Makeup: Cosmetics and their shelf life
Come on, admit it. You're one of those people who hangs on to your favourite cosmetics until the bitter end, when the label on the powder compact is just barely legible, or until you can't dig any further into that lipstick tube with your lip brush. If this sounds familiar, what you may not realise is that keeping certain products for too long can be unhealthy.
'All products have a length of time during which they are most effective,' says Dr. Patrick Bowler, a leading dermatologist who practices in London and the founder of The British Association of Cosmetic Doctors. He adds, 'If you keep cosmetics longer than that, they no longer work well and you increase the risk of contamination.'
Unfortunately, you can't always tell a product's shelf life just by looking at the label, because there's no longer a legal requirement to use expiry or use-by dates on the majority of products. According to The Cosmetics Products Safety Regulations of 1996, only products that won't last longer than 30 months need to show a use-by date, whereas all other products don't need one.
'Most products are packed with preservatives - in some cases as many as five or six - to ensure that they don't allow bacteria to breed easily,' says Dr. Bowler. 'So, in most cases, once a product is past its use-by date you'll simply end up with something that looks and smells "off," is unpleasant to use and is no longer effective." The worse case scenario is that you could develop a nasty rash or skin infection if the product has become contaminated with bacteria. However, the chances of this happening are extremely rare, because most cosmetics these days are packed with such large doses of preservatives.
Come on, admit it. You're one of those people who hangs on to your favourite cosmetics until the bitter end, when the label on the powder compact is just barely legible, or until you can't dig any further into that lipstick tube with your lip brush. If this sounds familiar, what you may not realise is that keeping certain products for too long can be unhealthy.
'All products have a length of time during which they are most effective,' says Dr. Patrick Bowler, a leading dermatologist who practices in London and the founder of The British Association of Cosmetic Doctors. He adds, 'If you keep cosmetics longer than that, they no longer work well and you increase the risk of contamination.'
Unfortunately, you can't always tell a product's shelf life just by looking at the label, because there's no longer a legal requirement to use expiry or use-by dates on the majority of products. According to The Cosmetics Products Safety Regulations of 1996, only products that won't last longer than 30 months need to show a use-by date, whereas all other products don't need one.
'Most products are packed with preservatives - in some cases as many as five or six - to ensure that they don't allow bacteria to breed easily,' says Dr. Bowler. 'So, in most cases, once a product is past its use-by date you'll simply end up with something that looks and smells "off," is unpleasant to use and is no longer effective." The worse case scenario is that you could develop a nasty rash or skin infection if the product has become contaminated with bacteria. However, the chances of this happening are extremely rare, because most cosmetics these days are packed with such large doses of preservatives.
How you handle your makeup in general can also affect its
shelf life. “If you take care of your products, using them for just a few extra
months beyond the expiry date will most likely be safe,” says Rivers. A public
education bulletin from Health Canada recommends that you keep your cosmetics
germ-free by:
·
Washing your hands before applying.
·
Not sharing makeup.
·
Not adding water or saliva to dilute makeup.
·
Keeping cosmetics in a dry area, away from
direct heat or sunlight.
Basic guideline:
1. Skin Care: 1-2 years depending on the products. If you are using the products properly, most should last you no longer than 8 months.
1. Skin Care: 1-2 years depending on the products. If you are using the products properly, most should last you no longer than 8 months.
2. Natural/Organic products: lack of preservatives means
these last the least amount of time and are most prone to bacteria growth. 6
months tops and try to keep hands and water completely out of them.
3. Mascara: wet and near the eyeballs. 3 months. Do not
compromise on this one. Replace every three months or earlier if you start to
experience any eye irritation. Don’t share! Be greedy and territorial. I am
terrible and do not follow this rule, despite my “no compromise” comment.
4. Liquid Eyeliner: 3-6 months. Similar to mascara but these
are less likely to touch the actual eye.
5. Liquid Concealers
and Foundations: 6-12 months. These can oxidize when exposed to air. The same
reason your foundation may look different at the end of the day. Keep those
lids tight!
6. Cream shadows and blushes: 6- 12 months again. These
usually involve more finger proddings and blendings. Make sure your hands are
clean, or apply with a clean makeup brush.
7. Lipstick: 12 months. Heat and moisture have a big effect
on these.
8. Powders (foundation, blush and eye shadow): 1-2 years. If kept dry and clean these are your longest lasting products. Mineral makeups have a good long shelf life as they are made of rocks/minerals and can’t really harbor bacteria. However if they have additional ingredients like anti-oxidants or anything anti-inflammatory they do become less effective over time.
8. Powders (foundation, blush and eye shadow): 1-2 years. If kept dry and clean these are your longest lasting products. Mineral makeups have a good long shelf life as they are made of rocks/minerals and can’t really harbor bacteria. However if they have additional ingredients like anti-oxidants or anything anti-inflammatory they do become less effective over time.
9. Eye and lip pencils: 2 years
If you’re still unsure about a product, here are some
warning signs that will tell you if it has expired:
·
The product’s smell has changed.
·
It has been exposed to prolonged heat.
·
There is an obvious color or textural change.
·
Mould is evident
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