If you are anything like me, your vanity cabinet and/ or makeup bag has a few items that have been there since who knows when! I am so guilty of this. It's like I have some sort of attachment to my beauty items....even the products that I rarely use, and in some cases, never use! Sad, huh? Well, I know that I am not alone and since makeup companies are not required to post expiration warnings on their labels, I thought I would help you out a bit.
Please keep in mind that unopened, well-formulated cosmetic products can remain in fairly good condition for a couple of years at room temperature. However, when you open the product and the air hits the formula, certain ingredients start to degrade and bacteria begins to grow. Not to mention, every time you touch your makeup you transfer germs to them which can spread, fester and infect everything it touches...YIKES! And although convenient, the bathroom is not the ideal place to store your cosmetics. Heat and humidity promote the growth of mold and yeast.....a more ideal place would be a cool, dry linen closet.
With that said, here is a quick guide on the shelf life of your typical beauty products (in alphabetical order). Bear in mind that this is just a guideline. If your products start to smell, separate, change color or texture then chances are it is time to throw them out!
BLUSH
Since it does not contain water, Blush can usually last for up to 2 years. Cream blush, however, should be discarded after a year. Cleaning your blush brush regularly will prolong the life of your blush! It is best to wait a couple of minutes after applying foundation or moisturizer before putting on blush. The oils cling to the bristles and will transfer to blush causing a dull gray film to form on powder formulas or a white, chalky layer on cream formulas.
CONCEALER
With concealers, a tell-tale sign that it has gone bad is when the color starts to shift or change. But overall, concealers in a pod or in stick form can last for up to two years. Whereas, concealers in liquid form or wand form should be tossed out after one year. Your money is better spent on a compact, squeeze tube or push up style concealer.
EYELINER
Liquid liners should be replaced every three months because, like mascara, bacteria tend to flourish in liquid-eyeliner tubes. Also, when liquid liners begin to go bad, they will dry out and become flaky. Pencil liners have a longer shelf life because each time you sharpen them, you create a fresh, clean surface. A pencil liner can last 2-3 years! Just be sure to regularly sanitize your sharpen with rubbing alcohol. And if you have used your liner while experiencing an eye infection, you should probably toss it to be on the safe side. Wouldn't want you to re-infect your eyes!
EYE SHADOW
Cream shadows should be tossed after six months. Powder shadows, on the other hand, have a shelf life of approximately two years. Like pressed powders, powder shadows are less prone to contaminate because they lack water. However, if you wet them, you should probably toss after six months! Aging shadows will have performance issues. They get packed down, making it harder to pick up pigment with your brush.
FACE POWDER
Like Blush, Face Powders have longevity. Bacteria can't grow where there is no water and so face powders tend to last up to two years! However, some powders contain small amounts of water from botanical extracts such as chamomile, oat extract, aloe, green-tea extracts and bamboo. If your powder contains one or more of these ingredients, there is a risk of it growing bacteria if you leave it in a damp environment like your bathroom. Also, powders containing botantical ingredients become harder to blend and more likely to crumble as the trace amounts of water begins to evaporate.
FOUNDATION
Most foundations are water based (except for the powder formulas) making them prone to bacteria. Once the seal is broken or the package is open, foundation can last up to one year for water based formulas and 18 mos for oil-based. (You will know if your foundation is water-based or oil-based if the first ingredient listed on the product is water or oil.) As a foundation ages, oils rises to the top, thickening the consistency and causing it to go on unevenly creating a streaky finish. If you notice a change in color and/ or smell it is probably best to assume that it has expired. Applying old foundation can cause irritation or breakouts!
LIPSTICK AND LIP GLOSS
Lipstick and gloss should generally be thrown out after a year or two. Lipsticks tend to dry out with age, making it hard to spread the pigment on your lips. While lip gloss will feel globby when you try to apply it. If either of these products begin to smell rancid, it is probably spoiled and needs to be thrown out. In addition, if you have recently been sick, you should think about replacing your lipstick with a new one to prevent being re-infected!
TIP: If you store your lipstick in the refrigerator, it will last longer.
MASCARA
This is the one makeup item which expires the fastest. You should probably replace your mascara after 4 mos! A mascara tube is a dark, wet environment which is perfect breeding ground for bacteria. This is the main reason why you should be diligent about replacing this beauty item. As the brush is taken out, applied and put back in the tube, it brings with it any bacteria that has been collected along the way. This lingering bacteria can cause redness and itchiness and possibly even sties & pink-eye (conjunctivitis)!
TIP: If you don't want your mascara to expire faster than it's shelf life, avoid pumping the wand. The pushes air into the tube causing it to dry out faster.
NAIL POLISH
One good thing about nail polish is that it will not go bad from bacteria! Nail polish generally last from one to two years, depending on the quaility. As polish gets old, it will dry out and become thick and gooey. And often times you will notice that the pigment has settled along the bottom of the bottle. Try shaking it and if it remains separated....it's a wrap!
TIP: Formulas are sensitive to temperature and humidity so avoid storing your bottles in the bathroom.
Hope this helps! :)
XOXO
~Tiaja
