We’re not talking about colors you thought were cool in high school or skin tone shades when you used to tan darker in the summer.
All makeup has an expiration date or shelf life. That’s because once makeup is opened, it begins to deteriorate. Some types of makeup can become dried out and unusable. Alternatively, moisture can encourage microbial growth that can infect your eyes and skin.
How makeup is used and stored also makes a difference in how long it is safe to use. How can you tell when to toss various items?
First, you
should record when you purchased (or first opened) that tube of
mascara or lipstick. Use a permanent marker on the container or stick
on a piece of masking tape to write down the month (and year). That
establishes the starting point.
Finding the expiration date on makeup is harder than with food. Not all makeup products even have any expiration information posted! But many have a Period After Opening (PAO) symbol. This looks like a little open jar with a number and letter inside it. Maybe it says “1Y” or “3M.” Those mean “1 year” or “3 months.” Now you can calculate when you need to discard that item.
Here’s a list of PAO dates for various types of makeup.
Concealer: 1 year
Eyeliner pencil: 2 years
Eyeshadow: 1 year
Foundation: 1 year
Lip gloss: 1 year
Lipstick: 2 years
Liquid eyeliner: 3 months
Mascara: 3 months
Nail polish: 1 year
A special note about mascara: Don’t “pump” the mascara wand in and out of the tube. That introduces air, which dries out the mascara, and can bring in germs as well.
Proper storage is important to keep cosmetics fresh. Store products in a cool dry place out of the sun. The bathroom is not a good place to store makeup; it’s too hot and humid, which encourage microbial growth. Some makeup undergoes changes in color, odor or texture when exposed to high temperatures and sunlight.
A better place to store makeup is in a clear plastic container in your bedroom. If you keep each makeup item in its original box, that will cut down on damaging exposure to air, heat and sunlight.
Lipstick keeps well in the refrigerator. (It feels nice and cool when you apply it, a bonus in hot weather.)
You’ll also want to keep the items you use to apply makeup clean. Researchers found that nine out of ten makeup applicator brushes and sponges had nasty germs such as E coli and Staphylococci growing on them. They pick up these germs from your skin and from being dropped on the floor. (OOPS!)
These bacteria can cause skin infections and blood poisoning. Keep your skin healthy by washing beauty blender sponges after each use and replacing them every 3 months. Wash brushes you use on dry cosmetics once a week and those you use with wet products after every use.
Keep your makeup clean and healthy, and your skin will thank you.
