7 Signs It’s Time to Throw Away Your Makeup

We never want to part with makeup. But like everything else, makeup also come with a shelf life. If you wear it beyond the expiration date, you are likely to end up with irritation, red bumps, acne, blisters, pigmentation, discoloured skin, skin swelling, red eyes or eye infections. Thus, it is best to be aware of expiration dates and make informed decisions. To help you with this we get Naveen Anand, Senior Director Regional Marketing South Asia, Oriflame, the beauty brand that completed 25 years in India this year, to tell you how to spot the signs that the time has come to throw out your makeup. 

1. Mascara

It usually lasts six to nine months. “Toss out mascara every six to nine months or as soon as it starts smelling like burning plastic and deposits more clumps than colour. It may cause infections and sties,” says Naveen. 

2. Pencil Eye Liner 

Do not keep it with for more than a year. When the pencil doesn’t glide smoothly on your eye lid,  it’s a hint that its time is up. The eye liner tends to dry up and may cause damage to the eyes if you put pressure while applying it.

3. Liquid/Gel Eye Liner

Do not hoard it for more than six Months. “Dump the liner if it starts to thicken or smell like decaying flowers,” suggests Naveen. 

4. Foundation/Compact

This doesn’t last beyond a year. Moreover, it can last for a year, only if you keep it out of direct sunlight and away from heaters. “Once your liquid starts to separate, your cream thickens, or your compact colour develops a rubbery aroma, it’s time to toss it off,” says Naveen.

5. Concealer

Shelf life of a concealer is about one Year. If the concealer formula starts separating, appears oily, and/or smells rotten throw it away.

6. Blush & Eye Shadow(Powder)

This can last up till two years. “If u see white crust on powder or if the powder starts to crumble, it’s not of any use,” says Naveen. Throw it away!

7. Lipstick

The shelf life of a lipstick is around eight months to one year. The signs that it outlived its purpose is when it begins to smells rubbery or appears rough and hard to apply on lips.

8 Nail Paints

Dump your nail paints after six to eight months. The signs that you need tow atch out for according to Naveen are separation in the formula, foul smell or appearance of white substance in the formula. Also, it is important to note that this timeline commences from the day you start using the product.

So while checking for the date of expiry on a product it’s advisable that you also check for the signs of expiry.