Makeup Expiration Dates that Every Girl Should Know

It is no surprise that makeup is a girl's best friend. It's beautiful, smells good, colorful, and makes us look even prettier than we are. With that said we never want to get rid of our best friends, well unless they do us dirty, but if they are perfectly fine after a year we are not just going to throw friends away and get new ones just because. Unfortunately, that is where makeup and besties differ. Believe it or not each product has a universal expiration date that should be followed and a lot of people don't know it and that could be toxic for your skin and health. So, ladies, say good bye to that mascara you've had in your purse forever and that favorite lipgloss you've had since middle school and also treat your makeup like your toothbrush: don't share it with friends, make sure it is clean after using it, and keep it away from your dog.

1. Perfume - 10 Years

How to know when it's bad: When they become sour or lighten in color it is time to toss.

Why you should toss: Perfume is made with all kind of chemicals. When the chemicals expire they still react just in different ways that cause sourness or different colors. You don't want to spray expired reacted chemicals into your pores.

2. Nail Polish - 2 Years

How: When the nail polish is super thick, starting to dry up in the bottle, separated into layers, and won't blend then it has gone bad.

Why: Your fingers and cuticles are so fragile. You don't want to put anything old on them because it can easily cause fungus and bacteria.

3. Lotion - 2 Years

How: When your lotion becomes goopy, water, (textures that it shouldn't be), or when the color and smell has changed it's lime to say good bye.

Why: Just like perfume you don't want to add expired chemicals straight to your pores.

4. Lipstick (stick or liquid) - 1 to 2 Years

How: When your stick lipstick becomes dry and flaky or falls off the application it is time to go. When your liquid lipstick becomes extra think or you see that it is starting to dry inside the bottle, toss it.

Why: Expired lipstick can cause dry and irritated lips because the product comes out so harshly.

5. Eyeshadow, Blush, and products that a powder based - 2 Years

How: When the product is more powdery than it is supped to be or drier then it's time to say bye bye.

Why: The products kind of turn chalky... you don't want to put chalk on your face, especially your lids because they can become irritated and inflamed.

6. Eyeliner Pencils - 1 Years

How: When they break easily, dry, or become chalky.

Why: You are applying pencils directly to your upper and lower lash line, not to mention your waterline which directly touches your eyeball after application. If your eyeliner isn't fresh it can create all sorts of eye problems with inflammation, the iris, and the eyelashes.

7. Lip Gloss - 1 Year

How: When your gloss is super thick it's time to throw it in the trash.

Why: No one wants a thick, heavy product on their lips. It's uncomfortable and not good for your lips.

8. Foundation and Concealers (Liquid) - 6 Months

How: When it becomes streaky, the color has changed, or the oil and other products have separated creating layers in the bottle.

Why: Foundation is the basis of makeup (other than primers). It is important because it is the product that mostly touches your skin. If you put foundation that is expired on your skin it can create bacteria which can cause pimples and irritation directly on your face.

9. Cream Eye Shadows and cream based products- 6 Months

How: When they harden or the textures change.

Why: Creams can sour quite quickly and you don't want to cause irritation, pimples, or infections when they spoil.

10. Mascara - 3 Months

How: When you first take your wand out of it's container it makes that popping sound, as soon as you don't hear that you should throw it out because this means it's not fresh. Also when it starts to smell weird or gets really clumpy.

Why: As soon as mascara is not fresh you should toss because that means it is not completely sealing and germs are getting inside creating bacteria which could lead to eye inflammatory and conditions like blepharitis.

11. Liquid Eyeliner - 3 Months

How: When they dry up or stop working (streak).

Why: Again, this is going directly onto your eyelash and lash line. It easily traps germs and when it expires you don't want germs spreading on your eye.

Sources used:

http://www.byrdie.com/makeup-expiration-dates-masc...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/08/makeup-ex...

http://www.hairsprayandhighheels.net/2014/04/makeu...

http://www.seventeen.com/beauty/makeup-skincare/advice/g370/makeup-expiration-date-guidelines/?