How do u know when to discard your makeup even though it looks fine to you?Any changes to look out for?

Question

I have a lot of cosmetics and make up I've bought over the years and some of it is expensive. I still use some products I bought 2 years ago but it still feels, looks and smells the same. Is it still bad for my skin?

Answer 1

I think I can help because I am a makeup artist. So here you go.

Every woman we know has a pile of makeup in her drawer that she "sometimes" uses.

Translation: Never uses, but keeps just in case she finally learns how.


Shelf life of:

Concealer- Up to 12 months.

Powder- 2 years.

Cream & gel cleansers- 1 year.

Eye liner Should be sharpened regularly. Will last up to 3 years.

Eyeshadow- Will also last up to 3 years.

Extra tip: A dark eyeshadow can double as eyeliner, in fact, most makeup artists swear by eyeshadow used as eyeliner. You'll need a super-flat eyeliner brush for this (MAC & Aveda have the best brushes). Get the brush a little damp & dab in dark eyeshadow (black, brown or deep jewel-tones work great). Wiggle the brush into your lash line focusing on the space between your lashes, then sweep the color just above your lash line.

Brushes Wash every 2-3 months in a mild detergent.

Sponges Wash weekly & discard monthly.

Foundation Check the ingredients:

A water-based foundation will last up to 12 months.

Oil-based will last up to 18 months.

You may find you need two different shades of foundation each year: One for summer when your skin is naturally darker & one for winter when you're lighter.

Extra tip: If your water-based foundation dries out before it's expiry date, simply add a few drops of alcohol-free toner & shake to get rid of clumps. No need to do this to oil-based foundations. Because they contain oil, they will tend to separate. You have to shake anyway.

Lip liner Up to 3 years.

Extra tip: Skip the push-up lipliners. They're expensive, tend to break & you never really know how much you have left until you run out. No need to spend money on lip liners, there's no secret to greatness for this product. Save your money for powders & foundation.

Lipstick Some experts say 1-2 years.

Others say up to 4 years. What everyone agrees on is that if it smells rancid, throw it out, it's spoiled.

Extra tip: If you store lipstick in the refrigerator, it will last longer. Bonus tip: Want your lipstick to last longer during the day? Shade in lips with lip liner before applying lipstick.

Mascara This product expires the fastest:

Throw out after 4 months.

Extra tip: If you don't want your mascara to expire faster than its fresh date, don't pump the wand in & out, you're only exposing the product to drying air.

Nail Polish Up to 12 months, depending on the quality & how many times you take it on a plane (the cap always unscrews on me during flights, leaving my purse a -- fume-y -- mess!)

Hope that helps.

Answer 2

I know it's sad, but make-up DOES have an expiration date. Here are the stats for your make-up's shelf life:
Powder eyeshadows - 2/3 years
Cream eyeshadows - 1 year
Foundation- 6 months to a year
Eyeliner - 3 years
Lipliner - 3 years
Lipstick/Lipgloss - 6 months to a year
Concealer - 6 months
Mascara - 2 to 3 months

It's best to throw away after this because it can irritate your skin if you keep using it. If it starts to smell funny or any liquids begin to seperate, it's time to throw it out.

Answer 3

Wet products (mascara, liduid eyeliner, liquid shadow) should be used within 3 months. Throw them out if they aren't used up. Powders should last for 6 months to 2 years. Creams are good for 1-3 years. Lipsticks and other soft solids should last 1 year. Foundation and concealer should be changed every 3-6 months, but they don't go bad for about 6 months-1 year. Even if your make-up is old and it doen't smell, looks, and feels the same, throw it out.

Answer 4

They usually advise that you renew every 6 months especially with Mascara and eyeliner...Which I do, but I have a lot of Chanel eye shadows that i paid over $50 for and I've had for more that 2 years, and they still work great...I guess it will depend!

Answer 5

3. Makeup has an expiration date.

No myth to that. The only makeup product that lasts the longest are powder-based ones like face powder, shadows or blushes provided that you always use clean brushes. All others are definitely perishable.

Answer 6

it depends on what type of makeup. mascara can be dangerous to your eyes if kept too long, it can cause an infection. im not sure on the exact expiration date, but if is over three months old, i would chuck it. with foundation, i would say three months. lipstick, i would just smell it and see if there is any discoloring. if not, it should be fine.

Answer 7

you shouldn't use cosmetics that are too old. even if it feels, looks, and smells the same you never know. it can still be detrimental to your skin. also, you should wear cosmetics of good quality such as revilon, clinique, dior, etc.

Answer 8

3 or 4 month

Answer 9

You should discard mascara every 3 months to prevent possible eye infections, even if it is not empty....not sure about the rest.

Answer 10

whats up, i'm 15 and answering on my mom's thingy. In my room we painted the partitions pink, painted (with black chalkboard paint) a wide chalkboard on the wall that seems killer and its useful. The ceiling is black and has CDs glued to it, reflective area showing. attempt the CD ingredient, it seems sooo cool and relaxing. yet be particular to apply good glue or they fall :-/ We used timber glue. attempt putting mirrors, posters, photos, artwork, mag cutouts, new sheets /curtains /furnishings/ and so on... up and seeing about overlaying some paint. you could also attempt wallpaper with a cool layout, or perhaps wall stickers with a extra mature layout (FatHead form stickers?) you could also see about searching into diverse lighting fixtures. A black-mild or (on your room) a blue/ red mild bulb rather of regularly occurring lighting fixtures in a lamp may be somewhat darker (activate your regularly happening lighting fixtures for reading, reading, and so on) besides the undeniable fact that it seems cool. also, attempt getting imaginative with scarves/ cloth. I stapled an exquisite yet ripped pink lacey type of mesh headscarf I had to a lamp cover and now it has a lot extra personality. although suits you proper. solid success.