Watching a palette fall to the floor, trying to salvage what’s left of a broken lipstick, accidentally spilling a newly purchased liquid foundation—- if you’re a beauty enthusiast then these makeup mishaps are probably your biggest nightmare, right? Well, we hate to break it to you, but there is something much worse—it’s when you willingly need to throw out your favourite makeup products. Yes, you read that right and no we aren’t referring to embracing the natural route. We’re talking about throwing out your makeup products after they’ve passed their shelf life.
Deny it all you want, but no matter how much you love them; your makeup products have an expiration date. We understand that it’s soul-crushing to part ways with that confidence-boosting red lipstick you bought in 2015 or the eyeshadow palette with a few barely used shades, but just like any perishable product, there comes a time when we need to make the painful choice of chucking old makeup products in the trash.
Unopened cosmetics can last for years if stored at room temperature, but once you break open the seal and it passes the expiration date, the products tend to no longer hold up too well, start to smell, and even develop mould and fungi. While some brands add the expiration date on their products or provide the necessary information needed, there are others that don’t reveal this data. This doesn’t mean that the products can be used for an indefinite amount of time! In some countries, there is no legal rule that requires brands to reveal the product’s expiration date on the packaging.
When Should You Bid Adieu To Your Makeup?
Every cosmetic product has an average lifespan and if you want to protect your skin, then we suggest you keep on reading to learn when you need to replace each product in your makeup bag.
Mascara
Average Life Span After Breaking The Seal: Three To Six Months
Mascaras have the shortest life span as compared to the rest of your makeup products. After using them for 3 to 6 months, it’s time to toss it in the trash. Even though mascaras have a short lifespan, many women continue to use it for long periods of time. If you are one of them, you need to stop ASAP. Using old and expired mascaras can increase the risk of eye infections due to the accumulation of germs within the tube. When using any mascara, you should never pump the wand as it not only pushes air back in but bacteria as well. This will dry out the product faster and lead to clumps. If your mascara has passed 6 months and has developed flakes, clumps or even a funky smell, replace it with the Colorbar 30 Days Growth Booster Mascara.
Eyeliner
Average Life Span After Breaking The Seal: Pencil Eyeliners – Up to 2 Years, Liquid & Gel Liners- 6 Months
Due to sharpening, your pencil eyeliners remain clean and can be used for up to 2 years but the same can’t be said for your liquid and gel eyeliners. Just like your mascara, the latter needs to be replaced after 6 months due to buildup of germs and bacteria in the product. Using old liquid and gel eyeliners can lead to painful eye infections, irritation, breakouts and sties. Are you guilty of keeping your liquid and gel liners for more than half a year? Then replace them with the Born To Wing Gel Eyeliner by Sugar Cosmetics. With its smooth formula and rich matte finish that lasts for up to 12 hours, you can rock the sleekest cat-eye flicks all day long.
If you’re looking for a pencil eyeliner that is matte and just glides on the skin then try the LIT Matte Eyeliner Pencils. Due to its waxy texture, the application process is smooth and effortless, unlike other pencils that are rough on the skin.
Foundation
Average Life Span After Breaking The Seal: Up To One Year
Most foundation formulas like liquids, creams, and compacts can be used for up to one year if they are kept away from heat and stored at room temperature. Just like using any other expired product on your face, applying foundations that have past their shelf life can lead to acne, rashes, inflammation and other challenging skin issues. Even if it hasn’t been a year, but you’ve noticed that your foundation has changed colour, developed a strange odour, starts to separate, or your cream thickens—throw it in the trash without giving it a second thought. You can replace it with MyGlamm’s Total Makeover FF Cream Foundation which is a 5 in 1 Primer-Concealer-Foundation-Compact with SPF 30 & Skin Tone Corrector Palette
Concealer
Average Life Span After Breaking The Seal: Up To One Year
Just like your foundation, concealers too can be used for a year or so. Since concealers help cover blemishes and acne, touching the wand of your liquid concealers to these spots and putting it back can lead to the transference of germs from your face to the product. Same goes for your stick concealers as the bacteria directly settles on the product. When they start showing the same indicators as expired foundations, it’s time to whip out your credit card and go shopping for a new concealer.
Blush And Eye Shadow
Average Life Span After Breaking The Seal: One To Two Years
Cream-based blushes and eyeshadows can last you up to 1 year, while powders can be used for 2 years. Even though 1-2 years is the average lifespan, there are chances it might go bad before the expiration date. If not stored properly, germs and dampness in the air can cause these products to spoil faster. If your powder develops a white crust or fungi and your creams thicken or develops an odd smell, discard them immediately.
The Manish Malhotra 9 In 1 Eyeshadow Palette is the perfect replacement as it comes in 3 luxurious finishes- mattes, metallic and foil. For your blushers, the Lakme’s 9 to 5 Pure Rouge is ideal if you want an intensely pigmented shade.
Lipstick
Average Life Span After Breaking The Seal: Eight Months
We all have that one special lipstick we just can’t bring ourselves to throw out. But if it starts to become gooey, develops a smell and causes dry skin, unfortunately, you need to part ways with it. While the average lifespan is 8 months, you can use your lipsticks for up to a year if they do not show any of the telltale signs. Lipsticks are enriched with different waxes and oils which spoil after a year and using such products on your lips can lead to various infections like cold sores. So, once it has passed its expiration date, kiss your lipstick goodbye.
You can keep your makeup clean and extend its lifespan a bit by taking the necessary precautions—storing your cosmetics in ideal conditions, not dipping your fingers in the makeup jar and sanitizing the products regularly can help them last longer. There are plenty of sanitizing products in the market like the WIPEOUT Germ Killing range that helps kill germ and bacteria without destroying your makeup.
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