How Long is Too Long?

When to throw out your makeup!

We go through our kitchen cupboards and refrigerators on a fairly regular basis and throw out what is out-dated but it doesn't occur to most people that makeup has a shelf life as well.  It will not last indefinitely and should not be used past it's expiration date.  Just as you wouldn't eat something that was 5 years old;  you shouldn't put it on your skin either.

So how do you know when to throw it out?  It's hard enough to see the color on those makeup labels let alone an expiration date.  Here is a nice little chart from makeup.com to help you figure that out...

What I do is use white removable tape, write the date of purchase on it and apply it to the product.   Something else I do is when I am doing my Spring cleaning I go through my nail polish drawer (yes I have a drawer full of nail polish) and I throw out the expired items at that time.

Do not use expired makeup products because it can cause some pretty nasty infections and besides that it's just gross when you think about it.  If it's old enough to be expired that means the preservatives have broken down and there are just a ton of germs and bacteria in there and then you put it on your skin, in a delicate area like your eyes and it isn't worth the risk of infection.

Also, don't forget to clean your brushes!  Clean brushes biweekly or monthly at a minimum.  Remember if you are using brushes that are not clean you are transferring bacteria from your skin to your makeup and back to your skin.  If you have acne prone skin it is especially important to clean your brushes regularly.

Here is a method that I have found on Dr. Bailey Skincare Cynthia Bailey MD, Dermatologist & Skincare Expert.

1. Rinse your brushes first with tepid water.
2. Fill a large cup with tepid water and a few pumps of shampoo or a very gentle soap. (our All Natural Foaming Liquid Hand Soap works great!)
3. Add a few of your makeup brushes at a time and slosh them around in the soapy water for about 30 seconds.
4. Remove your brushes from the cup and continue to work the soapy water mixture into the brushes. (You may need to add a touch more soap.)
5. Rinse your brushes thoroughly with tepid water until the water runs clear.
6. Gently squeeze the excess water from your brushes.
7. Lay brushes flat to dry overnight on a clean, dry towel.
8. Repeat the process until you have cleaned all your makeup brushes. If the soapy water becomes murky (and it probably will) after cleaning your first few brushes, dump out the old water, and make new clean soapy water.

I hope you've enjoyed this post and found it to be helpful.  Print out the chart and keep it to refer back to, and when you do throw out your expired makeup you can replace it at my eStore.

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