New Year Fresh Start
Now is the perfect time to toss out any ancient cosmetics or skin care you have taking up precious space in your bathroom or makeup bag so that you can start the new year fresh!
And just how do you determine which of your products qualify as “ancient” and belong in the trash, not on your face?
The general rule of thumb is that you should throw out any cosmetics or skin care items which are more than three years old. But some will need to be tossed out much sooner.
FDA regulations require all these kinds of products have a shelf life of three years. But once these products have been opened and you’ve begun using them, they may have a much shorter expiration date.
Mascara for instance, once you’ve started using it needs to be replaced every 3 months because it will start to grow bacteria. And no one wants to apply harmful bacteria directly to their eyes, right?!
So, general rule – To begin with, throw away anything on your shelf that’s more than three years old.
Next, check your mascara, shower loofah and facial peels/masks. These items shouldn’t be kept more than 3 months once you’ve begun using them.
These products should all be tossed after 6 months to 1 year:
- Liquid eyeliners
- Liquid foundations
- Concealers
- Acne creams and washes
- Eye creams
- Face washes
- Serums
Toss all these after 1 year:
- Lipgloss
- Cream eyeshadows and cheek colors
- Any face creams that come in jars
- Sunscreen
- Bar soap
- Shower gel
- Eyebrow gel
Throw these out after 2 years:
- Lip and eye pencils
- Lipstick
- Powder eyshadows and cheek colors
- Powder foundations
- Body lotions that come in jars
- Scrubs that come in jars
Everything else can most likely be kept up to three years. Anything that you’re unsure about should definitely be thrown out if it has a strange smell or discoloration.
If you have any questions about any skin care or beauty products, please leave a comment below or email me at sarena@tealinspiration.com
