When Do Your Cosmetics Fail The Beauty Test of Time?
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Have you ever needed a beauty product and had no idea where it is?
It's not that you've lost it. Oh no, that would be far too simple. It's in that makeup bag of yours, with the print rubbed off and loose eyeshadow covering it. You just have to dig through six other discarded mascara tubes to find it, unearthing in the process one you have not seen since high school.
We all do it, but it's a problem - and more than just in terms of organization. Makeup is not sterile. This is possibly not even news to you, especially if you have ever scrutinized the packaging of a makeup product. They all tend to detail when the product should be disposed of.
The issue at play here is one of sterility. Every time you open a makeup product, it's exposed to the air and your skin - all of which contain bacteria. These can then get into the product and multiply, meaning you've been coating your eyelashes with abundantly breeding bacteria.
Apologies for that visual image.
(For the record: this is also why you should always use a moisturizer that comes in a tube rather than a pot. The tube keeps things sterile. Whereas anything you have touched since you last washed your hands goes into the pot to fester.)
Replacing makeup frequently is expensive, especially for those items that you don't use often. It is, however, an essential. Nowadays it's not even a difficult process, as you are one click away to a new product via the likes of thankyourbeauty.com and other retailers.
If that hasn't convinced you, then the most impactful point is one of efficacy. When a product reaches the point it should be being disposed of; it's not going to work in the way it is designed to do. Mascaras will clump; lipsticks will run, and foundation will become sheerer.
Have I finally done it yet - convinced you that throwing makeup out after a set period of time is worth it? I hope so. If you're now wondering what the lifespan of different products are, then I've got the answers right here...
Mascara - Three Months
You have to be particularly careful with mascara as it goes near the eyes, which pick up bacteria easily. After three months, it's time to get rid.
Foundation - 12 Months
A little more reasonable here, as a foundation will see you through a year. Be wary of separation of ingredients in the tube - this is a sure sign it’s on its way out.
Concealer - 12 Months
At least you can replace all the face essentials at the same time?
Powders (Such as Blushers, Bronzers etc) - 18 Months
As long as you use a clean brush to use them, a powder should last for a year and a half.
Eyeliner - 6 Months
It's a little less volatile than mascara, but the half-year point is when you need to part ways.
Lipstick and Lip Liner - Up to 18 Months
Lip liner will last a little longer than lipstick, but both need to bite the dust after a year and half.
Provided they are washed properly between uses.
Now you should be able to pass this quiz on the subject without fail: http://www.webmd.com/beauty/rm-quiz-makeup Good luck!
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