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I so often see TikTok and Instagram memes joking about how products get kept wayyyy after their expiration date (like … years sometimes).
It’s so easy to just leave things in your makeup drawer, especially if they still seem to be performing just fine! Trust me, no judgment here, but I do want to share some ways you can know for sure that it’s time to toss those products.
Related: Tips to Get the Most out of Your Foundation and All About “Baking” Your Makeup, and When Should You Should Do It.
Check out the PAO symbol on the package
PAO is short for period-after-opening, and it’s represented by a little symbol you can find on a lot of product packaging. Check out the photo above, you’ll see it circled in white. The cool thing about the PAO is it tells you exactly how long the shelf life is on a product once it’s been opened for the first time.
Mascara and eyeliner
Some mascaras will have a PAO symbol or share an expiration date, but a good rule of thumb (if you don’t see any guidance) is to throw it out three to six months after you first open it.
Because of the low moisture content of mascara, it’s not as much of a breeding ground for bacteria that it has long been rumored to be, but you’ll still get dirt and oils accumulating on your brush and in your product which isn’t great since mascara is used near such a sensitive area.
Foundation and concealer
Complexion products typically have a lifespan of a year or so, but there are some definite ways to know when it’s time to say goodbye. For compact/cake foundations and concealers, once they start to crack. For liquid products, once they start to separate, congeal. And for ANY product: if/when they start to smell weird.
Powders (eyeshadow, blush, setting powder)
Properly sanitized (I spritz mine with a little alcohol) powder products can last up to two years.
Lip products
Lipsticks and chapsticks should be tossed after about a year. I really like to stick to this one because of how bacteria can build up, especially in things like tubed lip glosses and liquid lipsticks. You *can* sanitize lipstick. Just take a paper towel and spritz it with alcohol and gently clean off the lipstick.
Beauty Blenders and makeup sponges
Makeup sponges like Beauty Blenders are typically good to go for about three to six months, depending on how you care for them. An easy way to clean your Beauty Blender or makeup sponge is with a solid cleaner; we have a DIY for one here.
If your sponge is stained to the point that no amount of cleaning can help it or you start to see little holes forming, go ahead and toss it.
Makeup brushes
This one is a little less straightforward and has a lot to do with how well you take care of your brushes. It’s widely recommended to wash your brushes at least once a week. Here is a great tutorial to help you out.
Also, the way you store your brushes is also pretty crucial—try storing them in a clean, dry place, bristles up, and not touching too many other brushes to where they’re crowded (they can lose their shape that way). It’s especially important to keep an eye on natural hair brushes as they are susceptible to wearing out more quickly.
If you notice your brush starting to lose a lot of bristles or that it won’t return to its original shape after washing, that’s a good sign that it’s time to retire that brush.
If you haven’t cleaned out in a while, maybe this is your sign to just take an hour and go through your beauty products to see what needs to go and what can stay.
I know it can be sad to throw things away, but here’s what I always think when I do big purges on makeup: I’m reminded that I need a lot less than I think I do, and it gives me the opportunity to repurchase my favorites from small businesses I love and even try some new ones. 🙂 Hope this has been helpful for you!
skincare
With the fresh air of springtime right around the corner, the urge for cleaning out your home will start anew. Your skincare drawer is most likely one of your most-used areas, as you probably frequent this location both day and night. Although you try to keep it as tidy as you can, it is inevitable that it will eventually need to be cleaned out. Cleaning out your makeup and skincare products is not only sanitary, but it could also help alleviate some stress associated with the mess.
Do you have questions about when to throw away makeup? Perhaps you have had the same eyeshadow for years and are wondering if its time to throw it away. Our guide will cover this and much more!
Conquer The Clutter
Empty bottles, dirty makeup brushes, and expired foundation abound. It may come as no surprise that having your skincare drawer in abysmal conditions can cause a headache. According to Psychology Today, our environment can have a significant impact on our emotions and behaviors. In short, clutter can cause us to experience negative effects like heightened anxiety levels or an inability to focus. Makeup and skincare products, especially when expired, can harbor harmful bacteria. When not disposed of properly, this can linger in your skincare drawer and further contaminate your products.
