How to Tell When Your Makeup is Expired

Hello BH Beauties! If you’re obsessed with makeup and beauty like me, you probably have several drawers and containers full of makeup samples, palettes, lipsticks, mascaras and more.

I don’t know about you, but I’m not normally thinking about expiration dates when I get my hands on a hot new product! But after I’ve played with that new eye shadow, lipstick, liquid eyeliner, whatever – it might get lost in a drawer. If I ever find it again, I usually have no idea how old it is! If you’re smart enough to put a piece of tape on your makeup with the dates you opened them, you’ll be okay. For the rest of us, it’s important to know how to tell if and when our makeup has expired.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

Mascara & Eyeliner – If you can only keep track of one product’s expiration, it should be mascara or eyeliner. The second they start irritating your eyes, flaking excessively, clumping and more – throw them away! About a year ago I went a few weeks with really itchy eyes. I thought I was spending too much time looking at a screen or that my contact lenses were too old. But after changing my lenses and spending a few days away from the screen, I finally realized it was my mascara! The second I started using a new one my eyes stopped itching. Mascara and liquid eyeliner only last a few months, so throw out any old, open products.

Makeup Artist Tip: If you get an eye infection, throw out your eye makeup. It’s probably been contaminated and pink eye isn’t fun to have twice.

Powdered Foundation & Eye Shadow – Anything powder will last for about two years, and if it’s something you love – it won’t be around that long! If it’s that eye shadow palette you got because it had that one color you really wanted and you never use the rest… throw it out once it gets too hard, or the consistency or color changes. If you keep it in your bathroom, make sure it is sealed properly or else the moisture in the air will damage a powdered product.

Concealer, Liquid Foundation, Cream Makeup – If it’s water-based it’ll start getting bad between 12-18 months. You can tell its expired if the color changes, it starts smelling strange, or your favorite concealer isn’t doing it’s job the way it used to. Liquid products tend to have more problems with bacteria and can cause breakouts when they get too old.

Lipstick & Lip Gloss – Lipstick will usually last for two years, but your favorite gloss only has about one year of shelf life. Once your lipsticks are dry and difficult to apply, toss ‘em. When gloss is bad, it becomes overly sticky, streaky, globby – none of which I want on my lips.

Now that “spring cleaning” is on our minds (at least some of us!) hopefully these tips will help you to clean out your makeup collections and determine whether that lipstick from senior prom should stay or go.

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