Toss or Keep Beauty Products

Toss or Keep – A guide to beauty products and their expiration dates.

When does my makeup expire? Is a question most of us have asked ourselves before.

Below we have listed some of the most commonly used beauty products and when it’s best to toss or to keep a little while longer.

Mascara – Mascara has a very short shelf life of around three months. Although most of you probably don’t have mascara past a few weeks, if it’s been longer than 3 months, toss it.

Liquid Eyeliner – Similar to mascara the brush from your liquid eyeliner is constantly carrying all sorts of bacteria, and you’ll want to toss it and get some more after around 6 months to prevent from getting a nasty eye disease.

Cream Foundation – Cream based foundations contain oils that break down faster than powder foundations, and if stored away from heat can last from 6 months up to 1 year. Powder foundations can last up to 2 years.

Lip gloss – Is important for making your lips look glossy and feel soft. Gloss is quite inexpensive and can last up to 1.5 years. Although, it’s best to toss after this to prevent the spread of bacteria and to keep your lips from getting dried.

Nail Polish – Once you open a bottle of nail polish, certain ingredients begin to evaporate causing the polish to thicken and separate. You can use a nail thinner to get a little more use out of your polish, but after 24 months, you’ll want to toss it.

Hairspray – Has a very long shelf life and can last up to 3 years or more as it’s mostly alcohol. To prevent from evaporating and drying out, keep tightly closed in the can.

As always, it’s best to check the bottle or container for the expiration date as it’s usually stamped somewhere on the product. If you still aren’t sure, you can always check the manufacturers website as it’s sometimes listed on there.