The simple trick to tell if your makeup has expired

Perhaps one of the biggest internal beauty battles we constantly have is admitting it’s time to throw out makeup products that we’ve had for longer than we’d like to admit. You paid good money for them and parting with them before they’re empty just seems like a waste (even if you haven’t used them in months!).

While we understand the reluctance to ditch old products, the consequences of not doing so can be severe. According to Women’s Health, using expired makeup can not only deliver lacklustre results as the consistency of the product changes over time, but it could also do harm to your skin, causing inflammation, redness and swelling.

To avoid all that, there is one simple trick to use to ensure the makeup you’re using hasn’t expired. As soon as you buy a new product look to the back and somewhere close to the mL size of the bottle or tube, the estimated expiry time should be listed (check out the image below for reference). The number refers to the number of months the product is good for once opening.

Our top tip: If you’re likely to forget exactly when you bought a product, make a note on the product itself of when you purchased it so you know exactly how long you have before it’s time to throw it out.

If a product doesn’t have an expiry date, look to this guide:

2-3 months
Mascara

1 year
Foundation
Concealer
Eyeshadow
Lipgloss
Eye and lip liner

2 years
Lipstick
Nail polish
Powder
Blush
Bronzer
Brow pencil

Now you’ve got your expiration dates sorted, find out the answers to your top foundation questions and the biggest makeup mistakes you should avoid.

Image credit: Pinterest;@lorealmakeup