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Toss Your Old Makeup

 

 

Make sure your makeup is fresh!


It’s something you probably aren’t thinking of early in the morning when you’re putting on your face, but your makeup has a lifespan.  Follow these shelf life guidelines to avoid harmful bacteria. 

Foundation has a lifespan of 6 to 8 months.  If your foundation has a pump then it will stay fresh longer, but if you are dabbing your fingers into a bottle everyday you should think of tossing your foundation makeup within this timeframe.  Remember that most women change shades in foundation a couple of times a year anyway, so use summer and winter as reminders.

Powder face makeup can last over a year if there is no shiny build up on the surface and you have not had any major skin irritations during use.  Most people won’t be able to make a face powder last for over a year anyway.  And as a general rule of thumb, if it smells funny or looks strange you should toss it.

Liquid eyeliner and mascara can last you over 6 months.  Basically if you mascara isn't dry, clumpy, or smells foul then you should be okay for 6 months. The only exception is if you get an eye infection; eye infections mean that you need to toss all eye makeup and start over again. And as for pencil eyeliner, it can last up to 1-2 years, if properly stored and sharpened regularly.

Nail polish can last you up to 2 years unless you wear it with a fungal infection.  As for lipstick, lip gloss, and lip liner; they can last for up to 2 years, if you don't use them up first. 

Don’t forget to clean your makeup brushes.  If you haven’t done so in 2 weeks, it’s time for a bath.  Wet your brush with cold water thoroughly and apply 1 or 2 drops of shampoo directly on the brush.  Gently massage the shampoo into the brush for 1 to 2 minutes.  Rinse the brush really well.  Remove the excess water by squeezing the brush from base to tip.  After you have successfully removed the excess water from the brushes you will need to lay them out, overnight, to air dry.  Put them on a clean hand towel and they should be ready for use by morning.  If the brushes are still damp, do not use them and whatever you do, do not use a hair dryer to dry them.  They need to naturally dry.


Keep in mind that if you have switched to natural makeup make sure you give the products a regular smell check, since they could turn rancid quicker because of the lack of preservatives.  Anytime your makeup comes in contact with an infection it should also be thrown out. 


Source: makeup.about.com