Take a good look at your bathroom. Do you notice a lot of concealer, eyeshadow, lipstick, foundation, and lipstick tucked away in the nooks of your shelves and drawers? That’s a common sight for those who want to make every penny they spend on their makeup worth it. This is further amplified if the makeup in question came from a high-end brand that seems so hard to finish up due to its price point. This shouldn’t be the case since makeup products have a shelf life, and it’s better to stick to it than disregard it and use them past their expiration. So, if you’d like to prevent germs from invading your skin and causing purging and giving birth to all kinds of skin issues, it’s best to educate yourself on when to throw out makeup. 

When to throw out makeup and start replacing them with new ones?

When it comes to throwing out makeup, it would highly depend on what the type of makeup is and what’s indicated in the packaging itself. Most makeup products have this tiny symbol printed on them that usually follows this format: a number and the letter M.” It could either be 1M, 2M, 3M, 6M, 12M, and so on and so forth. 

• Makeup brushes would typically last you a year or so. This would largely depend on what type of material the brush uses. Synthetic brushes would naturally last longer and do better with wear and tear. Natural hairs on a makeup brush are more delicate, so they would need to be changed more frequently compared to synthetic makeup brushes. 

Makeup brushes are prone to bacterial growth, so make sure they receive frequent cleaning. 

• Mascara will usually last you four to six months. If it starts to smell like like burning plastic and appears clumpier than normal, then it’s high time to change it. 
• Foundation will last up to one year, given that it’s kept from sunlight and heat. Signs of breaking, a rubbery smell, and thickening of the product is an indication that it must be tossed out. 
• A pencil eyeliner would last a year; meanwhile, a liquid liner would last six months. 
• Lipstick would often have a shelf life of eight months. If it starts to smell funky or no longer applies smoothly on the lips, then it’s time to discard it. 
• Concealers typically last a year. If the concealer starts to become oily, smells bad, or separates, you have to throw it out. 
• Cream blushes and eyeshadow would normally last a year while powders can go as long as two years. When creams start to smell weird and thicken, it’s a sign they’re no longer good to use. When powders start to crumble or have a white crust on them, then it’s time to ditch them and get new ones.

What are the consequences of using expired makeup?

Using expired makeup may pose potential health hazards. Regardless of what people say about expired makeup being safe to use, it’s not recommended at all. Using makeup past its expiration date would often lead to clogged pores and bacterial growth on the skin. 

Other consequences of expired makeup would include: 

• Irritation 
• Infections
• Breakouts 

Don’t risk eye infections, rashes, or blemishes — know when to say good-bye to the old, and bring in the new!