When To Get Rid Of Beauty Products

It may be tempting to hold onto your favorite beauty products forever, but all things must come to an end—even that lipstick that you can no longer get in your shade.

There are two important rules with beauty products: never share your beauty products, and don’t use old beauty products. I’m guilty of doing both, but let’s not lose focus. We all know that beauty products don’t last forever no matter how much we wish they did.

To be honest, I didn’t have a clue that makeup had an expiration date. I just got rid of the products when they were no longer good, and sometimes I didn’t remember when I bought them.

To avoid this, I recommend putting a sticker on each product with the date of purchase so that you can get rid of it at the right time.

I know, throwing out products is sad, but we need to do it to avoid spreading the bacteria that forms on the products. These bacteria can cause irritation, rashes, blemishes and various skin and eye infections.

Old or no good? Don’t use them

makeup

I thought it wasn’t so harmless to use expired products, but I was being careless about my face and body. Expired beauty products can carry a range of bacteria that cause a host of problems, so consider yourself lucky if nothing bad happens when using products that are past their best.

A 2013 study published in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science evaluated the makeup routines and habits of 44 women aged 18 to 28, and the results were more than a little embarrassing. 70% of the women in the study used one or more expired cosmetic product—mostly mascara, eyeliner or eyeshadow.

The researchers sampled their eye makeup to determine if they contained any contamination, and found that 67% contained potentially harmful levels of microorganisms. Among the microorganisms that were found in many of the products were Staphylococcus Corynebacterium and Moraxella, which are common in bacterial skin infections. We need to be very careful with the products we apply around our eyes as the potential damage that bad products can cause could be irreversible.

A product doesn’t always have to be old to have gone bad or have been exposed to bacteria, so you should always pay attention to the appearance of the products you use. Below are the standard expiration dates for common beauty products.

2—3 Months

Regardless of how often you’ve used them, the following products should always be replaced after a maximum of three months:

  • Loofahs
  • Acne Pads
  • Nail Files
  • Face peels and Masks
  • Mascara

6—12 Months

As tempting as it may be to hold onto these products—usually because we’ve invested in more expensive items—it’s essential that they be thrown out at the year mark:

  • Face Wash
  • Acne Creams and Washes
  • Liquid Foundation
  • Serum
  • Concealer
  • Eye Cream
  • Liquid Eyeliner

cosmetic products

1—1½ Years

Yes, they may look okay to use, but at a year and a half, these products are past their best:

  • Bar Soap
  • Eyebrow Gel
  • Face Cream (jar)
  • Sunscreen
  • Lip Gloss
  • Shower Gel
  • Cream Eyeshadow

2 Years

These are some of the products many of us are guilty of hanging onto for years, but two years is the limit for:

  • Powder Foundation
  • Scrubs (jar)
  • Nail Polish
  • Lipstick
  • Body Lotion (jar)
  • Powder Eyeshadow and Blush
  • Lip and Eye Pencils

3 Years

Few products are good for this long, but three years is the maximum you should keep (and use):

  • Perfume
  • Body Lotion (pump)
  • Hairspray
  • Shampoo and Conditioner

PAO Symbols

pao symbol

If you are curious about the lifespan of a beauty product not mentioned here, you can check if it has an expiration by looking at the PAO symbol. It is a number followed by an M (month) and an open jar symbol. For example, a 12M tells you to get rid of the product 12 months after you’ve opened it.

If the product doesn’t have a PAO symbol, then know that products that contain water as one of the first ingredients have the shortest shelf life after opening because water encourages the growth of bacteria and other microbes. Products made up of almost no water, such as powders, last the longest because almost nothing can grow in these kinds of products.

Finally, if a product is labeled ‘preservative-free,’ you should take extra caution. A product without a preservative system is a product in which bacteria can grow more easily, and natural ingredients are not as effective as synthetic alternatives when it comes to preserving a product.

Even though products vary greatly depending of consumer usage and storage, with this guide you can have an idea of when it’s recommended to get rid of some products. Remember, the expiration date starts when you first use the product. If you’re not sure if a product is past its best, check the smell, texture and appearance. If in doubt, toss it out!

About the author

Dianne M.

Dianne is a DIY frugal minimalist autodidact gypsy girl. She studied Journalism even though she doesn’t like the University. Also hates routines and is not a morning person. Her true passion is dance. Maybe she was a spinning top in another life. And her best advice is never sell yourself short, never. A goal or dream? To be a digital nomad.

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