Make Up Shelf Life

One necessity in the world of beauty is make up. Most people (not just women ;P) use it. It doesn’t matter how much you use, whether it be the simple eyeliner and foundation or the whole get up. But while we wear make up carefree, we still have to be careful.

The main topic of this post, when we should throw out our make up. Your mother may have warned you not to share mascara or lip glosses with your friends. The reason for this is after a while of using our make up, bacteria begins to grow in it.

Moist cosmetics are more prone to this (ex. mascara) because bacteria like to grow in moist environments. I remember my 5th grade science class, we had to create mold, so we took bread, mixed it in water and put it in a dark cabinet. Hence, mold forms. (That does NOT mean mold will form in your mascaras.. but you get the idea.)

This is the same case with make up. The reason you are told to put your make up in a cool dark place is the sun destroys preservatives in make up that helps fight off bacteria. So I went online and found a few websites to find out.. What is the shelf life of our make up? When should you throw them out and what you should look for to find out if your make up has gone bad.

I’m going to list the make up in alphabetical order:

Blush and Bronzer: 2-3 years
Blush (Cream): 12-18 months
Brushes: Wash regularly (Lay flat to dry)
Concealer: 12-18 months
Cream & Gel Cleansers: 1 year
Eyeliner (Liquid): 3-6 months
Eyeliner (Pencil): 2-3 years (sharpen regularly)
Eyeshadow (Cream): 12-18 months
Eyeshadow (Powder): 2-3 years
Foundation (Oil based): 18 months
Foundation (Oil free): 1 year
Fragrance/Perfume: 18-24 months
Lip Gloss: 18-24 months
Lip Liner: 1-2 years (Sharpen regularly)
Lipstick: 1-2 years
Loose Powder: 3 years
Mascara: 3 months
Moisturizer: 3-12 months
Nail Polish: 1-2 years
Powder: 2-3 years
Spongers: Wash weekly, replace monthly

Or just check out this article.. picture:

That is pretty much it! Some of it differs depending on how often you use your make up, the cleanliness of your fingers/brushes/sponge. For example, when applying mascara, if you tend to pump the mascara, you are letting air and bacteria into the tube, causing it to dry out quicker. Some quick tips to figuring out if you can still use your cosmetics and to keep in mind;

1. Different consistency, for example if its dried out. If its completely changed consistency, it’s probably no good.
2. Smell. Usually you can tell if something goes bad if it smells, same with cosmetics. But that doesn’t mean just because it smells it’s bad. Mascara can sometimes have a distinct smell as its natural smell. But if it smells different after a few months.. It might be bad. The same with lipstick. If lipstick goes bad, it has a distinct smell.
3. Color changes, ex. faded or dullness. If its faded, its probably worn out its working days, or its dried out.. but in either case, it should probably be tossed.
4. If you get an infection from a cosmetic or develop a reaction to it.. STOP USING IT. If you accidentally apply it ON an infection, your best bet is to toss it and buy another to prevent the germs from spreading.
5. Wash your brushes and sponges with a nondrying cleanser. Or buy a brush cleaner!
6. Throw out nail polishes if it’s dried out or clumpy. An alternative to this, which doesn’t work if its already dried out, is nail polish thinner.
7. Avoid sticking your fingers in creams, etc.. Especially if they’re not clean..
8. DO NOT SHARE MAKE UP!
9. Avoid adding water to liquid cosmetics. Water can still contain bacteria and you might end up changing the consistency. (I know some people add oil to their mascaras if its clumpy.. But eh..)
10.  Stop pumping your mascara!

I know these tips seem.. pretty obvious and simple. But it’s the simple things people avoid! I’m sure you’ve shared your chapstick or mascara with someone in some point of your life. Heck, I’VE even done it! But.. it’s always better safe than sorry, right?