Recently I came across this photo of a fifteen year old's makeup collection. It made me shutter. Not at the sheer volume of products, because let's face it, this is no where near enough. But at the possibility that a lot of this makeup could be old. If this young lady is as busy and distracted as I remember being at that age, expired products could be lurking in her makeup bag. And one thing is for certain, makeup does not get better with age.
I know, I know, we hate to throw our beloved products away. But cosmetics do reach a certain point where not only do they stop working properly, they could be dangerous. And you can't always consult a label to determine if your makeup is still good. Cosmetics are not required by law to have expiration dates. Even dated items can be misleading as some may expire long before the printed date or batch code. Your best defense? Stay up to date on your purchase dates and clean out your makeup bag, drawer or arsenal. One helpful hint : Use a wax pencil, sharpie or silver sharpie to write the date of purchase or open onto your products. This will make cleaning house a much easier feat.
And to add that extra measure of aid, because I'm fabulously devoted to you, I've written up a list of general guidelines for tossing and trashing. Enjoy!
When to toss
Mascara - 3 months TOPS. Probably the number one major offender, a mascara tube can be a breading ground for germs and bacteria. Think about it---its dark, moist and a small space. Using old or contaminated mascara can cause conjunctivitis (Pinkeye), a stye or various allergic reactions. NEVER share mascara and if a makeup artist is applying mascara to your lashes, they should be using disposable applicators ---a new applicator--- EVERY time they dip into the tube. tip* Don't pump your mascara wand before application. All that does is expose the tube to a lot of germs, air and helps it to dry out quickly.
Powders - 2 - 3 years. This includes face powder, eyeshadows, blush, etc. The length of these products depends mostly on how they're used and kept clean. Note that adding water to any product, introduces bacteria and shortens the life span. Touching products with your fingers also adds existing oils and bacteria to the plate. If you can't avoid applying with your fingers, be sure never to share your makeup and that your hands are very clean before making contact. tip* if you enjoy using powder shadow as a liner and usually wet your brush or shadow to accomplish this look---try using a cosmetic palette knife to scrape a small amount of powder from your shadow onto a separate surface. Wet your brush and dip into powder to line. Try to keep from wetting your shadow over and over which can infest your product with germs.
Pencils - 2 years. (lip liners, eye liners) As long as you sharpen your pencils regularly, you should be fine. If they start to crumble or become hard to move across the skin, its time to discard. tip* keep your sharpener sanitized by regularly swabbing with alcohol.
Lipstick - 1-2 years Usually the wear of a lipstick will communicate its longevity. If your product starts to smell or has a particular odor, its time to trash it. Also if you notice it doesn't wear the way it used to : crumbles at the sides, beads up easily or quickly and feels gross---its time to say goodbye.
Lipgloss - 6-8 months. This is another product like mascara that can be dark, moist and confined to a very small space. Easily a potential germy mess. Keep track of its scent, consistency and wearability. Another product not to share with fellow peeps.
Concealer - Wand applicator - 6 months, stick/twist up tubes - 12 months
Foundation- waterbased - 12 months
oil based - 18 months
Nail Polish - Up to 12 months. A good rule of thumb is that if the product is difficult to apply--stringy or clumpy -- its time to go. Also, if you notice that while holding the bottle, the product has separated and a layer of oil is floating along the top----its dead and gone.
