Organizing: The Beauty Department: luckymag.com

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FROM: The Beauty Department

Travel Beauty Revolution: OUI!

3:20 PM, August 05 2009 by Cat Marnell

I've been all over the country this summer covering music festival style for luckymag.com (I just hit All Points West in New Jersey, and am soon headed to Lollapalooza in Chicago), and what I've learned is that I'm probably the worst beauty editor beauty-packer ever. I never remember anything cosmetic, though I never seem to forget to bring at least thirteen magazines (I wish I was joking).

But today I am taking home this minimalist-chic travel beauty kit from MyTagalongs, a cool, design-y (that's right) company that makes "travelling" accessories for trips like "lengthy seaside holidays", that much in turn make me feel glamorously Euro-chic and intercontinental, even more so than my surprisingly unpopular "military-time only" phase. The airless pump canisters are good-sized but sleek and durable; plus, on the back of the package it says (in neon font!), "TOUT DE GO, BOULOUT, RESTO, DISCO" and a bunch of other stuff. And for $6, you can also get a cute 5-pack of disposable thongs, which is another reason I love the French.

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FROM: The Beauty Department

Cute (and Affordable) Cosmetics Bags

12:01 AM, April 14 2009 by Cat Marnell

I've been carrying my nighttime makeup in quart-sized Ziplocs for five vaguely humiliating months, ever since I lost my cosmetics bag during a move. So when Emily wrote about this cool coin purse on her Shop Girl blog last week, I immediately checked for a cosmetics pouch-sized version. Alas, there isn't one, but I was inspired to go on Etsy and find some other cool, recession-friendly options.

This hand-dyed pink-with-blue-poppies zip pouch is a little piece of art in itself for $15. I also like this cheerful, kelly green elephant-print one for $21, this "toadstools" pouch for $12, and this skull-covered version for $20. But my favorite of all is this vintage Star Trek-fabric drawstring bag for $10, which the artist says is designed not only for cosmetics, but also for all of my "geeky needs," like magic cards and dice. HOT!***

—Cat Marnell, associate beauty editor

*** I'm totally not being sarcastic. I have a robot collection. Sometimes I make the wind-up ones battle each other. So. Now that's on the internet.

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FROM: The Beauty Department

Cat Needs Your Advice ... Yesterday!

12:01 AM, March 10 2009 by Lucky Magazine

My desk looks like Sephora threw up on it: eyeliner, sunscreen, perfume, eyeshadow compacts, toothpaste, conditioner, mascaras, lip balms (my God, the lip balms), foam hair-styling noodles, body washes and so on—everywhere.

Beauty clutter may sound dreamy (and don't get me wrong: I love it), but as an easily-overwhelmed, not-particularly-organized person (COLOSSAL UNDERSTATEMENT ALERT), it's also maddening. And—so long as I continue to review beauty products for a living—it's never-ending. So no matter how often a coworker takes pity and organizes my desk, the clean slate lasts two hours, tops.

It's no better at home: I keep every product I own—from makeup to hairspray—in a weird-looking cardboard bucket from the Container Store, which I rummage through every morning like a raccoon in a Dumpster.

I need help. How do you organize your beauty items (or even just keep your desks clean at work)? THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU in advance.

—Cat Marnell, associate beauty editor

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