We all have it, that one makeup product in our bag that we have used for years and years. Mine personally is a 6 year old lipgloss that is supposed to make your lipstick not fade and it is one of my many treasured items from my dancing days. Everytime I use it I have that voice in the back of my mind saying “this is probably expired” but I use it anyways. It got me thinking, I wonder how long you are actually supposed to use makeup? Here’s what I found
Face makeup
This is your primer, foundation and concealer. As general rule these all should be good for about a year once you open them. More specifically, pot foundation expires quicker than foundation that is in a pump because of all the bacteria it gets exposed to when you open the lid.
**Tip: try not to touch your fingers to the neck/opening of the foundation bottle, our fingers have lotssss of bacteria that you would just put back onto your face everyday
Powders
The longest lasting products in the makeup world!! They are usually good for a year or two. What to look for when trying to figure out if it has expired or not: if the color or texture has changed, or it has developed a smell it didn’t come with, that means it is expired.This includes eyeshadows and blush, not just face powders!
Lips
This goes for sticks, gloss, and liner. These also have a life of one year, relying on the hope that you don’t accidentally leave it in your car on a hot day (rip to most of my chapsticks).
Eyes
Eyeliners can last from 6 months to a year depending on what kind they are. Just like foundation, pot eyeliner only has 6 months because it gets exposed to a lot of bacteria and can dry up very quickly. Pencil eyeliner lasts much longer, usually a full year.
Mascara
Don’t pump it!! This airs out the mascara and makes you use more each time, decreasing its already short life of 3 months to even less.
If you can’t remember how long ago you bought it, thats probably a sign to treat yo self to a new product if you ask me!!