Your go-to blush that you've been wearing for years and years? Chances are, you should of tossed it a long time ago. Let's be real... when's the last time you actually went through all of your makeup to get rid of all of your old expired products? We all have those favorite products that we can't help but to hold onto, but it's really time to clean out and update your makeup stash. You may be wondering why makeup even has an expiration date, how do you know when it's expired, and what's the big deal about ignoring that date? Keep reading because we are here to give you the inside scoop about makeup expiration dates!
What happens when makeup expires?
Over time, your makeup will not only change consistency, but also the quality will decrease. Depending on how long you've had your makeup for, bacteria can start to grow, which can lead to skin irritation or eye infections like pink eye. Not only will the length of time your product has been open for affect its lifespan, but so will the environment you are storing it in. A product's lifespan greatly decreases if it's kept in a moist environment, such as your bathroom. Drastic temperature changes and sunlight exposure can change its color and texture.... just think about your lip balm when you leave it in your car on a warm summer day. If you take care of your cosmetic products, it's okay to use them a little past the expiration date. This means making sure they are closed properly after use, keeping them in a dry environment, and not sharing your makeup.
How do you know when your makeup has reached its expiration date?
Almost every cosmetics product will have what's called a Period After Opening (PAO) symbol on it. This symbol represents the number of months until expiration, after opening the product.
For example, the PAO symbol above, shows that this product should be thrown out 24 months after opening. Another way to tell if your beloved makeup product has come to an end is by the look or smell of it. Since its consistency changes over time, take a look to see if you notice any separation or texture changes. Products like liquid foundation and nail polish can definitely change in smell if too far past the expiration date. In general, powders tend to last much longer than liquid or water based products like mascara.
At the end of the day we all hate throwing out our makeup before it's all used up, but do your skin a favor and toss any old or expired products!....Just think of it as an excuse to get some new makeup;)