It doesn’t take being a beauty guru to know that digging through a small and tight interior makeup bag to find that one beauty product is nearly a nightmare, especially when you’re pressed for time. The solution to not have to dig endlessly through your bag is a well-designed makeup organizer.
As someone who can count on one hand how many makeup bags I’ve owned, I never toss my makeup bag until it’s far past use. Makeup bags become an attachment. It’s one of those products you will own for years until you realize how dirty it is with foundation fingertips and random eyeliner marks.
If the time has come to find a new makeup organizer, you’re in the right place. We’ve handpicked makeup organizers for every lifestyle and budget. Whether you prefer something compact and travel-friendly or a rotating organizer for your vanity, these picks will declutter your space while simplifying your beauty routine.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall:
Best Clear:
Best for Travel:
Best With Mirror:
Best Rotating:
Best Customizable System:
What We Like
Minimal appearance blends in with decor
Three rotating drawers
Large enough to hold makeup brushes and skincare
What We Don’t Like
No compartments or dividers
If you’re big on aesthetics and don’t like the idea of digging through a bag, you’ll love this West Elm storage box. It’s a makeup organizer that doubles as decor and fits the warm minimalism design style.
The West Elm Moona Storage Box isn’t specifically labeled as a makeup organizer, but it has three individually rotating drawers that are large enough to hold your favorite face makeup, brushes, and skincare products. We love its versatility. In fact, we can also see this being a great jewelry organizer, if you should ever want to switch. And we think it'll look great on an office desk to corral supplies.
While it doesn’t have compartments or dividers, we love that the drawers offer an ample amount of storage space. And since the top of this storage box is flat, you can also use it to hold bigger items that won't fit in the drawers, such as a bottle of foundation, a tube of primer, or serum sticks.
Specifications: 8 x 10 inches | Material: Poplar wood | Color Options: Black and natural, white and natural
What We Like
Easy to locate makeup
More space in bottom drawer for larger items
Tidy, stackable design
Easy to wipe clean
What We Don’t Like
Plastic material can feel cheap
Clear makeup organizers are always great for spotting your beauty products before reaching for the drawer. We personally like Brightroom's countertop organizer for its stackable design and deep drawers.
This countertop makeup organizer isn’t as durably constructed like our best overall that’s made with poplar wood, however its drawers pull out smoothly and it's sturdy enough to hold your everyday makeup and more.Plus, you'll be able to spot what you are looking for in an instant. Use it to conveniently hold lipsticks, eye shadow, blush, and eye liner pencils.
Specifications: 8 x 6.51 x 7 inches | Material: Polyethylene terephthalate glycol (plastic) | Color options: Clear
What We Like
Holds up to 20 products
Includes interior pockets for beauty accessories
Available in 18 colors and prints
Machine washable
What We Don’t Like
Clear is not an option
Although travel makeup bags are compact and may require some rummaging, there are larger-sized ones, like this Kusshi one, that make organizing your makeup while on the go a bit easier.
This medium-sized bag opens up wide and is said to hold up to 20 beauty products, including makeup pallets, foundation bottles, travel-sized skincare, and more.
I also love how it has a decently sized zipped compartment on one side and two mesh compartments on the other. These are great for securing your eyelash curlers, lipgloss, and other small products that usually end up being covered by larger makeup products.
The Kusshi Signature Makeup Bag is also a favorite because it’s made with a machine-washable fabric (we all know makeup bags get dirty). If you choose the leather material, the interior liner can be taken out and tossed in the wash.
Although there are a lot of colors and prints to choose from, they can be a tad loud for those who like to keep things minimal.Clear is also not an option, but you can choose the BAGSMART Clear Toiletry Bag, if that's what you prefer.
Specifications: 6 x 11.50 x 5 inches | Material: Leather, fabric | Colors: 28 color options
3 Tips to Keep Your Makeup Organized
- Sort and section your makeup by type. Keep all of your lipsticks in one compartment, concealers in another, and so on.
- Give away products you no longer use or need, and don’t forget to toss your expired makeup.
- Invest in a labeling maker and label each makeup drawer, so you know where everything lives.
What We Like
Great for while on the go
Adjustable dividers
Section for makeup brushes
Available in various sizes
What We Don’t Like
May take up a lot of travel space
The Chomeiu makeup bag is every beauty lover and traveler’s dream. With a built-in LED mirror, you can apply your makeup during a flight or when you’re in a space with no bathroom mirror nearby.
This makeup bag is also great for group trips where you and your hotel roomie are fighting over the mirror. Along with a USB rechargeable mirror, we love that the bag is designed with adjustable dividers to better fit your makeup collection. It’s not a one-size-fits-all organizer. In fact, it comes in two larger sizes.
