When should you throw out your makeup? | Cosmetics shelf life & how to extend it

Let’s be honest: how often do you  maintain your cosmetics? And no, it doesn’t count that you use them on daily basis, but the date when you opened them for the first time! 78% of women have no idea that their beauty products have a shelf life so they wear makeup past its expiration date. And you don’t want to be in that group, right? Luckily for you I’m coming with this post to help you with that issue! :)

Why should you systematically get rid of  your cosmetics?

Just like food, beauty products don’t last forever and have their own expiration date – once opened they must be used before their shelf life expires. And it’s not so easy to make it on time with using the whole product if we constantly buy new ones… and then we forget about those already used, but not yet empty cosmetics. Not only makeup artists possess a huge supply of cosmetics, but also the beauty maniacs, bloggers, vloggers and many other girls that love to buy beauty stuff and to test new products. With such collections of cosmetics it’s very hard (and even impossible) to use all of them in short period of time, so unfortunately many of them break down. At first glance we can’t see the changes and signs of spoilage in the product, so we are unaware of its harmfulness and we store some of those products sometimes even a few years too long! But inside those cosmetics there’s a breeding ground for bacteria and when we use them it negatively affects our skin, sometimes even causing irritation or infection. And yet we are delighted when we discover some old goodies in our makeup collections and we are surprised how long ago it was since we last used them, because we simply forgot about the issue… and about proliferating bacteria as well.

Sometimes we save our money to buy some more expensive cosmetics and we don’t want to waste the product and throw it away, if its use is minimal. So what should we do? Of course it’s easier to prevent than cure (and nothing can help spoiled or overdue cosmetics), therefore it’s good to focus on extending the life of your cosmetics. But how?

How to extend your makeup's shelf life?

Although each product has its own expiration date we unconsciously shorten its life by improper maintenance of cosmetics. If you don’t want to lose a pleasure from the use, then apply a few easy-to-follow rules: 

• Store your cosmetics in cool, dry places and avoid exposing them to extreme temperatures. You should also keep your perfumes away from the light and heat, because light can break down the scent over time.
• Make sure that you properly close your cosmetics – all the moisturizers, liquids, eyeliners, mascaras, etc.
•  DO NOT pump your mascara wand into the bottle, because air makes it dry out faster and DO NOT dilute it with water – there are specific products especially designed for this purpose, like INGLOT Duraline!
• Take care of cleanliness of the accessories that you use to apply your makeup. Dirty, dusty brushes and other makeup applicators are destroying our skin, so wash them at least once a week. And DO NOT store them on your dressing table without any cover, because dust settles on them and you don’t want to put that on your face, right?
• Watch out with whom you are sharing your cosmetics – letting your friend use your mascara or lipstick is not a wise decision… unless you like the spread of bacteria.

Remember that when you store or use your beauty products incorrectly they will spoil sooner than their expiration date.

Unfortunately sometimes it’s just too late because they start to break or their expiration date passes… and there’s no way to restore their previous state. And then there’s only one solution: toss them!

"Good quality makeup and makeup tools are an investment – it’s like a wardrobe for your face and skin that you wear every day. By taking care of the items, you get a better return on the investment." (Bobbi Brown)

Cosmetics expiration date

If you want to keep your skin in the best condition, then once in a while check your cosmetic arsenal and get rid of all the expired beauty products. For this purpose use the infographic below which tells you when you should throw out each of your cosmetics after first opening.

Of course this is only guideline because cosmetics vary depending on product composition and partly manufacturer, so the best you can do is to check all of your cosmetics by yourself:

• A lot of beauty products are labeled with a small symbol of an open jar, which contains a number and the letter “M” or “Y” written inside it  – this is encoded expiration date. It tells you how many months or years the products lasts, which is how long you should keep the product after opening it.
• That “period after opening” indicator is only an approximation, so always use common sense. Any change in smell or texture is not a good sign: if it begins to separate, clump or dry out, smells odd and looks discoloured, it means that bacteria proliferate and chemical reactions occur. So if your cosmetic has changed like this, throw it out no matter what!
• Do you always forget when you first opened your cosmetic? Label it on the bottom with the opening date (or if you prefer expiration date based on that first opening) or write it down in your notebook.
• If you have very sensitive skin, prone to irritations, allergies and red eyes do yourself a favour and  get rid of suspicious cosmetic as soon as possible! Even if it’s a new product it doesn't mean it hasn't gone bad.
• Water encourages bacteria growth, so products like cream or liquid, which contain mainly water, have the shortest shelf life, in contrary to the powder cosmetics (like powders, blushes, bronzers, eyeshadows) which last the longest. But just for the record, keep in mind that even powder cosmetics will go bad sooner if you don’t use them or store properly.

Yes, we can use some of the products a little longer than it’s recommended, but we have to keep in mind that this can only worsen the condition of our skin. Worth taking a risk? I don’t think so…

Getting rid of our favourite beauty products is not pleasant at all, so the best you can do is to buy wisely and limit your cosmetics to a smaller amount (and I deserve a praise for doing that). Don’t forget to take care of them and don’t wait with replacing your makeup until it runs out. Check your makeup bag regularly because even the most expensive anti-wrinkle cream won’t help you if you constantly cause harm to your skin wearing expired makeup.

How often do you replace your makeup? Do you follow makeup expiration dates?