Original Post Date: March 24, 2009
(song of the day: gonna getcha good, by the jonas brothers)
(song of the day: gonna getcha good, by the jonas brothers)
i don't know if you're anything like me, but i hate throwing things away. absolutely hate it! that's the reason my clothes don't fit in my closet and TWO dressers. paha. i'm the same about makeup too. BUT most people forget makeup has an expiration date. i know it never really occured to me until a while ago. i googled when to throw makeup away and realized i was grossly overdue. the other day i had a hard look through my make up cases/buckets and through out all the stuff i'd never "goten around to" using. here's what i found so you can do the same.
first off, if it smells funny, has gone chunky or isn't it's orginal colour, throw it away immediately. if you haven't used it in the last two years? it really is time to let it go.
lipstick/lip gloss lasts for approximately 18 months. now, luckily for me, lip products are one of the last ones to go. or not luckily... since i end up buying about one a week anyway. i've heard if you store lipstick in the fridge it'll last longer, even though i couldn't really find why that was. lip liner (if you have it) can last up to a year. i feel like this is more of an old lady thing, don't you? plus, whenever you see people wearing lipliner, it's usually not pretty. anyway, if you end up buying a lip stick/gloss that you don't like, before you throw it away try using it in combo with something else! you could end up finding a colour you do like!
foundation can last 12 - 18 months. you're going to wanna check the ingredients label on this one. a water-based foundation will only last up to 12 months. should it dry out before the expiration date, mix in a few drops of alcohol-free toner and shake. oil foundations tend to seperate, just shake it back together to fix that. i couldn't find it online, but my mom said powdered foundation and concealer also have a 12 month window.
blush and bronzer have a shelf life of about a year. i make the most of my blush though! a little while ago i bought this red blush that in the package looked like it would go great with my skin tone but made me look like a geisha in real life (and not in the good way). luckily, i came across this tip from one of the creators of sally hansen beauty. if you slick on some vaseline on your lips (or another clear, but sticky gloss) and then roll a clean finger in blush before pressing it to your lips you end up with your own customized lip colour. i get to keep the richness of the red, but it looks really subtle and matte. sounds crazy but it works! i love it! maybe i'll try and get a picture of what it looks like this week.
eyeshadow and eyeliner will hold on for 18 months. you have to think about it, the closer to your eyes the more careful you have to be. here's a quick way to get the most out of the eyedshadow you buy. once in a while, give your eyeliner the day off. using a super flat eyeliner brush (or the pointy end of the given eyeshadow wand and a really steady hand) trace the brush into your lash line focusing on the space between your lashes, then sweep the color just above your lash line. It's great if you're going for that smokey look. And here's something that's hot right now, (i'm betting i read this in glamour? but i'm not sure) swiping a light powder on the bottom rim of the eye gives a fresh dewy look. i've done it before, it's super cute! and also note, liquid eyeliner lasts six months.
mascara expires in THREE - FOUR months. this is the most important one, and the reason i decided to write this in the first place. i had no idea it could expire so quickly! the reason it expires to fast is because it's closest to the eye. beware, applying it too close to base of your lashes can block your the ducts that create tears and cause dry eyes. pumping the wand in and out of the tube only introduces dry air to the enclosed liquid. it's a breeding ground for bacteria! haha. i've read you're not supposed to share it, and i'd say that's pretty good info to go by. i was kind of peeved cause i tend to spend the most money on mascara for some reason. i could only find one other use for it though, in good old seventeen. if you swipe a tiny eyeliner brush around the inside rim, you can use mascara as a liquid liner. a brush with a pointy tip will get a really precise line, perfect for winged tips.
nail polish is good for a year. this is the only one i'm not so sure of. i've got nail polish from middle school that still works just fine. and i haven't really found anything that bad that will happen if you use nail polish past it's expiry date. some tips though, store it upright to keep it from separating. like i said with the lipgloss, if you purchase a bottle that doesn't look as good as you thought it did, experiment with layering or mixing to create a new custom colour. if it thickens up, return it to it's original consistency with nail polish thinner (available at most drugstores). i've been told that a real perfume (one with alcohol) will also work. last time i was there though, the manicurist said NOT to use remover to thin polish as it will distort the colour.
some last thoughts, make sure makeup is kept in a cool and dry place. a muggy bathroom is not always optimal. record the date you purchase makeup so you know when it's time to go. and you might want to have the expiry date in mind next time you're going to splurge on something in the cosmetic aisle. (no more $20 mascars for me!) or if you're going to splurge, do it on a product that can double as something else. for example check out lip/cheek stains from sephora, the body shop etc. don't forget to wash your brushes and sponges regularly as well! now note, it's not like you'll go blind if you use expired makeup, but you could get an infection. i've seen it happen. not pretty. plus, just look at it as an excuse to buy new stuff! (like i need a reason, haha).
-lovelovelove.
