Is It Time to Toss Your Makeup?
Wednesday, September 5th, 2007
Do you know where your makeup has been? Many women hang on to their favorite makeup long past when it should be thrown out.
Good makeup that suits you perfectly can be expensive and hard to find, which is why many of us hang on to lipsticks longer than we do to boyfriends or jobs! However, makeup can go bad, just like food or medication, and to avoid infections or other health problems, it is important to go through your makeup periodically.
The FDA monitors cosmetics,but doesn’t require cosmetic companies to print expiration dates on their products. This can make it difficult to know when it is time to throw out that eyeshadow. Here are some general tips on how to know if it’s time to toss that faithful eyeliner pencil:
- Natural cosmetics need to be thrown out sooner than cosmetics which contain preservatives.
- Cosmetic products that have been exposed to sunlight or high temperatures will not last as long as others.
- If your makeup is discolored or smells bed, throw it out immediately!
- If you have no idea when you bought a particular beauty product, it’s time to say good-bye.
Different types of cosmetics have different guidelines. Remember, these guidelines are the maximum amount of time that makeup should be kept. If you want to be safe, throw them out before this much time has elapsed. You can save on replacements with makeup and cosmetics discount codes too!
- Pencil Eyeliner: 2 years (if it is sharpened regularly)
- Liquid Eyeliner: 3-6 months
- Powdered Eyeshadow: 2 years
- Cream Eyeshadow: 1 year to 18 months
- Oil-Free Foundation: 1 year
- Compact or Cream Foundation: 18 months
- Concealer: 1 year to 18 months
- Powder: 2 years
- Powdered Blush: 2 years
- Cream Blush: 1 year to 18 months
- Mascara: 3 months
- Lipstick and Lip Liner: 2 years
- Nail Polish: 1 year
Remember, you want to err on the side of caution, especially with eye makeup, as eye infections can be extremely unpleasant!
To keep your skin and eyes looking beautiful, use high-quality makeup and replace it often. Replacing outdated cosmetics will also give you an excuse to splurge on new products and try new brands.
Beauty Looking-Glass has a 20% off coupon and offers unique cosmetic products! For those wanting to buy natural cosmetics, Afterglow Cosmetics has free shipping, as does Clinique, a favorite of many women.
In my old office we had ice cream cake for everybody’s birthday, and today is my good friends birthday (Happy Birthday JB!) so it just felt right to share a coupon for ice cream cake today. Print 
