Do you have an overflowing makeup bin?? Chances are pretty good that you answered yes to this question. We girls do not like to part with our old favorite lipstick or eye shadow and hold onto it even if we bought dozens of new shades since then. It just sits there in your makeup stash for years among other hardly used cosmetics . Although it maybe fun to have endless choices, keeping old makeup and using it even occasionally is not good at all for your skin (and health). We have to learn to part ways with old and expired makeup that is not only ineffective but can also cause infection/irritation on your skin. Read on to find out when and why you should toss your commonly used cosmetics.
Skin care products : These products should be replaced regularly because they are applied close to your eyes and mouth area. In general, the more water content a product has, the more easily/quickly it harbors bacteria. Therefore, powders last longer than cream-based products.
Bacteria and fungus also grow rapidly in products with high dose of natural ingredients like plant extracts even with the best possible preservatives. Cosmetics in jar packaging are particularly more prone to get contaminated fast and deteriorate in quality. Their ‘good’ ingredients (eg antioxidants and other natural substances) lose their efficacy because of being frequently exposed to air and outside environment . So the recommended time for plant extract containing products is about 6 months to a year max.
Liquid foundation : Foundation in pump is not constantly exposed to bacteria on your hands or on a brush so it’s less susceptible to get contaminated. In general, Cream and liquid makeup should be replaced every 6 to 12 months.
Concealer : 6 months is a good time to replace the concealer for your eyes.
Pressed powder : About 18 months to 2 years.
Mascara : Toss it after 3 to 4 months since the eye area can get infected very easily.
Lipstick : Dump it after about a year since the oils and waxes in your lip color can deteriorate and go bad.
Makeup brushes : These makeup tools can last for a very long time if you are diligent about cleaning them frequently. It’s a good idea to wash them once in a month or two depending on the usage. You should take care to wash only the brush head that gets next to your skin.
Hair care products : Since they do not contain any plant-derived ingredients, they can last very long say 2-3 years or even more. The hair-styling products have even longer shelf-life.
While makeup products should not be kept and used around for too long, sharing your makeup is also not good because it makes bacteria accumulate even quicker. Do not share your lipstick/lip gloss, eye liner or mascara with anybody to avoid the increased chances of contamination.
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