Clean Out Your Makeup Bag and Learn When To Throw Away Old Products
Clean Out Your Makeup Bag To Give Your Skin A Head Start This Winter
As the temperature begins to drop, it's time to think about how your skin might change and adapt to the cooler weather. And what better way to start than with a clean makeup bag? Also, since expired cosmetics can cause skin irritation and eye infections, it's important to replace them before they go south. Unlike food, though, cosmetics aren't required to have an expiration date on their packaging. Instead, you'll have to keep track of when you opened them. Most products have a jar symbol, in which the number signifies the number of months you have until the item is no longer usable. If you have a hard time keeping track of when you've bought things, just use a Sharpie to write down the purchase date. If you know how to take care of your cosmetics, your makeup should serve you well. But use common sense: if your gloss is gloopy, your nail polish is separating, or your lipstick has a funny smell — it's time to bid it adieu. To see guidelines for when to replace your makeup, read more.
| Product | Toss it . . . |
|---|---|
| Mascara | Every three months |
| Foundation | One year |
| Concealer | 12-18 months |
| Powder | 18 months |
| Blush/bronzer | 18 months |
| Cream blush | 12-18 months |
| Eye shadow | 18 months |
| Eyeliner | 18 months |
| Liquid eyeliner | Six months |
| Lipstick/lip gloss | 18 months |
| Lip liner | One year |
| Nail polish | One year |
| Makeup sponges | Wash after each use, then throw away after a month. |
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