What’s in Your Bag? The Makeup Cosmetics to Use and the Ones to Junk
What’s in Your Bag? The Makeup Cosmetics to Use and the Ones to Junk
It may have taken years for you to find the perfect foundation shade and brand that suits you best. Yes, we all buy a lot of eyeliner, mascara, lipstick, and other fun things to keep in our arsenal of makeup. But even if you use them daily, there is a chance your makeup cosmetics are no longer working for you. They may have expired, even if there is plenty of it left in the container.
Can you keep wearing expired makeup cosmetics? Of course, you can. But how much longer does it take to apply thick, gloppy mascara, versus the one application that it took when you first purchased it?
We’ve all gone through a lot of makeup cosmetics trials to find the products that work best for us. So, if you can’t find a less expensive alternative, here is how often you should budget for replacement of your favorites. I won’t lie – this might hurt a little.
Your Makeup Kit Time of Death Dates
Foundation – It only lasts six months to a year at most. So, toss your winter shade out when you purchase a darker shade for your summer makeup kit. It’s tempting, but don’t try to use them year over year.
Concealer – From lightening some discoloration, to erasing dark circles or tattoos, we rely on our concealers heavily. They last a little longer, from 12-18 months, depending on the brand and how frequently you use it.
Eyeliner – Liquid eyeliner only lasts about 3 months (what?!), but pencil eyeliners can last up to two years.
Eye Shadow – As with other forms of makeup, shadows will last longer, up to two years. But creams or liquids will only give you 12-24 months max.
Mascara – Most girls can’t live without at least some mascara. Unfortunately, it has one of the shorter shelf lives of all the other cosmetics. Three to four months is the longest you should keep it around.
Blush and Powders – these can last between 2-3 years if you keep them clean and wash your brushes and applicators regularly. As with everything else, cream versions won’t last quite as long as the powder versions.
Lipstick and glosses – between 2-3 years is the general rule, but probably closer to 2 years. Lip liners tend to have a shorter shelf life, lasting closer to 12 months.
Next Steps
In general, powders and creams tend to last longer than liquids, but there are a lot of factors that play into their lifespan. Every time you use a brush, liner, or sponge, you are adding bacteria and germs to the applicator. This can be bad for your skin and eyes over time. Keeping your makeup kit cool and regularly cleaning your applicators will make your makeup cosmetics last longer.
Finally, natural products, which are usually popular because they don’t contain a lot of artificial ingredients (many of which are preservatives), almost always have a shorter lifespan than other commercial products.
So, if you have to choose, look at those items that expire more frequently and find some for your makeup kit that works for you in a lower price range. Unless you have the money, or just can’t find anything else that works, start looking for less expensive options so that throwing them in the trash doesn’t hurt so much.
For more info, please read my 2018 blog on 3 Reasons to Trash Mascara and Old Makeup After 3 Months