We all have those old mascaras gathering a layer of loose eye shadow at the bottom of our makeup bags, the wand that's perfect and you never want to throw away. Recent surveys have found that some people can keep hold of their makeup for up to 6 years! Many people don't actually realize that makeup can go bad, to be fair, the expiry dates are in the small print and i have been culprit to re-using old makeup myself. Reaching for an old foundation when you've ran out, same for eyeliner. It's really easy to end up gathering makeup that's out of date but you should aim to clean out your makeup bag or draws once a year as bad makeup can be a breeding ground for nasty bacteria and toxins that can affect your eyes and skin.
2-3 Months There are a few things you should consider throwing away after 2-3 months, face masks, nail files and mascaras especially. Mascaras are applied very closely too your eyes and this means that bacteria can easily transfer causing eye infections such as conjunctivitis, if you've lent your mascara to a friend to use then you should never use that mascara again yourself. It's better to throw it away! 6 Months - 1 year Anything that is a cream formula or a liquid should be checked at around the 6 months from opening mark, products such as foundations and eye shadows contain water and oils which stop our skin from drying out when we apply them. These are the contents which shorten the products shelf life. We all know eye shadow is the most likely candidate for hiding in the bottom of your makeup bag far too long, i think my mum has an eye shadow she has kept from her teens! Every 6 months replace your foundation, if you don't you're more likely to experience troublesome skin.
1 year - 18 months Lip gloss is a breeding ground for bacteria, we apply to our lips/mouths daily, we top up after we've eaten food or had a drink and then we push the wand back into the glittery formula. If you're one for pumping your lip gloss wand instead of using a circular motion then you should definitely get rid around the 1 year mark, pumping the wand forces air into the product tube which can affect the consistency and the color. If you find your lip gloss is changing in texture, becoming more gloopy or discolored than you should get rid!
2 years Nail polish, lipsticks and anything with a powder consistency should be thrown away at the 2 year point. You wouldn't think powders would go out of date would you? Exposing the powder to air helps to dry them out, crack and harvest bacteria. To keep them in the best shape you should always keep lids shut tightly and clean your makeup brushes regularly to avoid depositing used eye shadow back in the palette.
