Today we have a guest blogger, Erica Miles with Erica Miles Beauty.  She is my go to make up artist, beauty expert, ingredient guru (decodes ingredients for me all.the.time!), dear friend and Image Boot Camp Partner.  She share the same passion as I do in helping women feel confident but her vehicle is make up & hair.  I really value how she starts with a vanity clean out session with her clients (similar to my closet clean out) and I find this is service is unique within the beauty industry.  As we gear up for the fall season, it’s always a great idea to do a clean out session before you start adding those fall color palettes into your beauty drawer.

As a professional makeup artist, and product junkie, I apply makeup on people and give makeup lessons, but another fun service I offer is, "The Vanity Clean Out!" This service idea came to me when I realized I had closets, suitcases, cabinets and a storage unit filled with cosmetics! I enjoyed collecting makeup, in hopes that one day I would use them, yet my life was cluttered and heavy as a result. And, the feeling of guilt that I never did use the products as I intended, left me feeling like I just never had enough time to do everything. Realizing that my next step was to either rent an airplane hanger to store my collection, or get rid of a few things, I opted for an overhaul! After a complete purge, I consolidated everything to 4 baskets and one drawer of daily items! Once I started, I couldn't stop and I kept choosing to get rid of things that smelled old, weren't my right shade, had harmful ingredients, were a free sample or brought back bad memories. I felt lighter, happier and enjoyed being in my space! This is when I decided to go into my client's homes and help them too!

I focus on the "getting-ready space," and toss out what's old, keep what's good, look at tools and show people how to use things in new ways. I create a list to update items or to fill in the gaps. Then, I take my clients makeup shopping or I place an order for Beautycounter if they want non-hormone disrupting products.

This process might scare people at first, making them think, "I'm embarrassed to let her see my drawer." Or, maybe there is a product someone is attached to that they won't let me toss out. But, I ease their worries. At the beginning, I start with questions about lifestyle such as: How much time do you have to get ready,  do you like to wear makeup, how much space do you have, are you a hoarder or a product junkie, etc...I then consider the person's age and listen to what their goals are for a personal look. I look at each product in a systematic way, starting with skin care, makeup and tools, assessing if they should be tossed or kept. I clean drawers, organize containers, wash brushes and style the vanity with the condensed collection. Often times I find a family heirloom vase or votive to be a new brush holder, personalizing the space. Sometimes, I change lightbulbs to a brighter wattage, or literally move a vanity to a window for good lighting! 

Important tips to think about when cleaning out the vanity: 

-Age and shelf life of the products 

-Quantity in the container

-Was the product a freebie or a custom match? 

-Samples should be thrown away, they clutter the space.

-Brushes and tools

-Does every product have its own place?

-Does your space energize you, or frustrate you?

-Lighting

-Organizers or trays might be needed.

CONTACT ERICA

http://www.ericamilesbeauty.com

Instagram @ericamilesbeauty