Photo: Kelly Sikkema/Unsplash
We’ve all comes to the terms that the past twelve months weren’t pleasant for those of us who can barely live without wearing makeup. Covid-19 pandemic abruptly showed up with the lockdown and took away our love for lipstick, foundation, and highlighter with face mask taking the centre stage. In fact, those beauty products I stocked up in my cabinet during Sephora’s Black Friday massive sales are all useless due to expiration, leaving me wondering how often you check your makeup expiration dates.
It’s probably time to do some clean-up and replace your expired cosmetics, because not only does some of us been keeping a tube of mascara from months to months, but makeup does not last forever. And even if you have not opened it since the day of purchase, it’s worth checking the expiration dates every now and then.
Photo: Liz Breygel/Unsplash According to a beauty expert, makeup comes with different formulas that have different lifespans. “The little ‘open jar’ icon on your make-up’s packaging tells you when the formula will start to degrade in terms of performance and efficacy, but also can indicate when the preservatives and stabilisers in the formula can start to break down,” Warren Dowdall, a senior pro artist at Bobbi Brown explained to Harpers Bazaar Uk.
Dowdall went further to explained that using an expired beauty product could be detrimental to the skin.”This may lead to bacterial growth, so it’s key to keep an eye on when your products are coming to the end of their lifespan,” he said. “A quick fix is to pop a date sticker on your products once you’ve opened them so you know exactly when to replace them.”
As per the artist, liquid foundations can last up to 12-months once opened. Lipstick and face powder can last 12-to-18 months, and mascara 3-months, while eyeliner should be used within three-to-six months. However, Dowdall advised women to discard the products if you notice any change in the formula even if the expiration is still valid.
