To keep your look fresh and fab—and skin clean ‘n’ clear—you
need to keep your makeup safe. It’s easy to know when to toss makeup when it
starts to look, smell or taste funny, but how do you know when your makeup is being
spoiled by germs that you can’t see? To keep makeup lasting fresher longer,
don’t store makeup in the bathroom where it can be affected by humidity, use
sponges or brushes and check out our GL makeup guidelines.
Eyeliner pencil
When: 2 years
Why: Sharpening every couple of weeks gives you a fresh, new
tip that keeps your pencil clean and precise for perfecting your look.
Liquid foundation and concealers
When: 6 months or sooner if the oils start so separate
Why: Dipping fingers into foundation can leave your makeup
germy and cause breakouts.
Lip-gloss and lipstick
When: 2 years
Why: Glosses and lipsticks can begin to smell and taste bad
if they go beyond their expiration. Go all-out glam and use ‘em up, or toss.
Powder foundation, concealers, eye shadow, blush and bronzer
When: 2 years
Why: Powder makeup can last a pretty long time since they’re
used with sponges or brushes which spread fewer bacteria than our fingertips. If
they start to smell or look shiny or strange, toss them.
Mascara and Liquid Liners:
When: 6 months
Why: The dark, wet tubes are the perfect place for bacteria
to live and multiply. Since our eyes are sensitive, bacteria from our makeup
can even cause infections. Yuck!
Moisturizers
When: 2 years
Why: Moisturizers can start to smell funny and lose their
effectiveness after a couple of years. If your moisturizer comes in a jar or
bottle that you dip your fingers into, toss it sooner to avoid spreading pimple-causing
bacteria.
Makeup brushes
When: 5 years or sooner if they start to shed
Why: Brushes can last a really long time if they’re taken
care of. Wash them gently every other week with mild soap and cool water. Keep
bristles intact by letting them air dry.
Makeup sponges
When: 6 months or sooner if they begin to tatter
Why: Makeup sponges absorb oil that you don’t want to keep
spreading onto your face. Wash sponges once a week the same way you do your
brushes to keep them fresh and your makeup looking fab.
BY LAUREN IZQUIERDO ON 10/15/2012 12:00:00 AM
POSTED IN skin problems, get rid of acne, bust breakouts, advice, make-up