As a beauty blogger, I tend to receive quite a number of beauty products on top of the ones which I already own. And as a recovering beauty product hoarder, I can totally understand how you can never seem to use up all of your items. And it is a tragedy when you have to throw out most of your stuff when spring-cleaning because they have expired. It is heart-wrenching to do so especially when the items still look as good as new.
You might even be tempted to use expired makeup or skincare products but hold that thought. Expired products not only work less effectively on your skin but may also damage it. Just think about it, expired products are extremely susceptible to bacterial contamination. This is especially so for those containing water as one of the first ingredients because water provides the perfect breeding ground for bacteria and other microbes. Next on the list are those with plant extracts while products made up of almost no water such as powders will last the longest. If you use mineral makeup which is marked "preservative-free" then its shelf life would be pretty short too.
So when do you decide it is time to throw out your beauty products? As a rule of thumb, if your product’s smell, texture or effectiveness has changed significantly then you should throw it away without a doubt. I understand that various products have shelf life that would vary vastly due to the manufacturing process and also on how the user stores and uses it.
This is a really helpful and general guide I have found online on the shelf-life of most commonly used beauty products:
Liquid and Cream Foundation: 2 years max but some sources say water-based - 1 year, oil-based - 1.5 years.
Powder Foundation: 2 years
Concealer: 1 year
Powder Blush: 2 years
Lipstick: 12 to 18 months but some say up to 3 years... Just look out for tell-tale signs, if it smells rancid then you should throw it out! Keep them refrigerated to prolong shelf life though.
Lipliner: up to 3 years
Eyeshadow: 2-3 years
Eyeliner Pencils: 3 years and should be sharpened regularly.
Mascara: 3 months after opening
These are some easy tips for making your beauty products last.
- DO store products in a cabinet or drawer
- DO wash your hands before using products
- DO tighten/secure the cap after each use
- DO consider how climate and humidity will shorten a product's shelf life
- DO write the date of purchase in permanent ink on the bottom or back of the package
- DO toss out eye products after you've had an eye infection
- DO abide by the expiration dates on sunscreens, acne products, and prescription medications such as topical antibiotics and Renova or Retin-A
- DON'T buy products packaged in jars of any kind, no matter how gorgeous the packaging are because fingers getting into jars add unwanted bacteria to the contents. Most jar packaging carries a 100% risk of bacterial contamination.
- DON'T store products in direct sunlight
- DON'T share your products with others
- DON'T add water or saliva to thin out or remoisten products
- DON'T "pump" your mascara
- DON'T purchase products with broken seals or other signs of tampering