The Chomeiu Makeup Bag also has compartments specifically designed to hold makeup brushes. And while the bag is portable and travel-friendly, its square shape may take up a good amount of luggage space.
Specifications: 10.3 x 9 x 4.7 inches | Material: Not listed | Colors: Black, pink, checkerboard, and more
What We Like
Three-tier organizer
Removable dividers
Great for storing large bottles
What We Don’t Like
Can be tough cleaning the center compartment
Instead of digging through your toiletry bag trying to find your favorite red lip, you can rotate your makeup organizer to your lipstick compartment. The West Elm Cascada makes pinpointing your makeup products easier.
Besides the swivel design, the one thing that differentiates this clear organizer from our best clear pick is that your beauty products aren’t restricted to a certain sized drawer. The Cascada Cosmetic Organizer is great for storing your larger-sized foundation bottles, primers, and face moisturizers that you wouldn’t be able to fit in smaller-sized organizers.
We love that it’s designed with removable dividers, giving you a custom feel. However, the tall center compartment may be a bit difficult to clean properly.
Specifications: 6.7 x 9.8 inches | Material: Plastic | Colors: Clear
What We Like
Able to design your own makeup organizer
Stackable and space-saving
Durably made from engineered wood
What We Don’t Like
Only available in a white/cream color
Pottery Barn’s Stella beauty organizer allows you to create a custom makeup organizer by piecing together your desired stackable tray. Just note that each tray is an additional cost.
The thing I love most about this customizable system is its space-saving and streamlined silhouette. Each tray stacks perfectly on top of the other, whether you choose the small divided tray and the open deep storage tray or the open small tray and divided catchall.
The organizer only comes in one color, but it’s one that goes with every decor theme. Plus, we’ll take an adjustable makeup organizer that’s equipped and built to hold various beauty products over multiple color options any day.
Specifications: 4.5 x 9 inches | Material: MDF engineered wood | Colors: White
Final Verdict
The West Elm Moona Storage Box is our absolute favorite makeup organizer. We love how its minimal design can easily blend into your decor or design style. It also features three decently sized rotating drawers and a flat wooden top for larger products. For traveling, we like the Kusshi Signature Makeup Bag. It’s machine washable and has a spacious interior that can hold up to 20 products.
How We Picked the Makeup Organizers
We vetted makeup organizers for every lifestyle and possible design preference. We chose organizers from a few of our team’s favorite tested brands for durability and longevity, like West Elm, Sonia Kashuk, and Pottery Barn.
The organizer’s design, size, and material also played a role. We picked makeup organizers that were large enough to spot beauty products easily. This resulted in the bag’s functionality and ensuring they’re organizers that simplify your makeup routine.
What to Look for in a Makeup Organizer
Pick an Organizer That Matches Your Makeup Collection
Always make sure the makeup organizer complements your beauty regimen, plus a little more room in case you add to your collection.
My makeup collection only consists of the bare essentials, so a toiletry bag, like our best travel pick, the Kusshi Signature Makeup Bag is always my go-to. It’s the perfect amount for those with a simple lineup.
If you’re someone who tends to buy new products frequently, consider a rotating system like West Elm’s Cascada Organizer. It has three tiers worth of space and you can adjust the dividers depending on the size of your products.
The Pottery Barn Stella Stackable Modular Beauty Organizer is also a great option for a customizable system. You can build your dream organizer based on your entire collection size.
Opt for Compartments and Special Features
Having compartments and dividers in an organizer makes it easier to find your makeup items, especially the smaller ones. It’s what keeps your routine and bathroom countertop decluttered.
I love how the Kusshi Signature Makeup Bag has an interior zipped compartment along with two mesh ones.You’ll also want to look for makeup organizers with special features like the Chomeiu Makeup Bag with an LED mirror. This bag is perfect for when you need to apply your makeup while on the go. We also love that it has three light settings.
Think About Ease of Cleaning
Keeping your makeup organizer clean from foundation smudges is inevitable, especially when it’s a toiletry bag.
We recommend investing in an organizer that’s machine washable, like our best travel pick, or easy to wipe and spot clean, like the Brightroom 4-Drawer Countertop Organizer (our best clear recommendation).
Why Trust The Spruce?
Kenedee Fowler is a writer for The Spruce. Outside of writing guides on the best organizational items for your home, Fowler has owned her fair share of makeup organizers. With her experience, she picked organizers for every budget, aesthetic, and lifestyle. She looked at important components like material, the design, ease of cleaning, and unique standout features.
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