Beauty Products & their Shelf Life

All cosmetics come with a shelf life and ideally need to be replenished when they reach expiry date. We tend to hold on to our favourite foundation, lipstick, eye pencils or maybe even mascara without realising that it is way past its expiry date so it is very essential that we give our makeup a check periodically and know when it is time for it to be tossed away.

1. Change of colour or oxidation of makeup products are sure shot signs that the makeup has gone bad. Some foundations might just dry up inside the bottle or palette. From 12 to 18 months is a safe time to use them. Beyond this you might actually be able to see fungus in a bottle of liquid or creme foundation. This if used, can give you break-outs and rashes on your face or even a terrible skin infection.
2. The touch and feel of your eyeshadow or pencil may not be the same as before and you will notice difficulty while applying it. Another tell tale sign is that the colour pigment in the eyeshadow will become less vibrant so you know it needs to head for the bin.
3. The smell of the makeup will suddenly be different. The moisturiser or cream might become smelly. All makeup is not refrigerator friendly but few skin care products can be stored in the refrigerator. You need to go strictly by the instructions mentioned.
4. It is not a good idea to keep your makeup in steamy hot and humid bathrooms as these places are conducive for bacteria to multiply and totally detrimental to its shelf life.
5. The texture of your blusher and compact  may become, dry and hard to use or even start crumbling.
6. Application of colour correctors or concealer will suddenly become different as they near expiry date and blending these products on the face will not be smooth anymore. Avoid using these makeup essentials with water as trapping bacteria in them would become a lot faster.
7. Visually if a product separates or looks thicker in consistency it has definitely become stale.
8. Sudden change in texture of liquid and gel eyeliners are a red signal and if not discarded in time can cause serious eye infections which can  have disastrous repercussions so keep an eye for those expiry dates without fail. Give these a check if you are using them beyond 4 months.
9. Makeup can catch fungi and mould easily so by heeding to expiry dates we the consumers can be safe from unnecessary hassles of harming ourselves.
10. The shelf life of mascara is not more than 4 to 6 months. A peculiar smell tells you that its time to ditch the mascara. Before buying your mascara you must check for expiry date as this is one make up product which has the least validity period. Another important tip and a good habit is to avoid sharing your mascara with anyone because in doing so, you can pass on infection the fastest and get it back yourself too. Better to be safe than sorry.