Sunday 12 February 2012

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! 



2 comments:

  1. Thanks for this post, very helpful.

    I keep my nail polish in the fridge, seems to last a long time and applies very nicely.

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  2. Make up expiration. Is it just a market trick to get you to buy makeup more often?
    I have concealer that is (yes, shockingly) 8 years old. I just found it, used it. worked as good as the first time I used it, smelled good and it hasn't killed anybody yet. Nail polish 1-2 years? I have a nail polish as old as 10 years, works PEFRECTLY and who uses up nailpolish in 2 years? No one, unless you paint your nails every day in the same color for a year. And mascara 3-4 months? My mascara is 12 months old and hell no I will not throw it out, it still works good so why throw it away.

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