As I wrote in my 7 minimalist hacks for the home post, one of the secrets of minimalist homes is smart storage.
Or, rather – smart AND stylish storage.
And beauty trays are the epitome of that.
They’re smart storage options, because you can put your everyday essentials in one place, as well as small nicknacks that would otherwise look messy and cluttered. And they’re stylish, because, well, they just are.
By the way, I’m aware that the more common name for the beauty tray is vanity tray. And I’m probably really messing up my SEO for this post, but I’m still going to stick with beauty tray. For me, vanity is a negative and condescending term that has nothing to do with my interpretation of beauty (or anything beauty-related), so – beauty tray it is.
How to style a beauty tray
First of all, you need some beauty products (surprising). You can mix and match perfumes, jars, tubes, nail polish, serums, even some make-up items, or you can just stick to one type. Then you gotta style it.
Color coordination
No need to be very strict with this, but some coordination of shades and colors would create a more solid vibe. I like my beauty tray all white with some pop of color or a contrasting black and white. Play with contrasts and include softer and stronger colors as well. You should probably decide on what colors you’ll work with at the beginning, what suits your home and select the tray and every item accordingly.
Choosing the tray
A myriad options here, you can go with wood, glass, marble, concrete, DYI (here’s an awesome tutorial on how to make a beauty tray), even an old image frame. You can choose round, square, or oblong, small or big, whichever you prefer. You can even make several smaller beauty trays to be displayed side by side.
Storage options
It’s a good idea to include some extra storage alongside the beauty products. Old, empty candle jars, acrylic boxes (my favorite source for those is Muji), small bowls or trays serve a double duty: they add volume and some extra organizing options.
Accessorize
This is the part that makes or breaks the final result. Too many accessories and the beauty tray will look overcrowded and messy, not to mention it will not be very functional if you cannot easily find and take out each and every item. Find some focal points, and build the accessories around them, coordinating the color, and playing with different shapes and heights. It’s really up to your sense of style and the overall vibes you’re going for.
For more minimalist home styling inspiration, take a look at this post or my Pinterest.
Do you have a beauty tray? Let me know how you style yours! xx
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Love reading this blog post, you have included some really good ideas. I really need to organise my beauty products so will definitely keep your hacks in mind.
Steph x
stephhannam.wordpress.com
Love hearing this, thank you soo much for reading!! xx
I have a beauty tray and it’s a really basic wooden black tray that I’m reusing from my nephews old play box. It works. Then I store my things in a small glass standing tray inside it. Really minimal and nice. I have been thinking of painting it white just to try something new
Smart storage idea:)! I’ve seen someone using old picture frames as well. I now have a glass with brass edges, but would like to have a white wooden one as well!