Insanely Good Makeup Kit Organisation with Melissa Street

I’m back today with my favourite guest from across the globe, San Diego makeup artist and all-around amazing woman Melissa Street. If you want to know more about this seasoned professional, I posted an interview back in June that you can read here. The woman tells it like it is, and her makeup kit organisation is to die for. I couldn’t resist finding out her best kit tips and how she keeps a clean, neat setup.

What are some tips for being able to set up your station quickly and efficiently?

I am an organizational junkie! I label everything so that I can easily find it within my kit. I like to work systematically, which makes my set up fast. I set up my station the exact same way at every job, my kit is always clean and ready for the job and I make certain that I have an abundance of disposables.

How do you keep tools and products organised when you have to make up multiple actors?

I make sure that I purchase mass duplicates of brushes and disposables that I know work for me and my artistry. That way I always have a clean brush available for multiple actors and I am not stuck trying to clean and disinfect between actors, which can slow down the makeup process.

What are some mistakes you see with how newer artists organise their kits?

They buy way too much product and it is impossible to organize it all. They carry way too much to set. Giving your client’s options and choices is fine, but some artists are carrying a mini cosmetics store in their kit!

Newer artists tend to base products over technique. Veteran artists know that it is their technique that trumps products, so they are able to carry very little and do more with what they bring based on their techniques.

List three of your favourite solutions for storage and makeup kit organisation?

• Shop at discount dollar stores like Daiso (Japanese ones are the best). They have great organizational tools that are easily incorporated into a makeup kit.
• Invest in a good Labelmaker – this will help to keep your kit sanitary. You can label makeup that is being used for specific actors and you won’t have to worry about cross-contamination.
• Invest in a good pair of shoes – those long days on set can damage your back – get rid of the cute pair of flats or boots and go for those orthopedic shoes that will save your aching back!

I cannot agree more with Melissa about shoes and have learned the hard way why it’s important! (I’m a fan of the Palladium brand myself). If you aren’t already, please go and follow Melissa on facebook and instagram as she’s always posting great content and advice for fellow makeup artists, including in-depth videos and live streams that delve into how she packs her kit for different jobs. They really inspire me to improve my storage and setup. Good organisation really can make you work smarter, not harder!

Makeup Kit Organisation – Great Videos to Watch

+ Fitting In with Melissa Street & Cathi Singh
+ In Melissa’s Pro Kit for 4K/6K/8K Film/TV
+ Packing her makeup Kit
+ Pro Kit – Makeup Organization
+ What’s In My Zuca (Kim Greene)

That’s all she wrote,

Lexi