We are all a little guilty of ignoring makeup expiry dates. We may have a dry mascara wand, or a very mini eye pencil, not to mention a run to the ground lipstick. But what could happen to us if we don’t think about our cosmetic hygiene?
Cosmetics are like food in a way…. They can go off! So when does makeup expire?
I think the main reason we do sometimes let our cosmetics get a little ‘worse for wear’ is the fact that some can cost a bomb…
When you are paying $60 for Mascara, you want it to last and last…
But, Did you know, that Mascara has the shortest life span at only 3 months??
That really isn’t a long time when you compare that to an Eye Shadow that can last and still perform fairly well after 2 years – doesn’t seem fair!
If you are smart, you will certainly be tossing away your cosmetics at the right time as they can cause skin irritations or infections – especially where the eyes are concerned – because of bacteria build up…
We wouldn’t put anything old, or off coloured, smelly, or wilted in our mouths? So why do we still use dried up, stale smelling, smudged out old makeup on our faces??
There are a number of reasons for bacteria in makeup…
We tend to apply makeup in our bathroom, so think of our daily routines; they are normally rushed and maybe even half asleep.
The lipstick lid could not be replaced correctly, letting the lippie roll off the bench onto the floor… You could of just shaved your legs and it may of rolled over this and just in general touched our bathroom floor – The same for your bedroom floor, on the carpet – who knows what that lippie has grabbed with it on the way as its rolling around – a hairy lippie? NO THANKS!
If you are also a gal on the go and applies makeup a lot in the car…
The heat in the car throughout the day, if left inside can really alter the performance of some cosmetics, especially liquid/cream based products like skincare or foundations…
You should be keeping ALL cosmetics in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight at all times…
This guarantees the performance quality of each product lives up to the correct expiry date with no alteration to the longevity of the product.
I personally, generally speaking, have a rule with makeup and skincare…
If it is a liquid product, it has a shorter lifespan and depending on usage can normally last anywhere from 12-18 months before I would consider throwing it away – obviously with allowances for certain products.
If it s a powder, a more dry product, they can last longer and I would give them a life span of 2-3 years, depending obviously on usage and how they are stored – but that’s just me…
All skincare in general has a lifespan of 18 months…
The more active the skincare, the less time those active ingredients will stay as potent as when first opened.
MB PRO TIP – Most skincare contain a code on the bottom of the jar that can tell the batch date when made, if concerned going into the cosmetic counter where you purchased the product and asking the consultant to follow up expiry dates can help.
Quite often a product has been stored correctly, but the application tool is the problem…
Dipping your fingers into your foundation or skincare product everyday can be a culprit as your fingers may not always be the cleanest they can be… Therefore the dirt and/or oils can be then sitting in your cream and altering the formula.
Makeup Brushes
I have seen so many women with the dirtiest brushes, still being used daily, especially the foundation brush, which is normally left a little moist after a liquid foundation application and it becomes a big breeding ground for bacteria.
We wash our clothes, car, house, but so many women never clean their brushes that actually touch our face eyes and lips?
If this happens, your brushes are touching your makeup everyday adding to the bacteria level, even if they are generally kept very clean – you gotta Flush your Brush – meaning either clean it or chuck it out! J
As a Makeup Artist, my brushes are sometimes touching different faces in the one-day; I need to make sure they are super clean.
I use an alcohol spray to clean them in between clients as it dries quickly and disinfects… But long-term, this is not the best for the brush quality.
It is a great idea to keep baby wipes handy as they are great for a quick anti-bacterial wipe over any cosmetic product that has fallen to the floor, or rolling around in your bag and even a quick wipe over your brushes – not to mention that eye pencil that maybe hasn’t been sharpened…
If you have the time, a very gentle shampoo is a great idea to remove excess makeup, but try to store them upside down or if you have to laying flat – never upright or even worse face down into a canister as they will de-shape and water can soak into the base which can loosen the brush to base in the future.
Let’s look at each category of makeup, for a more specific breakdown of life span and time spent in the makeup bag…
Foundation and Powders
NEED TO KNOW:
If your foundation has a pump then it will stay fresh longer, but if you are dabbing your fingers into a bottle everyday this can lead to skin irritations / acne breakouts.
Keep foundations out of moist environments and away from heat, as high temperatures encourage the growth of the bugs and can speed up the spoiling.
EXPIRY DATE:
+ Stick concealers – 18 months.
+ Liquid concealers – 12 months
+ Liquid foundation 3 years (with Pump)
+ Cream blushes – 12 months
+ Powder blushes and regular face powders – 2 years.
Eye shadows + Eyeliners
NEED TO KNOW:
Eye shadow is revealed as the item that spends the longest time at the bottom of make-up bags
Eye shadow is one of the worst culprits for spreading infections as it is applied close to the eye. Infections such as conjunctivitis are easily spread – especially if you share these sorts of products.
If you’ve had an eye infection, you’ll need to throw out all the eye make-up and applicators you used from the time you developed symptoms. The virus or bacteria that caused the infection has probably taken up residence in your make up, so using those cosmetics again could cause you to develop another infection.
EXPIRY DATE:
+ Eye pencils: 2 years. To make sure you’re using a clean tip, sharpen before each application.
+ Liquid eye shadows 12 months.
+ Powder shadows 2 years.
MB PRO TIP – It is important to keep the plastic shield that you receive that sits over powder products, it is there for a reason, to protect the powder product from any dirt and oil – don’t be a chucker, protect your products!
Mascara – The worst culprit!
NEED TO KNOW:
Mascara has the shortest life span of all make up because the risk of transferring bacteria back and forth from your eye into the mascara tube is so great.
Mascara is one of the worst culprits for spreading eye infections!
EXPIRY DATE:
+ Mascara: 3 months – Women are keeping hold of mascara two years too long!
+ If your mascara starts to dry out before its 90 days is up, throw it away. Don’t add water or saliva (yes it happens) to your mascara to re-wet it. Doing so will only increase your chances of getting an eye infection.
Lipstick + Lip Gloss
NEED TO KNOW:
Lipsticks and glosses contain oily ingredients that can start to smell like stale cooking oil if kept past their expiry.
EXPIRY DATE:
+ Lipsticks, tube lipsticks & lip pencils – 2 years. Make sure you sharpen your lip pencils before each use.
And lastly, seeing we are talking all things beauty…
What about our trusty toothbrush?
It is recommended that you change your toothbrush every 3 months, just like your Mascara!
Don’t wait unto the edges of your toothbrush are as wild as your split ends, it could e too late!
Points To Remember
– Treat Cosmetics like Food, you can tell, or smell, when they are off
– Always shake liquid concealers/foundations before use to keep everything together with formulas
– Sharpen eye and lip pencils before use so it is fresh
– Throw away any products that have touched an area of infection – it is not worth the risk
– Write the date of purchase on the back of a product when first buying so you can keep track
– Application is key for healthy cosmetics – use clean, fresh applicators and wash hands before dipping into the pot of cream
