I just finished doing my weekend clean up and thought I'd share a helpful tip or two about the
"tossing and keeping" of your favorite beautifiers! hihi Excuse me for the perkiness. Seeing my vanity all organized gives me a natural kind of high. I'm sure it has the same effect on you too, my fellow make up lovers! =) Now let's cut to the chase, shall we?
How long should we be keeping this and that?Article per article, i've read different opinions from renowned make up artists/ beauty experts and came up with a list where almost all of them intersect. So far, this has worked mighty fine for me. I hope it does the same for you too.
1. MASCARA - 3 to 4 months
2. EYELINER - 12 months
3. LIP LINER -12 months
4. FOUNDATION - 12 months (water-based); 18 months (oil-based)
5. CREAM EYE SHADOWS - 18 months
6. BLUSH - 12 months (cream/liquid type); 2 years (powder type)
7. CONCEALER - 12 months
8. LIPSTICK - 1 to 2 years
9. POWDER EYE SHADOWS - up to 3 years
10. LIP GLOSS - 2 years
11. PRESSED POWDER - 12 months
When i got hold of my very first MAC LIP GLASS gloss at the age of 16, i wanted to keep it forever. It was a gift from my aunt and to me, it was the prettiest lip gloss i've ever set my eyes on. I told myself to use it only when i really needed to- like special occasions. Lesson learned? Make up products weren't built to last forever. I just woke up one day and found myself with a tube of dried up gloss and a broken heart. From that day on, i swore to make the most out of my little "babies".
Let's keep it real, not all palettes out there come cheap. And who wouldn't want to pass up on saving a few moolahs by regulating usage? I've been there, and i've done that. But mind you ladies, using make up way beyond the time it's designed to be used has its downside. These prettifiers serve as a breeding ground for bacteria. And bacteria leads to infection. We can't risk that, can we? Mascaras for example, have led to several eye infections- the wands of expired tubes come closest, if not almost always touch the eyeball when applied. Those days you find your eyes red and itchy? Check your mascara/ liner, darling.
Note: My list above is just a guide for everyone. Your make up products may or may not live up to the time frame mentioned above depending on the ingredients they are made of. I have read somewhere that mineral make up, because of its composition, has a longer shelf life.
As a general rule, "if it smells funky, it probably is." So go on and have a smelling-spree ladies! Toss or keep? I'm done with mine. Now's your turn..... <3
Cheers!
Zandra Len x
