The Lifespan of Your Make up

Hands up those who can say they have makeup that’s well over 2 years old!?

Guilty as charged - I for one can ..........eeek !!

I’m pretty sure I’ve lipstick knocking around that’s well past its sell by date not to mention nail varnish that has actually changed colour in the bottle, I have it so long.

So how long should you keep make up? How long should we hold onto eye shadows, lipsticks and foundation?

Well this really does depend on a number of factors but primarily the type of makeup, how you store it and when you first opened it.

If you are using a natural cosmetic, these should be heading for the bin much sooner as regular cosmetics contain ingredients that prolong the shelf life, but natural cosmetics don’t have these. When you open a cosmetic for the first time write the date on the product, this way you will know when it’s time to throw it away (Sharpie is the best for this). Another trick to see if it is worth keeping is to smell it. If it stinks any little bit, bin it. If you can’t remember when you purchased it, it probably means it should be filed under B for bin anyway.

Always store cosmetics in a cool dry place, away from sunlight, and always make sure you close the lids properly after use. Use clean brushes and sponges, the sponges need to be cleaned/washed weekly and replaced monthly. Brushes should be washed in a mild detergent or shampoo every two to three months. This will help lengthen the life span of your cosmetic not to mention help stop unsightly skin breakouts from a build up of bacteria in our makeup or on the brushes themselves.

When we develop an eye infection for one reason or another we probably don’t realise that the virus or bacteria has probably taken up residence on the tip of our eyeliner or eye shadow so keep the pencil but sharpen after each use but dump the eye shadow. Unfortunately the same also is true for mascara.

Here is a good indication of the shelf life of your make up:

Mascara: Bin it after three months. It has the shortest shelf life of all make up because of the risk of transferring bacteria from eye to tube. The same applies to liquid eyeliner.

Eye Pencils: A two-year lifespan, but regularly sharpen the tip.

Eye Shadow: Powder will last a maximum of two years but again keep brushes clean. Liquid eye shadow can be kept for up to twelve months.

Blushes & Powders/ bronzers: Powder blush is good for a maximum of two years, while cream or liquid blush should be removed after twelve months. Bronzers have a good shelf-life of two years.

Oil free foundation: One year.

Compact or Cream foundation: Eighteen months

Lipstick: Two years

Lip liner: Two years

Lip gloss: Two years maximum

Nail Polish: Two year maximum

So in the end, use common sense and if it smells funny or looks strange it should be tossed out.

As a general rule of thumb, change your foundation makeup every six months, since your skin will normally change shades during that time.

If you’re using a product that contains anti-aging benefits be advised that they will turn rancid quicker.

Overall, if there is ever a doubt about whether to keep it or toss it, you should always just throw it out.

My advice is to keep it all organized so invest in some makeup organizer units, see pictures for some ideas.

That reminds me I must do a makeup clear out, like, yesterday!