When Should You Throw Away Mascara?

The eyes have it.

75% of women don’t replace their mascara within three months. This can cause an increase in the risk of eye infections due to germs inside the tube.

 

Tip Solutions:

  1. Buy a cheap brand of mascara and throw it out every 3 months.
  2. Purchase a travel size mascara like Benefits They’re Real! Mascara deluxe mini it will run out faster. So you have to toss it.
  3. Use disposable mascara wands when applying mascara.  This way you do not contaminate your mascara.

When should you throw other makeup out?

Unopened sealed cosmetics can remain shelf stable for a couple years at room temperatures.  You can always check the outside of the package to see if the manufacturer provided you with an expiration date. However, once you bring a product home and open it, the oxygen from the air will start to oxidize and degrade the ingredients. Germs from your hands, face,as well as heat and humidity will promote the growth of mold and yeast on your products.  This is one reason why you should not store products in the bathroom. It has high levels of airborne bacteria.

 

Face Makeup

Throw it out: 6 months for liquids; 2 years for powders.

Insider info: You increase the odds of bacterial growth, skin breakouts and skin irritation, when you repeatedly dip your brushes and fingers into liquid foundation.  It is best to pour some out into a clean glass and apply with a foundation brush or makeup sponge.   Powders present less of a problem because bacteria can not grow without water. However, over time, powders with botanical ingredients like aloe or jojoba can become harder to blend and are more likely to crumble, as their trace amounts of water evaporate.

 

Eyeliner and Eye Shadow

Throw it out: Liquid eyeliners, 3 months; cream eye shadows, 6 months; pencil eyeliners and powder eye shadows, 2 years.

As with mascara, bacteria tend to flourish in liquid-eyeliner tubes. Pencil eyeliners have a longer shelf life because you can create a fresh, clean surface each time you sharpen them.  Remember to sanitize your sharpener with alcohol on a regular basis to kill germs.   Powder shadows are less prone to contamination because they, too, lack water.  If you wet your powder brushes prior to application, then dispose of after 6 months.

 

Lipstick and Lipliner

Throw it out: Lipstick and gloss, 2 years; lipliner, 2 years or more

Lipsticks’ water content places them at risk for bacteria.   You can scrape some lipstick off and apply with a lip brush to keep it more sanitary.  Long-wearing formulas may have an even shorter life span since they often contain ingredients that evaporate more quickly than creamier formulas. Pencil lipliners, like eyeliners, may last a little longer since putting them through a sharpener removes the old surface.