Now that 2013 has arrived, it’s time to clean out your beauty drawer. Normally I’d try to reel you in with a charming anecdote and a bit of a chuckle, but seriously, old makeup is gross, so I’m going to get straight to the point: That mascara you’ve been harbouring for over a year now? It’s festering with bacteria and you need to throw it out.
Makeup, like food, has an expiration date. The second something in our fridge starts to look or smell funky, we dispose of it. However, because of all the preservatives in our beauty products, it’s not as obvious when it’s time to relocate them to the ol’ cylindrical filing cabinet.
Not convinced? Well, according to Today Health, the moment the seal is broken on a new product bacteria will begin to grow. If you leave it for too long, it can cause burning sensations, skin redness, blistering, swelling, conjunctivitis and even hair loss. That’s a lot of trouble for an eye shadow you aren’t ready to bin because “coral might come back in again!”
To break it down for you, here is exactly how long your beauty products will last. You’re welcome.
Lipstick and Lip Liner
Mascara
Oil Free Foundation
Liquid or Gel Eyeliner
Powered Blush, Bronzer and Eye Shadow
Concealers
If you want to increase the longevity of your products, BellaSugar advises you avoid sharing your makeup (germs, you guys!), regularly clean your makeup brushes, ensure the lids and caps are on properly when not in use, and store your makeup in a cool, dry place (yep, that means avoiding the bathroom).
Images: hudabeauty.com, cafemakeup.com, theallnaturalface.com, i.imgur.com, 3.bp.blogspot.com,agirlastyle.files.wordpress.com, 2.bp.blogspot.com
28 Comments
damn and i found so much makeup while cleaning my room!
great tips
i hate throwing away my love items but old make up is just gross!
Hmmm, I better have a clean out!
I dont often get to use up my lipsticks, so I tend to buy cheapies that I wont feel too bad about throwing away. And the mascara expiration date, I dont really follow that as closely as I should.
I really need to clean out the make-up drawer.
Very well timed – we do often need reminders – great job and thank you.
My lipstick takes forever to use up and usually just gets thrown away.
I am a total makeup horder. Never had a problem yet *knock on wood*. Unless it smells funny, the consistency has changed or is mouldy – I’m not tossing it 😉
Whoa so wasnt aware of the three month ones. Thanks
You can’t throw out a $30-60 mascara every 3 months!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just cleaned my out 🙂
Great reminder. Time for a clean out.
Useful reminders.
Wow…ive got a lot to throw out!
great article
Mascara going in the bin today!
Some interesting info, I certainly will take on board
If I threw out my makeup this often I’d be poor.. And I’d never share it anyway and I store it well so it’s perfectly fine. My skin hasn’t complained.
so paranoid now!
thanks so much!
It’s so easy to hoard but this is good advice.
Oops definitely time to clean out my makeup drawer!
I will definitely be sure to keep my makeup out of the bathroom!
Oh!
wow thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the helpful article!
Thanks for the info.