One thing that has been keeping me busy the past couple of weeks is 'spring cleaning' my beauty drawers and cupboards. I've been putting it off forever simply because it took me forever, but boy were the benefits so worth it in the end. We're all guilty of keeping beauty products longer than their expiry dates, we wouldn't keep food past it's best before date, so why do we think it's okay to do it with beauty?
Stop what you're doing, go and check out the expiry date on your makeup products...and then order new product to replace them. You'll instantly feel a lot better, not sure I can say the same about your bank balance.
How long does it last?
I use the MAC Longwear Foundation which contains SPF and has a 24 month expiry date. Whereas my Beauty Blender Bounce Foundation has a 12 month expiry date. Now they usually say sunscreen lasts up to 2 years so just base it on whether your foundation contains SPF if you can't be bothered to look at the packaging.
Concealer - 6 months.
I use the MAC Longwear Concealer which has a shelf life of 6 months. I usually find that it takes 6 months for me to use this particular concealer up which works out perfectly.
Powders - A few years.
If it ain't broken, don't fix it. Powders tend to last a few years which is great. Although I feel like you can tell when a powder is off as it smells awful. I don't know if you have ever attempted to smell an ancient powder product but it's horrible.
Mascara - 3 to 6 months.
Unlike other makeup products, mascara is probably the one product that doesn't last as long as other products, especially if you use it everyday. It simply comes down to how often you apply mascara too. For those who double dip, it would obviously not even last three months. Mascara is prone to breeding bacteria therefore you'd need to change your mascara more often. When it becomes thick and clumpy, that's when you know it's time to throw it out. If you've had a cold or pink eye, you'll definitely need to change your mascara straight away.
Lipstick - 12 to 18 months.
Obviously if you use the same lipstick everyday, you're probably going to change it a lot more often as it wouldn't last you a full year. They generally last anything between 12 and 18 months however if you've had a cold sore or any cuts, throw that lipstick in the bin. If it looks dried out, throw it out. If it starts to build moisture and you notice little drops on your lipstick bullet, you need to throw it out.
Nail Polish - ?
Nail polish is a funny one, and for someone who works in the beauty industry, I should really know this. Oops. Nail polishes in general tend to become thick, sticky and a little bit dry after a year or so and also when you get to the bottom of the bottle. Unlike other products, they don't tend to build bacteria (unless you've got fungal nail issues) as they contain a lot of chemicals and alcohol. I'd say make a judgment call on your bottles, obviously if you've had an open bottle since over 10 years ago, please throw it out.
I have no qualification in makeup science whatsoever, these expiry dates are based on the products I have at home and my opinion. I did find some really useful websites if you are interested in reading more and also exploring other product categories!
Huff Post: https://bit.ly/2xMeWwg
Marie Claire: https://bit.ly/3bPpPvT
Superdrug: https://bit.ly/3dX1AxF
Glossaholic x
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