Like the food in your fridge and some of the clothes in your wardrobe, the make up in your bathroom cabinet goes bad after a while.
But while you might know the recommended life span of a mascara is around three months, what about your foundations, concealers and liquid and pencil eyeliners?
Here, with the help of Lux Allure beauty expert, Carly Porter, FEMAIL looks at the shelf life of your cosmetics – as well as what you should freshen up as we move into a new season.
You might know the life span of your mascaras, but what about your foundation, powder and concealer? (stock image)
Here, with the help of Lux Allure beauty expert, Carly Porter (pictured), FEMAIL looks at the shelf life of your cosmetics
When it comes to foundation (left, stock image), if it’s cream-based you’re talking about a life span of between 12 and 18 months – with concealer, it’s 12-18 months (right, stock image)
According to Carly, when it comes to foundation, if it’s cream-based you’re talking somewhere between 12 and 18 months:
‘Depending on the formulation, you can normally hold on to them for somewhere between a year and 18 months as foundations made from cream tend to break down faster than powders,’ Carly told FEMAIL.
‘Meanwhile, if it’s a powder, unless you notice a funny smell or the colour has turned, you can safely use powder-based products for 18 months to two years.’
If you can’t remember when you bought your concealer, it might be a good idea to get rid of it – the average life span of a concealer is 12-18 months.
Speaking about popular lip products, Carly said ‘lip gloss and lipstick are less likely than liquid-based make up to grow bacteria’ – don’t pump your mascara wand repeatedly, as this dries it out (stock images)
Lip liners and pencil eyeliners last even longer – around two years – if sharpened correctly with a decent make up sharpener (stock image)
Speaking about popular lip products, Carly said ‘lip gloss and lipstick are less likely than liquid-based make up to grow bacteria’.
The expert said you’re probably safe to ‘hold on to a gloss for at least six months’, and you can keep your lipstick for a year.
Lip liners and pencil eyeliners last even longer – around two years – if sharpened correctly with a decent make up sharpener.
You should also throw out your liquid and gel eyeliner after three months ‘as bacteria forms quickly there’ (stock images)
The one we all know is that mascaras have a lifetime of around three months – but there is a way to make sure your product lasts a little longer:
‘Don’t pump your mascara wand in and out of the tube in order to collect more product,’ she said. ‘All you’re doing is forcing air in, causing the product to break down more quickly.’
You should also throw out your liquid and gel eyeliner after three months ‘as bacteria forms quickly there’.
Make sure the caps to all your products are secured after using,’ Carly said – recommending a cool, dry place.
She also said that the new season is a great time to update your cosmetics bag – think different moisturisers, different lipsticks and shadows to reflect the changing weather.
Pencils (stock image) can last for a longer period – perhaps two years – if they are sharpened correctly
Lastly, Carly revealed her tips for cleaning your make up brushes, to make sure you’re not smearing dirt and bacteria on your face.
‘For concealer and foundation brushes, wash them gently with warm water and soap at least once a week to prevent a buildup of product,’ she said.
For brushes around the eyes, the expert said you should clean them twice a month.
All of your other brushes can be washed once a month, either with professional brush cleaners or warm water and soap, rinsed well.
And finally, if something starts to smell bad, it probably is bad. In order to prevent infection, Carly said it’s a good idea to ditch these items.