It’s the question you ask yourself, as you stare at your favorite lip-gloss that has suddenly adopted a sticky texture and awkward funk; how long should you keep makeup before throwing it away?
Cleaning out your makeup stash is just as important as any other spring cleaning routine, except you should be cleaning out your makeup every season.
Here is everything you need to know about the shelf like of makeup:
How Long Should You Keep Makeup Before Throwing It Away
Mascara
Lifespan: 2-3 months
What to watch for: Dry, clumpy formula that has changed consistency and/or has started to smell differently.
Mascara is one of the most dangerous culprits in your makeup bag. Using expired or contaminated mascara can lead to pink eye (conjunctivitis), itching, swelling and redness of the eyes. NEVER share your mascara with ANYONE, not even your blood buddy! Also, avoid double dipping and pumping your mascara. All you are doing is drying out the product and trapping bacteria in their favorite place to play, a dark and moist climate for the creeps to produce.
Eyeliner
Lifespan: Liquids last 3 months and pencil liners last for a year
Watch out for: Change in formula and colors that have become dull
Just like mascara, eyeliners are applied near the mucus membranes of your eyes, which are sensitive to infection. Never share your liquid liner! Pencil liners should be dipped in 91% alcohol to sanitize, and then finished by sharpening with a clean sharpener. Even if you are the only using the pencil, you should still do this each time you apply to prolong the life of the product and avoid infection.
Lipstick/Lip-gloss
Lifespan: 2 years for Lipstick, 1 year for lip-gloss
Watch out for: Changes in formula and smell. Expired lip-glosses are known to get sticky and expired lipsticks can become chalky and dry.
To keep your lip products poppin’, always make sure to keep the cap closed tightly after each use. Also, don’t leave them out in the sun, which can melt the product and change the formula.
Tip: Want your super exclusive lippie to last longer? Store it in the fridge!
Foundation/Concealer
Lifespan: 6-12 months (unopened for a few years)
Watch out for: Changes in formula or smell
Your foundation/concealer are supposed to keep your face looking flawless, but a used and old product could cause an unnecessary breakout. To keep foundation fresh, avoid storing it in moist spaces, such as your bathroom. Remember, bacteria thrive in moisture (your foundation is more than likely water-based) and in dark places, making your bathroom cabinet their favorite place to party.
Powder products/Eyeshadow
Lifespan: 2 years for powers; eyeshadow up to 3 years
Watch out for: Loss of pigment
To extend the life of your powder compact, avoid storing the powder puff inside the compact. The puff that you pass along your face is picking up oil from your face and moisture, especially if you use it to touch up. Placing it back in your compact causes the product to oxidize (change colors) and glazing (oil build up) creating a hard residue on the product.
As for eyeshadows, always use a clean brush to apply eyeshadow. This will avoid the product from getting contaminated. You can also routinely clean your shadows with a cosmetic sanitizing spray; I personally recommend using Beauty So Clean.
Tools
Lifespan: Years if you keep them clean
Watch out for: Hairs falling off of brushes, metals that rust
Your makeup tools can last forever if you take proper care of them. You should thoroughly clean your brushes once a week and wipe them in between washes.
[Related Post: How to Clean your Makeup Brushes]
Storing your brushes is also as important as cleaning them. Avoid keeping them at the bottom of your purse, where they are picking up gunk.
[Related Post: DIY Makeup Brush Holder]
As for tools like an eyelash curler or spatula, these can be easily sanitized after each use, using 91% alcohol.
Tools such as sponges should also be cleaned once a week and thrown away after a month, with the exception of a Beauty Blender, since it comes with a special cleaning solution.
An item that is easy to overlook in your makeup routine is your makeup bag.
Lets think about this for a minute. It lives in the bottom of your purse, gym bag or luggage. You place it on counters in public restrooms and then pack it up with your clean makeup products. Pretty gross when you think about it?
To keep my bag clean, I like to use a plastic makeup bag, rather than a cloth bag. The plastic is easy to sanitize and creates a barrier from the outside world and your precious cosmetics. I also suggest getting a fresh new bag each year.
Did you find these tips helpful? How do you help extend the life of your makeup products?
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