Refresh your makeup bag {part 3}

If you ask some girls, choosing the right makeup bag is like choosing the right diamond ring... yeah, for me, it's not that life or death. It's more like choosing the right fine wine. It's not a science. It's something that needs to be functional, yet pretty, and needs to get the job done, without needing to cost an arm and a leg. Ok, it's like falling in love with a cheap bottle of pink moscato off a Wal-Mart shelf... Anyways...

Welcome to part three of the "Refresh your Makeup bag" series. If you missed part one and part two, you can catch up, and then rejoin us, or just continue on, but don't worry, this isn't the type of series that each new part builds on the previous.

For part three of this series, we are talking about choosing the right make up bag... So here we go!

No that we have removed expired products and cleaned our brushes,  I think it may be time to possibly clean or replace our makeup bag, don't you? Well, I chose the latter, but if you choose to clean your current one, all you have to do is take an antibacterial wipe and clean that sucker out (or throw it in the wash- if it's washable).

But, like I said, I decided to just replace my makeup bag. Why? Well, I had it for a number of years (longer than I've had my husband), it had gotten really dirty, and I needed a change. So, as I was searching high and low (like every time I went to a store), I started asking myself why I couldn't settle on just one. I mean, makeup cases are extremely abundant, aka there are literally hundreds to choose from. By the way, all of the makeup bags in the above picture can be found at Target.

So, after asking myself, why after a couple of weeks, I couldn't settle on a ten dollar makeup bag, I finally realized that each makeup bag I came across, didn't meet my five main criteria...

What to look for when choosing a makeup bag:

1. Room -

A. is the bag big enough for all of your stuff? Sure, a pencil case (travel/purse case) is cute and all, but I can guarantee that it is not going to hold your foundation, powder, eye shadow, primer, mascara, etc, etc, etc. The same goes with a caboodle. Yes, they are enormous, but, do you really have enough makeup to fill it? Maybe if you are an aspiring makeup artist? But if you are a house wife and mother, please see part one, where I talk about make up expiration dates. :)

B. do you have enough room for the new bag? This is a really good question to ask your self, before buying a new makeup bag. No, I am not talking about needing to rearrange your bathroom to accommodate the new makeup bag, because that is just silly, but you just need to make sure that you do have enough space to be able to hide it when company comes over, or when your husband walks into the bathroom, after you return from a Sephora haul.

2. Cleanability- I'm not even sure that that is even a word, but it's definitely a concept. You want a makeup bag with a type of easily cleanable lining (kinda like a porch chair cushion), so if any makeup ever spills, its not the end of the world, and its an easy clean up.

3. Openness- The concept of openness may be hard to grasp, so think of  a caboodle, or a pro-makeup case, and the way that they both expand. No, I am not saying that you need something that expands like that, unless that floats your boat (in that case, see #1A), but the idea is being able to see exactly what you have. I like train cases for this reason.

4. Personality- Personally for me, my makeup bag, has to match my personality. It can't be delicate and satin and foofy. It also can't be hard and dark, as I like bright colors (but neon is just going too far). Basically, I like my bags to represent me. And you should too.

5. Functionality- Above all else, any makeup bag must be functional. If you don't take my advice on any of the other criteria, take my advice here, because in a couple of weeks, you will be thanking me. If you are a mom, wife, working gal, or heck, woman in general: you are a sucker for a multi-tasker, and if you have a functional makeup bag, I can guarantee you that you will be singing my praises. 

There you have it: the five criteria I use when choosing a makeup bag :)

(And yes, I finally did find a nice train case that I am inlove with, and I will reveal it in part four)

Now remember, I am neither a professional makeup artist, nor a buyer with Benefit Cosmetics, I am just a mom and housewife standing on my soapbox, spreading my knowledge with you beautiful individuals. So, either take it, or leave it. It's not gospel :)

Oh, next week (well, for part four anyways), we will be talking about what to put in those clean or new bags.