When to Throw Out Your Makeup
Like any other thing, makeup also does have an expiration date after which you need to throw out your makeup products! Most women do not have much knowledge about the expiry date of makeup products, they keep on using their makeup products for as long as they last them. The result is, that they get all sorts of allergies and severe acne and they are unable to find the cause of these problems when it’s just simple- that you have been using your makeup products for a really long time. Now, how do you know when to throw out a makeup product if you don’t have the outer cover of the product or if it’s not written on it. Well, today I’ll be guiding you in this post when you should toss out your makeup products. You can basically check the expiration date of makeup products by an icon that’s back on the product which shows like an open container or a pot, and it has a number and m or y written after that number on it where m is for month and y for year. That depicts the actual shelf life of a makeup product.
Mascara: Use it for 4-5 months and after then throw it out! Regularly clean the wand to extend its shelf life and to make sure that you are not adding bacteria to the tube by simply using it and putting it back to the tube. Also avoid pumping the wand in and out of the tube, swirl it around and then take the product out. Throw it out when the smell of mascara changes, if you notice clumps in it or when it dries out!
Eye Liner: For a liquid or gel liner, the shelf life is normally 6-7 months after which you should toss it out even if it’s left more than half. Throw it out when it gets hard and thicker! For a pencil liner, you can use it as long as you want if you are sharpening it regularly as it gets rid of the bacteria.
Eye Brow Pencil: You can use an eye brow pencil for max 3 years. And change it to a new one when the tip gets hard and changes its color.
Foundation: Toss it out if it’s lying in your stash for more than a year. Liquid foundations expire sooner than creamy, stick or powder foundations. The drier the consistency of a foundation, the more its capacity to survive so throw a liquid foundation in one year and powder, creamy foundation in 2-2.5 years. Change it when it gets clumped and hard and its smell changes.
Also Read: Types of Foundation
Concealer: Use it for 2 years and make sure you don’t apply it directly with the sponge tip applicator as it breeds a ground for bacteria, take it out on the back of your hands and then use it. Get a new one when the concealer’s color, consistency or smell changes!
Compact Powder: Since it is in powder form, you can use it for 2-3 years only if you make sure that you clean the sponge applicator or the powder brush you use it with once a week. Throw it out when it comes in contact with water or it gets greasy like chichip type and if you have been dipping the sponge applicator in it without cleaning it for more than a month coz then it becomes a ground for bacteria which can give you breakouts and other skin allergies.
Blush/Bronzer: For a cream blush or bronzer, you should be keeping it with you for a year or a year and a half. And for a powder blush/bronzer, throw it out after two years. Make sure you are using it with a clean and dry brush as wet and dirty brush will shorten its shelf life. Throw them out when the color, smell or their look changes.
Eye Shadow: You can use powder eye shadow for 2-3 years and creamy ones for 1.5 years and make sure you close the lid tightly or else it will dry out. Keep your eye makeup brushes clean and your eye shadow will remain clean. Toss it out when the color of the eye shadow changes or if it appears dirty or greasy!
Lipstick and Lip gloss: Toss your lipstick and lip glosses out after one and a half-year. Oh my gosh, I’m seriously committing a crime by keeping all my lipsticks for such a long time and using them again and again
Nail polish: Keep it with you for 2-3 years and if it dries out, mix a drop of nail polish remover, shake it well and get your nail polish alive again.
Read: Makeup Kit Must haves
Few Tips:
- Always check the pot icon on the back of the product and make it a point to use the product only for that period.
- Check the manufacturing and expiration date before buying a product.
- Don’t ever buy a product if it doesn’t have the manufacturing and the expiry date.
- Keep your foundation in a cool and dark place.
- Keep the lipstick in the refrigerator in summers. This extends their shelf life and keeps their colour, shape and quality preserved.
- Keep the face and translucent powder away from water and moisture.
- Don’t use powder products with wet brush as this will shorten its shelf life.
- Keep the lipstick and lip gloss away from direct sunlight.
- Always keep the lid of the nail polish closely tight and keep it in a dry and dark place.
- Don’t keep the kohl open, always close its cap.
- Tightly close the lid of the cream eye shadow to save them from drying out.
- Wash your makeup brushes at least once a week to prevent any infection from using your makeup products.
- Toss your makeup products right away if they seem to change the color, consistency or if you notice any foul smell.
