Spring Cleaning: Throw Out Your Old Makeup!

Keeping makeup for too long can spread bacteria and have tons of negative consequences… but we’re all guilty of it– who wants to throw out their favorite lipstick? As much as it sucks to say goodbye to some of your favorites, when it’s time, it’s time. Here’s your guide to how long you can keep your makeup products for.

Mascara: every 3-4 months

That tube you’ve been hoarding in your makeup bag for a year? It’s time to say goodbye. Your mascara wand spreads bacteria every time you pull it out and put it back in. Be safe and replace these products regularly.

Liquid Foundation: Up to 1 year

Lucky us– foundation has one of the longer shelf lives of makeup products! As long as you store it in a cool environment (don’t leave the bottle next to your heater in the winter), you should be safe for one year.

Lipsticks: 6 Months-1 Year

Products that are liquid-based are more likely to grow bacteria, so this will vary a little bit if you’re using liquid lipstick or lip gloss. For those liquid formulas, hold on to them for just six months. Solid formulas should be safe for up to one year!

Powders: 18 Months-2 Years

Highlighters, blush, foundation… there are so many powders in our makeup routine and it’s important to know when to toss them! These products are generally some of the safest staples in your makeup routine and you can hang on to them for 18 months to 2 years, unless you’re noticing a smell (ew!) or the color has changed.

Cream Shadows, Blushes, and Concealers: 12-18 months

These cream based formulas are less likely to spread bacteria than liquid but they’ll still expire faster than powder-based products. You should be able to safely store these products for at least one year!
Reference: https://www.webmd.com/beauty/features/toss-makeup