Products containing "all natural" plant-derived ingredients are generally more susceptible to microbial growth. While cosmetics that are preservative free or use non-traditional preservatives may be better for you at their freshest, it is important to remember that these products are at increased risk of contamination and thus must be discarded in order to prevent infection, especially those used in and around the eye-area.
Cleaning your make-up bag every three months or so will ensure your products are at their peak performance and that your hygiene is not at risk. Besides, then you'll have an excuse to splurge and go shopping for new products! Here are a few general tips:
- Keep your products out of the bathroom this includes any prescriptions or over the counter medications too. Humidity can affect the life of all products.
- Keep away from extreme temperatures including direct sunlight whose UV rays could alter products' color and fragrance.
- Do not share any products unless they come in a pump bottle or new applicator for each use.
Even the best-made cosmetics have a limited shelf life. Products can dehydrate and become overgrown with bacteria over time and/or after repeated use. Here's a guide to the shelf life of common cosmetics.
Shelf Life: 2+ Years
Fragrances: If stored properly away from extreme temperatures in a cool dark area your favorite scent can last as long as 3 to 5 years.
Lipsticks: Wax-based products are fairly resistant to bacteria, but over time lipsticks can lose their freshness and colors can oxidize, causing the shade and consistency to change. Avoid extreme temperatures and toss them after a year or two—although if you're wearing it so infrequently that it's lasting that long, maybe you should toss it anyway.
Shelf Life: 1 Year
Blush, Eye Shadow & Powders: Bacteria can build up over time and a film can form over product as a result of oils from your skin being deposited on cakes. Protect your investment by either washing your applicator regularly or buying a bag of applicators at a dollar store and use a fresh one each time you apply powder.
Keeping application brushes clean (washing them in a gentle soap weekly) will help to extend the shelf life of blushes and eye shadows, but since the eyes are particularly delicate and prone to bacterial infections, eye shadows should be discarded after one year.
Pencils: Lip and eyeliners have a pretty long shelf life since every time you sharpen the pencil you are exposing fresh product. With this in mind, it is a good idea to sharpen your pencils at least once a week to remove any contaminants. Be kind to your eyes: Never allow pencils get wet and then dry out again. This may cause mold to form.
Shelf Life: 6 Months
Lip Gloss: No matter how chummy you are with someone, lip glosses with wand applicators should never be shared because bacteria can get trapped inside the container. Also, keep in mind that you can catch cold sores, and a variety of other viral and bacterial diseases by swapping gloss.
Shelf Life: 3 Months
Mascara & Liquid Eye Liners: The shelf life for eye-area cosmetics is more limited than for other products. Because of repeated microbial exposure after opening and during use and the risk of eye infections, some industry experts recommend replacing mascara and liquid eye liners three months after purchase.
If mascara becomes dry, discard it. Don't try to save a couple bucks by adding water or, even worse, saliva to moisten it, because that will introduce bacteria into the product. They money you save on mascara is definitely not worth contaminating your eyes. Besides, you'll probably spend far more on antibacterial ointments or even surgery if you wind up with an infection. If you have an eye infection, consult a physician immediately, stop using all eye-area cosmetics and contact lenses, and discard those you were using when the infection occurred.
Skin Moisturizers, Concealers & Toners: Moisturizers containing active products such as alpha hydroxy acids, vitamin C, or other skin nutrients may lose their effectiveness within 12 months of being opened. Separation after sitting for a while means the product should be tossed. Smell is also good cue: if the product's smell changes in any way that is a good indication that it's ready to be tossed.
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