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You can tell when food is expired because it smells and tastes off, alerting you immediately that you should toss it. Unfortunately, expired makeup doesn’t always provide quite as many warning signs.
Like most good things in life, cosmetics don’t last forever. Each makeup item in your bag has its own shelf life and the reality is, using a mascara, eyeliner, or even lipstick that has seen better days can put you at risk for developing unpleasant and even dangerous skin reactions and infections. That’s why it’s so important to know when your makeup goes expired.
There are a couple of ways to tell whether your makeup needs to be thrown out and replaced. Just follow these guidelines when it comes to discarding certain types of makeup.
How To Tell If Your Makeup Is Expired & Needs To Be Thrown Out
How To Tell When Mascara Is Expired
Let’s start with mascara, a makeup item that has the potential to accumulate bacteria fast and can cause eye infections if you’re not careful or keep insisting on getting the most out of that six-month-old tube and wand.
It’s important to make a mental or actual note of the day you buy and open a new mascara. Each time you use your mascara and expose it to air (and especially if you pump the wand, which isn’t really necessary and will shorten the life of your mascara), you expose it to bacteria and germs.
Signs that your mascara is nearing the end of its life include a subtle chemical smell that may grow stronger (a new mascara shouldn’t have any kind of detectable odor). The formula may also get clumpy and difficult to apply, though this isn’t always the case. If you suffer from any kind of eye infection, even a light case of pink eye, throw out your mascara immediately and buy a new one. And, no matter what, it is recommended that you replace your mascara every three months — even if it seems in good condition.
How To Tell When Foundation Is Expired
After mascara, liquid foundation is the next most delicate makeup item you’ll own, and one that is also exposed to air and bacteria more than most. If you’re noticing your foundation has started to separate, or has changed in consistency and appears more clumpy, it’s time to let it go. One of the reasons why foundation may expire sooner is because most of us use our fingers to apply the formula, and each time you touch your foundation bottle you expose it to germs. A better plan is to apply foundation to the back of your hand or straight onto a BeautyBlender or makeup application sponge.
Depending on how you use and care for your foundation, it is recommended that you discard it after three to six months.
How To Tell When Eye Liner Is Expired
The type of eyeliner you prefer will affect how often it needs to be replaced. If you use liquid eyeliner, you should treat it the same way you would mascara and discard it after about three months (and like mascara it can develop a chemical smell that lets you know when it needs to be put in the trash).
Kohl pencil eyeliners and eyebrow pencils are a bit more forgiving, since you’re constantly sharpening them. Your average pencil can last about one year, but be sure to store it in a cool, room temperature setting so that it doesn’t develop mold.
How To Tell When Lipstick Is Expired
A gorgeous matte red lipstick in a tube can typically last 18 months to two years. If it becomes so dry that it’s impossible to apply, that’s one sign that your lipstick is dangerously close to its expiration date. And if you apply tube lipstick using a lip brush, make sure you clean the brush after every use to prevent transferring germs and bacteria to your lip product.
Unfortunately, liquid lipsticks and glosses are less hearty and will last about one year before needing to be tossed.
How To Tell When Blush & Eyeshadow Is Expired
Of all of your makeup items, the ones that will last you longest are powder blushes, translucent powders, and eyeshadows. All of these products can provide about two years of makeup joy, but it should be noted that it’s a good idea to replace eyeshadows a little before that two-year mark. Any product that you use around the eye area can cause an infection if they aren’t completely free of germs and bacteria. Better to be safe than sorry — plus it gives you a good excuse to try out the latest and greatest eyeshadow palettes, so it’s not all bad news.
