When Should You Throw Out Your Makeup?

As much as we hate throwing out old makeup, there comes a point when we must say Adios, Bon Voyage or Nice knowing you to our beloved cosmetics.

How many of you have a pile of makeup you use now and again or for whenever blue eyeshadow makes a comeback as the must have color trend?

I have been guilty of not throwing out certain items, admittedly more out of the fact I had forgotten about them as I would not regularly use them.

However, cosmetics and makeup do have a shelf life or use within date and they should be followed.

Apart from knowing when you should throw out your cosmetics, there are some other vital things you should do when storing and applying makeup and skin care products.

Here are the reasons not to take a risk with makeup and skin care product:

• Eye Infections
• Transferring Bacteria
• Skin Irritations
• Smelly Products
• Pigments Change
• Lotions and Creams May Separate

1 year maximum I would recommend and more likely 6-9 months if your face moisturizer is in a jar as this is a breeding ground for bacteria. If you have a pump style face cream, 12 months is fine.

If you have alpha- hydoxy creams make sure to keep the jars tightly sealed as they may get more concentrated and cause skin irritations.

If you would like to try making your own moisturizer, Olive Oil is easy and super beneficial to the skin.

Sunscreen -

Up to 1 year after opening unless it separates, becomes discolored or smells.

If your foundation is in a jar, bottle or compact you should get 6-8 months out of depending on how often you use, how you apply it and how you store it.

If you tend to apply with fingers, you should not stick fingers in the container, particularly if you are prone to breakouts or spots.

For foundations to be applied hygienically, use a plastic applicator or a Q-tip to take a small amount of product and put it on the back of your clean hand.

Then apply with your fingers, makeup sponge or foundation brush. Think of your hand as a palette in which to mix and add your makeup from. Pump style foundations will last a bit longer, approximately 8 months or so.

Apply some common sense to foundations for indications such as color separation, fading of foundation and a rancid smell. Storage is important to prolong longevity so make sure all lids are tightly closed and do not have in direct sunlight

Face Powder will last a year when used correctly.

Watch out for any shiny build up on the powder surface (oil from your foundation or moisturizer are the lightly culprits), skin irritations or any strange smell and toss it if you do.

Loose or compact styles should be applied lightly with a powder puff, sponge or even a piece of cotton wool before using a powder brush.

Loose powder may be sprinkled onto the back of the hand and then applied with a powder puff. Most people will use up a powder within a year (I certainly do).

These two makeup products will last up to 4 years if stored and applied correctly.

Many women tend to change their blush with the seasons or only apply bronzer in the summer months, hence we do not use as often as other makeup items.

Always wash makeup brushes after use with a homemade brush cleanser to keep both brushes and product hygienically clean.

This in turn extends the shelf life of both and common sense again, if it does not look or smell right, throw it out.

If you have some bits of blush left in compacts that look and smell perfect, why not recycle them and make into a layered lip gloss which is easy, quick and fun for not just you but a great makeup craft for teens.

Mascara is one of my top “NEVER LEND” makeup products.

One of the biggest issues with this is eye infections, even between your own eyes.

It is so easy to lend your friend your mascara on a night out and not even think about it but it is highly risky and unhygienic.

Disposable mascara wands are great to keep a supply of. As a rule 3 months is the guideline for these products to get binned, up to 6 months maximum.

If it is not clumpy, has a smell or dried up you should get the 6 months before tossing.

Remember, if you get an eye infection it is not just your mascara that needs binning but ALL YOUR EYE MAKEUP PRODUCTS.

Eyeshadows will last a good 4 years if applied correctly and your eyeshadow brushes are kept clean.

As for all eye makeup products, if you discover an infection then unfortunately it all needs to get dumped.

This is why applying some good makeup application tips, storage ideas and common sense is vital.

It will end up saving you a bundle of your hard earned cash needed to replace your eye makeup.

Eyeliners –

Liquid eyeliner should be treated the same as mascara, NEVER LENT and tossed out after 3-6 months. I use mine up to 6 months and have had no problems.

After you have finished applying, give a quick wipe of the container to make sure it is clean and no build up of eyeliner is present.

Pencil eyeliner will last longer, particularly if you sharpen it before you apply it. I keep mine in the fridge, particularly in summer.

Expect to get at least 2 years out of your pencils unless you get an eye infection and then all eye makeup needs to be thrown out to prevent cross contamination and further eye problems.

Lippy will last up to 2 years, providing it has been used hygienically and stored appropriately.

The best way of applying all lipstick, lip gloss and lip balm is with a lip brush. Not only is it more hygienic but you will use less product applying it in this way and it will last longer on the lips.

Always give the lip gloss and lip balm containers a wipe after use to remove any excess stain and make sure the lids are secured tightly. Lipsticks should always be screwed down before lid goes on.

An easy and common mistake is to forget and you end up slicing off part of the lipstick.

If this happens, don’t automatically throw it out but have a few small containers (contact lens cases are ideal) handy and carefully transfer your lippy.

Check out the DIY blinged contact lens cases by my good friend Jamie Brock for seriously funky holders you can make at home!

If you store it away from direct sunlight (a dressing table drawer is ideal) you should expect to get a year or maybe longer out of your nail polishes.

Check them after 9 months for separation, color fading or thickening. Nail polish thinners are available to make application easier and smoother.

Never use with any fungal nail infections as this will only transfer the contagious bacteria and products should be thrown away immediately.

A good storage idea I use is to recycle a box or container (I use an old Nokia phone box) and use to store all your nail polishes, nail files, buffers, clippers and so on.

Makeup brushes will last for years when looked after properly.

An essential part of a good makeup application, you do not need to have every brush out there but a handful of good brushes will pay you and your products back in the long term.

The first “investment” makeup brush I bought as a Beauty Therapist was in 1984 and cost £3. That brush was still going strong 20 years later and being regularly used.

Make sure to regularly clean the brushes you are using constantly.

A homemade makeup brush cleanser is easy to make, gentle and much cheaper than store bought.

2 years if kept away from direct sunlight, preferably in the original packaging.

Each time you take a spray of perfume, the more air is let in and oxidation will occur, changing the fragrance slightly.

It is still perfectly fine to use up to 2 years and maybe longer.

Use some common sense, if it has gone off you will get a rancid smell, so it is time to wave bye-bye to your beloved perfume.

If you use it frequently, chances are you will go throw it out within this time frame anyway.

How to make your perfume last longer is worth checking out for lots of ways you can extend your fragrance wearing.

If you have decided to make your own natural skin care and makeup products, remember the shelf life for many will be considerably less due to them being preservative free.

Many are best to make as needed or are stored in the fridge.

Always give regular “sniff” tests as they will have a tendency to go rancid quicker.

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