Myers—who has been doing this ritual for nearly six years—calls her version a “rebranding” or “unbranding” practice. “It stemmed from this feeling of being a bit overwhelmed by the graphics and visuals of my products,” she says. “I used the tape to obfuscate the brands and create this visual harmony among all of my products and the space around them. My home feels less loud now,” she says.

At first glance, this practice may seem more burdensome than beneficial. Critics note the time and effort needed to remove stubborn labels—after all, few things are more irritating than peeling off a label and being met with sticky residue. But the sources I spoke to say it’s not all that difficult. “Most labels come off pretty easily,” Angelika explains. For trickier ones, she uses nail polish remover. Noor agrees: “With more pesky labels, it does take more work, but I've learned some tricks to get them off fast and clean.” Noor has even uploaded a tutorial on her process for curious minds.

For them, that minor amount of time and effort prevents rushing, which isn’t just the point but the appeal. “Instead of buying a new product and chucking it in my bathroom, I take a moment to look at the ingredients, remove the label, and welcome it into my home,” Noor says. “It sounds cheesy, but I think people don't appreciate their things enough.” Myers has a similar “welcome-home” taping ritual for her products, allowing her to embrace them each wholeheartedly before they earn their place on her shelf.

But when all your products look the same, isn't a mix-up inevitable? Like mistaking a tube of moisturizer for toothpaste or shampoo for body wash. While a valid concern, my sources collectively face no difficulty there, mainly because they own very few products to start with. Their vanities feature only a handful of staples, like one cleanser, a moisturizer, a face oil, a sunscreen, and maybe one or two pieces of makeup. When you’re choosing from a limited selection, they say, it's simple to keep track, whether by memorizing or by quickly checking the smell, texture, or color of what’s inside the bottle. “The key to not mixing things up is to not overconsume. Being purposeful with what I purchase and bring into my house has helped,” Noor says.

And therein lies the even deeper appeal of visual decluttering. Aesthetics aside, it seems it can encourage a more purposeful approach to what people purchase—and subconsciously encourage purchasing less altogether. “I noticed once I started this practice, I was much more intentional about what products I purchased,” Noor says. She now even considers the process before ever purchasing a product, preferring those with a removable label over ones with a label printed directly on the bottle. She also avoids products with gimmicky packaging and instead prioritizes formulas with ingredients that meet her needs. “The one thing that doesn’t come into consideration for me is branding,” she says.