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when it's time to hit the can



okay, so this post is about makeup expiration dates.

all of us, at one point or another have been guilty of this. i know i am. but it's juuuust painful to throw away barely touched makeup just because it is past its 2year mark.

for the oc's here's a little guideline

  • most makeup has a 2year mark.
  • cream concealers, cream blushes, cream shadows, anything cream-based-12-18 months
  • water-based foundation - 12 months
  • oil based foundation - 18 months
  • powders, either blushes, shadows, foundies - 24 months
  • pencil liners - 24-36 months as long as sharpened regularly
  • mascara - 3 months, no exceptions!
  • liquid liners - 3-6 months
  • gel-based blushes, cleansers, etc - 12-18 months
  • lipsticks - 12-36 months depending on usage and hygienic practices
  • lipgloss - 18 - 24 months
  • nail polish - 1 year
  • mineral makeup - as long as you don't wet them it lasts forever.
  • sponges - as long as you dont share them and wash them once a week it should last you a month.
my rule of thumb tho is as long as it smells the same, looks the same, feels the same, it's still good.
but this is because i keep a very strict makeup hygiene.

here are tips to make your makeup last longer:
  • keep your make up in a cool dry place. i have a spare ref in my room, and i put all my liquids and cream based makeup there
  • never , ever share cosmetics, or if you do, make sure to use disposables and never ever ever double dip
  • if you use a water-based foundation, and it dries out, just add a few drops of alcohol-free toner and shake.
  • i always keep sharpies (pentel pens) and stickers in my train case. every time i open a new product, i date them, so i'd know when it's gonna expire. you can also use tape for this. i find that if i write directly on the product it tends to fade away no matter how permanent the marker is.
  • i cannot stress this enough. throw away mascaras after three months
  • before my lipsticks expire, i melt them, add petroleum jelly if needed, and a few extra drops of vitamin E.
  • sharpen pencils regularly. this will keep them fresh and bacteria-free
  • if you're doing makeup, even for your mom or sister use a petri-dish. never ever double dip. sometimes i use my sponge case for this. sometimes i use a santized non-working cd. i also use a stainless spatula to scoop out products. if i can't find them, i use a disposable plastic knife. sometimes, when i am in a jiffy, i even use the tip of my brush. shh.
  • you can use the previous tip too if you wish to add water or liquids to your makeup. it keeps them sanitized. remember that bacteria festers on moist materials.
  • disposables are your best friends. i always keep a box of kleenex to sanitize my products when other people touches it. qtips are very handy too! it can double as an eye brush or a lip brush. i also keep a bag of disposable sponges.
i hope this helped you out.

(photo lifted off the net)

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5 comments:

Golden said...

Thanks for the tip sis. I think I need to write 'em all down. I'm very particular though with mascaras. And I agree with you, throw them away after 3 months.

Pammy said...

Helpful post. Thanks for sharing. :)

Nikki said...

Very helpful! Thanks!

makeupjunkie said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
makeupjunkie said...

@golden - yes. i am very particular with mascaras. as a contact lens wearer, i have to! :P your daughter is really beautiful! congrats on the birthday bash success!

@pammy & nix- no problem! glad it helped u! :p