I must admit, I am a hoarder. Sometimes it’s just too hard for me to let go of the things (even those which I rarely use). When it comes to makeup, it’s the same story. A few days ago I read an article and I immediately ran into my bathroom and decided to clean up my makeup storage. I knew that makeup has an expiration date, but I didn’t know some of the products had such a short shelf life. I threw away some of the products I hadn’t been using for a long time or they were opened up too long ago. I also decided to give some of them away to friends and family (which were still ok, but rarely used). I thought it would be nice to share some of the things I’ve learned:
Every makeup product has an expiration date and even your favorite lipstick eventually becomes breeding grounds for bacteria. Period.
All (most) of the products have an expiration date printed on the packaging.
To get maximum longevity from your make up, buy only cosmetics that haven’t been opened. At home, you should store them in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight.
Light, humidity and moisture, air, and heat will age a product faster.
When you notice weird smell, color change or uneven consistency (when it solidify or separates), toss the product immediately.
Don’t be sad to say goodbye to your favorite lipgloss or bronzer. When you toss something out, there’s a new room for some more products.
The last part is the recommended shelf life for each makeup product after it has been opened for the first time. Here are the numbers that might shock you. Guidelines for when to discard your makeup are the following:
mascara after 3-6 months
foundation 1 year
everything in cream forms (cream blushes, concealers, cream eyeshadows, bronzers) 12-18 months
powders (face powder, blush, bronzer, eyeshadows) 2 years
eyeliner 3-6 months (eye pencil 2 years)
lipstick and lipgloss 18 months
nailpolishes 2 years (EU guidelines)
