How long should you keep makeup after it has been opened?

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Quick quiz!

1) Do you still own that same tube of lipstick you wore back in high school?
2) Have you somehow made your mascara last an entire year?
3) Do you hold on to a darker foundation (stored in the back of your drawer) because it matches your skin so well in the summertime?

As much as I hate to be the bearer of bad news, if you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you need to toss the aforementioned products into the garbage ASAP!

Makeup does have a shelf life and it does expire. Quicker than you may think!

Still, many of us (and I’m guilty of this too) insist on holding on to our makeup for months after its expiration date, usually because we have no idea it has already expired!

I did some research to figure out when beauty experts say you should toss specific makeup and skincare items in the garbage. Before I get into the shelf lives of specific products, here are some general makeup rules to live by.

Toss your product if:

+It stinks or has any sort of unusual odor at all.
+You can’t remember when you purchased it.
+It stirs up memories from an occasion that happened more than two years ago.

In general, it’s important to be aware of the period after opening a product that you should toss it in the trash. Drawing conclusions based on articles written by experts from Cosmetics Suite101, About: Skincare, The Rachel Ray Show and Live Weddings, I’ve compiled a list of the shelf lives of specific products.

Get rid of the clutter in your drawers and toss products if they are older than:

Foundation: 12 months (water based/oil-free), 18 months (oil-based).
Concealer:: 6-12 months.
Powder : 2 years.
Blush and bronzer: 2 years (powder), 12-18 months (cream).
Eye liner: Sharpen it regularly and it will last up to 3 years (pencil), 3-6 months (liquid).
Eye shadow: 2-3 years (powder), 12-18 months (cream).
Lipstick: 2-3 years.
Lip liner: 2-3 years.
Lip gloss: 18-24 months.
Mascara: Some experts say 3-4 months. Others say 6 months maximum. No matter whom you’re choosing to listen to, all experts agree that mascara has one of the shortest shelf lives out of all makeup items. It’s a “breeding ground for infection, so six months is the maximum P.O.A.,” according to beauty expert Sonia Kashuk.
Nail polish: 12 months.
Applicators (brushes and sponges): 3-6 months. Wash them regularly.

Please note: Natural cosmetics expire faster than others because they don’t have chemicals in them to extend their shelf lives. Toss your natural cosmetics sooner than others.

Face wash: 6-12 months.
Moisturizer: 6-12 months.
Toner: 6-12 months.
Exfoliants: 6-12 months.
Eye cream: 6-12 months.
Lip balm: 1-2 years

So, next time you’re rummaging through your makeup bag and you run into that lipstick you’ve had since high school, TOSS IT IN THE TRASH!

XOXO,
Sarah
Your PJ