To begin conquering the clutter, first make a list of what your “must-haves” are. While you need mascara, you might not need five different bottles of it. In fact, ophthalmologists recommend changing up your mascara every 3-4 months! You might also have some miscellaneous items in your skincare drawer. This might include old hair ties or broken eyebrow pencils. Toss away anything that is considered garbage and then lay out the products you wish to keep. Now, we need to make sure that they haven’t expired.
All Beauty Products Eventually Expire
You should plan on cleaning out your skincare drawer at least every 3 to six months. Why? That is when a lot of products expire. So, this will help you to stay on top of getting rid of the products once they go bad. There is not one beauty product that will never expire. Eventually, you will have to get rid of everything from makeup brushes to foundations.
How to Know When a Beauty Product Has Gone Bad
When it comes to determining when a product expires, it might not always be cut and dry. Austin Evans who is a makeup artist and is part of Tomlinson Management Group states, “In general, liquids and creams expire fastest, while powders tend to last much longer”. He dives deeper into why this occurs.
Many popular skincare products that contain retinol and vitamin C will become unstable if they are exposed to oxygen. This is why open jar products are not always recommended. Eyeliner and mascara have the shortest shelf life, which is around three months.
Lip products can last around a year, as well as foundation. When using your products, you should always check the label for an indicator of the shelf life, as well as on the packaging. It may even be useful to pull out your label maker and date each product by the date you first started using it.
When to Throw Away Makeup Guidelines:
after 6 months to 1 year
after 6 months to 1 year
after 1 year
after 2 years
after 3 months (liquid); after 2 years (pencil)
after 3 months
after 6 months (tub); after 1 year (pump)
after 1 year
after 1 year
after 8 to 10 years
How to Make Your Products Last
You will always want to take as many steps as you can to ensure the shelf life of your products. The best places to store your skincare products are in a cabinet or a drawer. Always make sure you wash your hands before and after use. It is important to remain clutter-free and to also abide by the expiration dates of your products to ensure a clean skincare drawer.
Skincare and Makeup FAQs
Do unopened skincare products expire?
Most unopened skincare products have a 2-year shelf life. Once a product is open it has the potential to be exposed to bacteria. This is the reason an unopened product has a longer shelf life than those that have been opened.
Does sunscreen expire?
Sunscreens usually have an expiration date printed on the bottle and since sun protection is so important in any anti-aging regimen, there is no use in applying expired, ineffective sunscreen.
Do skincare products expire?
Moisturizers, face creams, and eye creams may last up to six months to a year. The danger does not lie in the cream expiring, but the fact that it becomes less effective as it ages. Creams may also cause irritation or bacterial infections if they are open too long. Open products risk being tainted with harmful bacteria. This is something you do not want to introduce to your face.
When to throw away makeup brushes?
You will need to care for your makeup brushes each week by gently cleaning them with warm soapy water. Allow them to air dry. This will help decrease the number of bacteria that are introduced to your face. When your brushes start to show wear, it is time to get a new set. In general, brushes made of synthetic fibers may last up to a year, but need to be cleaned at least twice a week.
When to throw away a makeup sponge?
According to Allure, blenders and sponges need to be washed out once to twice a week. Once the applicators have reached the three-month mark it is time to throw them away. If your sponge is high quality and you give it proper care, you may be able to extend its life.
How long does eyeshadow last?
It is recommended that you ditch your powder eyeshadow every two years. Cream eyeshadows have a shelf-life of 6 months.
Does makeup expire?
Yes, all makeup has an expiration date. Some can be found on the containers, others you may have to use general guidelines which we have listed above.
How long does makeup last?
As a guideline: Foundation, primer, blush and eyeshadow may last up to 2 years. Lipstick should last for one year after it is opened. Eye makeup such as mascara and eyeliner would need to be replaced every three months. See our guidelines above for more details.
How long does lipstick last?
Lipstick can last up to 12 months.
How long does foundation last?
Liquid foundations can last up to one year, while a powder foundation may last up to two years.
How long is mascara good for?
Because of the bacteria that eye products can hold, it is recommended that mascara be replaced every 3 months.
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