While women are tempted to hold on to novelty makeup items, getting rid of them is beneficial to their health and style. Using old products can put you at risk and using outdated products can compromise your style.
Here are five steps to help you create a healthy makeup bag and maintain a fresh look.
Get rid of expired products
Holding on to expired products can put your health at risk. Melissa Eng, a Cosmetic Specialist at DLK on Avenue in
While some brands will display an expiry date on the product or packaging, Eng recommends disposing of products once they have reached their maximum lifespan outlined below.
When you should get rid of the following:
Mascara: 3 to 6 months maximum
Liquid or cream concealer and foundation: 12 to18 months maximum
Lip and eye pencils: when regularly sharpened can last up to 3 years
Lipstick: 12 months to 2 years (if smelly, throw it away!)
Lip gloss: 12 months to 18 months maximum
Powder: 12 months to 3 years
If it looks bad and it smells bad, it’s bad
Even if there is no expiry date, there are a few ways to tell if your product is no longer safe to use.
“If your product smells different than normal—it may smell like plastic or chemical—it’s usually a key indicator that your product is going bad or has gone bad. The changing smell is much more noticeable in products such as lipstick, lip gloss, cream foundation, liquid foundation, cream eye shadows, or any cream or liquid product,” says Eng.
You should also dispose of the product if there are any changes in colour and texture.
“In liquid or cream products, the formulation may look separated [has the appearance of oil and water]. This is more obvious in concealers and foundations where you might see the colour at the bottom of the tube or jar and clear liquid on top,” adds
Powder products will not change colour or smell, so Eng recommends tossing them after two years.
Avoid Contaminated Cosmetics
If you have had a recent case of pink eye or a cold sore, it’s time to get rid of the products you have been using around the infected area.
When you have an eye infection, do not use any eye products. Once your infection has cleared up, replace your eye makeup to avoid re-infecting yourself. “No sense in maintaining the same bugs in your eye makeup,” says Dr. Guillermo Rocha, an ophthalmologist at GRMC Vision Centre in
But if you are feeling thrifty, Eng adds you can still save your eye pencil, “cut off the top part of it and sharpen it. This will minimize the chances of the infection occurring again.”
The same protocol should be followed for cold sores. Dispose of all your lip products, or cut off the top portion and sterilize it with rubbing alcohol.
Toss products that are outdated
Once you have weeded out expired and contaminated products, evaluate the leftovers. Does sparkly lip gloss still do you justice? Did blue eye shadow ever suit you? Make sure your makeup is current and suited to your lifestyle.
“My advice is to get rid of any foundations or powders that are too heavy. If your base doesn't look good, the rest of your makeup won't look good. Nowadays, formulations appear seamless on the skin so look for products that have micro-minerals and give the skin a natural radiance,” suggests Joy David-Tillberg, professional freelance makeup artist and founder of MakeupJunkie.ca
Restock with essentials
After you have conquered the task of condensing your cosmetics, take a moment to size up your supply. Make sure you have the basics.
“An eye lash curler to really open up the eye, lip balm to keep lips well hydrated and concealer to cover up evidence of a late night. Mascara is also at the top of my list!” says David-Tillberg.
Written by Lindsay Bishop - March 2010
