Makeup Shelf Life

I received another great question from a reader that I think we ALL can benefit from.

Q: I’ve collected makeup from so long ago and barely use because I never really wear makeup. Should it be thrown out?

There’s definitely a shelf life for cosmetics, and knowing when to toss something depends on the kind and type of cosmetic product.

A good general rule of thumb: If it smells or has a distinct odor, throw it away! Why keep something that stinks AND put it on your face? Yuck! And if you can’t remember when you purchased it, trash it! It’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your health and skin. Consider the following guideline when cleaning out your makeup bag.

• Oil-Free Foundation: 1 year
• Cream or Compact Foundation: 18 months
• Concealer: 12-18 months
• Powder: 2 years
• Blush and Bronzer: 2 years
• Cream Blush: 12-18 months
• Powder Eye shadow: 2 years
• Cream Eye shadow: 12-18 months
• Eyeliner: 2 years
• Liquid eyeliner: 3-6 months
• Mascara: 3 months (Tip: I write an expiration date on it so I never have to wonder how old it is.)
• Lipstick: 2 years
• Lip liner: 2 years
• Lip gloss: 18-24 months

For more timely tips on when to toss old makeup, check out this iVillage article, “Are your cosmetics past their use-by date?

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~ by ShauneHayesMUA on October 4, 2009.