The Shelf Life Of Your Makeup.. The Truth Behind Expiration Dates

 Did you know that makeup has an expiration date? You need to be very wary before touching that clearance rack at the drug store, makeup is on sale for a reason.. Because it’s going to expire soon! I have prepared for you a handy little chart of makeup and its expiration times.

Makeup Type	Expiration	Additional Notes
Powder Blush	12-18 Months	If your blush is drying out, becoming hard, or loses pigmentation, its time to throw it away!
Concealer	12-18 Months	Long shelf life, but honestly who wouldn’t use it up? It’s a makeup staple!
Cream Blush	12 Months	If it starts to get watery, or has a funny smell, throw it away or be punished with clogged pores!
Face Powder	2 Years	This is why powder is always worth the money! Long shelf life, and long lasting.
Pencil Eyeliner Lip liner	3 Years	Be wary of bacteria; sharpen this on a regular basis if you’re going to keep it for that long.
Eyeshadow	3 Years	Like blush, it’ll become dry, cracked, and harvests bacteria from brush use.
Makeup Brushes	1-2 Years	They’ll last if you clean them at least once a week. See my previous blog post about brush upkeep for more info.
Foundation	Water-Based 12 Months Oil-Based 18 Months	To preserve water-based longer, if it becomes dry add in a little alcohol-free toner and shake it up. To preserve oil-based, just shake it up, the oil will naturally separate over time.
Lipstick	Anywhere between 1 to 4 years	If your lipstick smells or applies bad, throw it out. You can also preserve your lipstick in the fridge to maintain a longer shelf life!
Nail Polish	1-2 Years	To preserve the life of your nail polish longer, shake once or twice a month. And open and close the lid to maintain the colour!
Mascara	3-4 Months	This spoils the quickest, because we are constantly dipping the brush in the product. This exposes the product to air, which in turn, will dry it out quicker.

I hope this helps! Let me know of any other requests that you would like to see on my page by sending me a tweet!