Spring Clean your Makeup

Let's be honest, ladies, we all probably have one or two makeup products in our makeup bags that we've been hoarding because its a pretty colour or has nice packaging - but using old expired makeup isn't going to be doing you any favours. Since Spring is in the air, its time for a Spring Clean and I thought I would do a break-down of makeup expiration dates and when to throw them out while I have a spring clean-out of my own makeup collection.

Look closely at your beauty products. You may notice a number inside a shape such as "6M" or "12M". This refers to the number of months a product is usually good for after it has been opened, so "6M" means the product will be good for 6 months. If your makeup doesn't have anything to guide you, then there are some things you can do to decide whether or not to throw it out.

Mascara

Even though its a well-known fact mascaras can usually last up to 6 months, I'm very particular about when to throw away old mascaras. I tend to only keep them for around 4 on average, maybe 5 (or sometimes even six), months depending on how much I use them, and also how well you look after and use them. You'll be able to tell straight away when a mascara has gone bad; it will begin to smell and start to go clumpy on the lashes.

Foundation and Concealer

Liquid foundation and concealer are usually good for around a year, but if you notice the colour start to change or see it start to separate, then its time to say "bye-bye" and get yourself a new one. However, powder foundations are known to last a bit longer, most likely around 24 months.

Lipstick and Lip Gloss

Experts advise to keep lipsticks for 2 years and lip glosses for anywhere up to 18 months. Sticky lip glosses or dry lipsticks are signs that it has expired and needs to be gotten rid of.

Eyeliner/Lip liner 

Pencils, eye or lip, are known to be usable for a minimum of 3 years. Pencils that have dried out aren't good anymore. Liquid liners averagely last for 6-12 months whereas gel liners aren't known to last as long, with experts recommending to change them every few months to avoid too much build up of bacteria.

Powder Products

Eye Shadows, blushers, bronzers, powders etc have a recommended shelf life of about 2 to 3 years. Any changes in textures means that the product isn't best to use.

Cream Products

With the rise in popularity of cream blushers and multi-use products, consider changing or throwing away these after 12 months as they don't have the same preservatives as powder that helps them last longer.

You're probably wondering why you would even think about throwing away makeup after how much it all costs? Well, to help prolong the life of your makeup and beauty products, try these tips:

- Store your makeup in a cool, dry place and out of direct sunlight. I store my makeup in a cupboard where any sunlight is blocked, there is no moisture from the bathroom shower and no excess heat.

 

- To prevent the growth of bacteria on your makeup, always use clean brushes/applicators, wash your hands and also make sure you don't use share products direct from the packaging, always use clean applicators if you can and don't double-dip applicators like mascara wands into the mascara tube for example.

I hope you found this useful, I definitely recommend going through your makeup collection and seeing what is still good and what isn't, as its going to be more beneficial for you!

Beth x