In the current day and age, makeup has become an integral part of our lives. Now, they don’t just define the standard of living but are also a statement of your refined taste. But all of your effort in putting on a flawless face goes in vain when you use products that have crossed their life span. No matter how great and proficient an MUA you are, you can never make products work past expiration dates. However, it’s not only about making them work on your skin. When these products expire, their chemical compositions also break down and cause various skin issues on your face and body. So, to nip this problem in the bud, Let’s look at some ways you can make sure that your makeup items have expired and it’s time for them to be thrown away.

Photo by Liz Breygel on Unsplash

Changes In Texture: As we have established before that no makeup lasts forever, And neither do their consistency and texture. Over time, they become dry and clumpy and just doesn’t glide on your skin as smoothly as it once did. Liquid products become thicker and form clumps while dry ones break apart. This is the time you know it’s time to say goodbye to it.

Photo by Hadis Safari on Unsplash

Changes In Color: Just like fruits and veggies, makeup items also change color after they are exposed to air. So before using any old or even newly bought makeup item, pay attention to the color of the product as well. After using something too many times or using a product wrongly even once can introduce many bacterias into the formula causing them to oxidize and change color. Generally, it takes on an orange or brass tone. That is the time you know it should be thrown away.

Changes In Smells: The introduction of outside bacteria into a makeup item can cause the product to expire without you even realizing it. Sometimes when this happens they develop a unique sort of smell that can be very pungent in nature. So, it’s better to smell any product before you apply it to your skin.

Image: Collected

Don’t Always Rely On The Label: Most skincare or makeup products have specific time allocated to their use mentioned on their label. This time is known as PAO(Period after opening). These might give you an assumed number of days as to how long you can use a product. However, they are not always accurate. So, here is an estimate based on the consistency of the products.

  • Powder Products: Upwards of 2 years
  • Liquid Foundation: Up to 1 year
  • Lipstick: Up to 1 year
  • Pencil Lip/Eyeliner: Up to 2 years
  • Mascara/Liquid Eyeliner: 3 months

Even if we want our favorite and expensive makeup products to last a lifetime, they can’t. Just imagine how many trips to the store and money it could have saved us. But ALAS! However, We shouldn’t end up with dermatitis while trying to be frugal. So, always pay close attention to the makeup products you’re using to make sure they haven’t expired already.

FashionBlitzs/Nadia