Do you ever wonder how to check makeup expiration?
If you’re like most women, the answer is probably “no.” But there are plenty of us who are curious about it. And that’s a good thing! Why? It’s because we’re responsible for our own safety and health. We owe it to ourselves to know if our cosmetics have gone bad or not. After all, when your mascara dries out, so does your eyelashes and skin around eyes – potentially causing dryness and redness. Not only that, but bacteria can also grow in old makeup containers which could lead to eye infections or other serious problems.
For this reason alone, many experts recommend checking makeup expiration every 6 months (or more often). But just how do you go about checking your makeup expiration?
What’s the Best Way to Check Makeup Expiration? Of course, there are no hard and fast rules for how often you should check makeup expiration. That would depend on your lifestyle, frequency of use and other factors. Yet many experts recommend inspecting it every six months or so. What they don’t tell you is how to check makeup expiration. So what’s a cosmetics-loving, hygiene-conscious woman to do?
Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to check if your products have gone bad or not. The method you choose will depend on the type of cosmetic product in question and how often you use it (excluding mascara which should be checked more often). Here’s a look at some of the best ways to check makeup expiration:
Lipstick : this is one of the easiest cosmetics products to use once you’ve opened it. Just check for dryness and/or separation between colors (you’ll also notice that once lipstick has gone bad, it tends to smell funny (like inactive yeast). Makeup
Brushes : just like lipstick, most makeup brushes can be checked for expiration by simply looking at them. For instance, if your mascara starts to dry out or change colors (to black or gray), you’ll know it’s time to pitch it.
Foundation : you can check makeup expiration by applying a small amount of foundation on the back on your hand and seeing if it’s still creamy. Make up eye shadow : when makeup expiration occurs with eye shadow, you’ll notice that the color is no longer as rich or as vibrant as it once was. You may also notice separation between the different ingredients which give shadows their unique colors.
Mascara : mascara often dries out fast. Thus, you should check makeup expiration about every three months. Not only will you notice a white film on the brush, but you’ll also see clumping and a tendency to dry out.
Lip gloss : just like mascara, lip gloss often dries up quite quickly. As such, it’s important that you check makeup expiration regularly (every 3 months or so).
Eyeliner : you can check makeup expiration by simply looking for a change in color and/or consistency. If it’s dried out, discolored or changed consistency (becomes crumbly), it’s time to toss it.
Foundation bottles : just like lipstick, foundation might separate if the bottle has been open for too long.
Consequently, you may notice a thick layer of separation on the bottom (it’s important to note that once this occurs, bacteria can grow in and around it).