Makeup: Out with the Old, In with the New

I bet after reading this blog, the first thing you are going to do is check your drawers, cabinets, vanity, and your makeup bag. I’m sure you have that favorite lip gloss or eye shadow that you have had forever and can’t get rid of or makeup that you bought off the clearance section and/or at a flea market.  Have you ever wondered why makeup items in the clearance basket or makeup that is sold at flea markets are so outrageously cheap?  It’s usually because it is damaged, returned, or expired. You may even know someone that sells name brand makeup really cheap. You should ask where they get the cosmetics from, chances are, they won’t really know how to respond with an honest answer or just not give you one at all. I speak from experience.  I once bought a bunch of makeup from a friend of a friend that had a booth at a flea market, I found out he would buy out clearance racks at department stores and then sell them for just a few dollars less than a brand new one.

I now make sure to check my cosmetics for their expiration dates. If there is not an expiration date, always pay attention to how your makeup changes. You’ll noticed the consistency  being different, color not appearing as bold or vibrant as when you first purchased it, and sometimes even the fragrance will be not be the same.  Foundations can get cakey and dry which may even dry your skin out. Mascara can get the same way over time as air gets into the tube, thick cakey mascara will not glide on your lashes like new mascara.

If you hold on to your makeup for as long as you can just because of how much you spend on it, maybe you should try being a little more frugal with your cosmetic purchases. It’s better to buy what you can really afford and toss it out when it expires or gets old instead of holding on to cosmetics just because it was expensive and it resulting to something bad in the end like an allergic reaction or an acne breakout. Expired makeup can harbor excess oil and bacteria, which can clog up to pores and cause acne breakouts. To help protect your skin from breakouts and extend the life of your makeup, replace or wash your makeup application tools regularly. If you use make up sponges, throw these out after a week or two. A bag of sponges doesn’t cost much, and cost a lot less than having to deal with acne breakouts.

So, when does your makeup expire? I came across this timetable conveniently listed in alphabetical order for makeup shelf life. Keep in mind that all makeup expiration dates begin once the product has been opened, not when it was purchased and all cosmetic lines are different.

Blush (cream) Up to one year

Blush (powder) up to two years

Bronzer Up to two years