It’s true, ladies: your makeup goes bad, just like your milk. Old makeup products can be a breeding ground for bacteria, but since cosmetics manufacturers aren’t yet required by law to put expiration dates on their products, it’s up to us to ditch the expired ones. Below are some guidelines for when to toss each type of makeup, and here’s a tip: if you have trouble remembering when you bought it, get one of those nifty White-Out pens and scribble the purchase date onto the container as soon as you get it home. (You can always write it on the bottom if you love to parade out your new Diorshow in the bathroom with your friends.)
How Long Can I Keep This Product?
- Mascara: Three months at most. Most of us have kept mascara longer than this, but once you’ve used the wand and put it back in the tube, it becomes a bacterial haven. (And if you ever had any sort of infection while you used a product, NEVER reuse it or you risk re-infecting yourself. Eww.)
- Cream eyeshadow, eyeliner or blush: Six months. These have a much shorter shelf life than their powder counterparts.
- Foundation, finishing powder and lipstick: One year. That said, if you see any changes in these products’ consistency, texture or scent, toss them immediately. Foundation can have a shorter life of only 4-6 months, depending on the batch – if it starts separating, give up on it. Even if you shake it up so it mixes together (a trick all my cheapy girlfriends will know about!), it won’t stay that way long, and within an hour of wear it’ll melt off your face. Plus, why would you want to wear something expired? Gross.
- Nail polish: One year. This depends on the quality of the polish; the $1 drugstore stuff that starts separating in the bottle as soon as you get it home probably won’t make it a whole year.
- Powder blush or eyeshadow: Two years. This assumes you never share your makeup with any of your grubby friends and you always apply it directly to a clean face with clean hands.
- Pencil liners: Three years, if sharpened regularly (and applied with clean hands and blah blah).
- Makeup brushes: Two years. This assumes you shampoo them regularly (we recommend about once a month – unscented soap or baby shampoo will do) and sanitize them between uses. There are special sanitizing sprays for this, but the girls at the MAC counter simply rub them down with alcohol.
- Makeup sponges: One month. Yep, I said it – even with cleaning after every use (which you should do). Just like the sponges by your kitchen sink, makeup sponges collect bacteria like a ten year old collects Pokemon cards. This includes those right triangle shaped ones you put on foundation with and the tiny ghetto eye makeup sponges your eyeshadow comes with.
Personaly I don’t use makeup sponges, but I regularly “microwave” my (wet) kitchen sponges. One minute by sponge (size of a kitchen sponge !) and it kills all the bacteria. Why not try it on makeup sponges too ?
[...] Cailin • June 16, 2008 Remember my idea for keeping track of when your makeup expires by writing the purchase date on your products with a [...]
Hey, love this. Really informative. However, could you do one on moisturizers and eye creams and such? Cleansers, etc? That would be really helpful, thanks!
Super helpful, but I just can’t part ways with some of my more expensive makeup.
I’m a teen on a budget after all!
Tia – I understand
just remember: a brand new Sally Hansen gloss is actually better than a Chanel Glossimer as old as a toddler.
Lynn – excellent idea!! Consider it duly noted and in the works.
well i would lol to see one on concealer, I too am a teenager on a buget… it IS hard to part with the make up that has served me well but I DO NOT want to break out so i guess this is a must…
*love(not lol)
Make up brushes. 2 years!?!? There is no way that is right. I have had some brushes for 7 yrs and it’s still in mint condition. I know someone who has had their brushes for over 20 years (Make up artist), actually most people I know who purchase them have had them for over 10 years, which is why I bought them myself. Why would someone spend 60 bucks on a brush only for it to last two years? Good brushes are supposed to last you a lifetime, or at least close to it anyway. As long as you clean them often, they will last you forever. =)
Ashley – great point! I wasn’t really referring to professional quality makeup brushes. This advice refers more to the drugstore makeup that makes up the bulk of most ladies’ collections. Your best brushes, when well-maintained, can last much longer than two years; however, you must be VERY careful to clean them properly as even the highest quality makeup brushes can become a haven for growing bacteria over time.
Thank you so much! These advices are great. I just threw out about 3 mascaras that Ive had for over a year. I have to say that it really hurts my heart to do so, but as soon as I read the word BACTERIA, it changed my mind in a flash. It’s a good lesson to only spend money on what we really use so that we dont end up throwing away everything! Thank you again!