get you’re own dressing room, I fully expect to see some photos. That would be so amazing!
So um, what’s an Alex? It sounds like something I need to know about!
An “Alex” is an Ikea storage system — it comes in either 5 or 9 drawers, and is a pretty sweet storage option, although it’s all hidden away. I’ve seen some epic organization with these bad boys, though…they store a lot!
Here’s the Alex 9 I’m planning to get…although, all plans on hold until I know what we’re doing with a move — http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50192822/
Oh, snap! I need to get one of these. There’s a whole separate section of my bathroom that would benefit from this.
Ohh! How does the Missha Aqua sun gel perform? I was looking at purchasing it but I couldn’t find any reviews for it! Also, I love your collection!
I like it a lot! I wear it often, and prefer the texture to the regular Missha Safe Block because I think it absorbs faster. It’s creamier than I expected though – not as creamy as the regular Safe Block, but when I think of gel, I think of – well- gel- and this feels more like a lightweight lotion. It’s only SPF 30, which is perfectly adequate, but I often wish it was SPF 45. Still, it’s a great sunscreen- it hasn’t broken me out and I haven’t gotten a tan, so it must be working! 🙂
That’s promising! Does it feel greasy or heavy when you have it on? I really hate sunscreens that make me feel like my skin can’t breathe – makes me suppperr paranoid that my pores are getting blocked lol
It doesn’t feel greasy or heavy, thankfully. It’s very lightweight, and it feel like nothing once it’s absorbed. 🙂
Loved this post & all the pics. New storage system looks great
You know I love systems of organization
Oh, yes!
awesome!I would love to do this once but there no spaces for drawers anymore..haha..maybe after I reorganized my room again
Sounds like you have a limited space problem like I do! 🙂 How are you organizing your makeup currently?
Right now, in the bathroom I have a black train case for makeup I randomly grab and a divided storage tray from Sephora for the things I use the most. The rest of my way too big collection is in a dresser in my bedroom, and various storage boxes. It’s all over, but I have a “system” I swear, lol!
Hey, as long as you have a “system.” 😉
I love the look of train cases and have always wanted to get one, but haven’t taken the plunge yet. Do you know what kind of train case you have right now? Would you recommend it?
I have one of those 11-12″ caboodles knock off style train cases. Square, black, with 4 upper accordion trays and the larger center well beneath them. Under 30$ when I got it at Targét, lol. It does well for sitting on the counter, and getting everything out of the way. The only thing I don’t like is the lock. I had to hack mine open because people played with it in the store and locked the keys inside it. Meh. It has one of those cheapie easy to pick locks anyway, though.
I was considering a Zuca bag to put everything in once and for all and wheel into a corner near other stuff, but really don’t need to be tempted by all that storage to fill it up.
Did I even hit “submit” on my reply? Sheesh brain!
Sorry if this is a double post, I replied earlier that it’s a small, black, 11-12″ square case with 4 accordion style drawers(2 on each side), and a center well; caboodles knock off style from Targét, lol. Under 30$ and is good for getting everything off the counter. Cheapie lock, though. Meh. Someone locked the keys inside and I had to hack the lock loose.
I was thinking about getting a Zuca case from MAC, but don’t need the temptation to fill it up.
OMG, I looked up the Zuca case after reading this comment. I’m with you – I don’t need the temptation to fill it up either, but man, that case is nice! I think I’ll probably end up with a train case for travel. Sounds like a trip to Target is in order for me!
Way too expensive for me. T_T But I am envious. I have something sorta like your Muji drawer, but it’s totally overflowing. Lol.
The overflowing bit is a blessing and a curse, isn’t it? On the one hand, I’m constantly pumped that I have SO MUCH makeup, but on the other hand – where am I supposed to put all this stuff?
Wow… you have a amazing collection of makeups!
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Your collection look so nice and organized.. Maybe im too cheap but do make up organizer system usually cost this much?
Thanks for the info on the Glam Beauty Box. I was just eyeballing my Muji drawers and messy makeup table as well, considering buying 2 more Muji drawers or trying something else. Your collection looks great and I love that the box holds palettes!
I’m contemplating… since I really enjoyed your post. I never heard of the glam beauty box prior. I want a clear set of drawers to hold my most used/makeup I should be testing out for review. I have an Alex 6 drawer with wheels. Maybe I’ll get the muji 2 drawer and 1x 5 drawer, but I don’t want to over do it. Lol