Some Things Last Forever: Make Up Isn't One of Them

Unlike diamonds, makeup is not forever. It expires.

Yes, it is true. Those expiration dates on cosmetics are not a marketing ploy to get you to buy more mascara when you can still scrape some gunk out of your old tube.

It’s a safety issue, especially with eye makeup. Every time you swash on mascara and dip the brush back into the tube, you transfer bacteria from your eyes to the tube, where it will make baby bacteria that you will then reapply to your eyes the next day. It’s an ugly, ugly cycle of life.

You wouldn’t eat food past its expiration date, would you? (Husbands would, but would you?) Don’t wear cosmetics past their prime, either.

Most cosmetics are formulated to have a shelf life of one to three years when stored according to directions. Products that have been exposed to high temperatures or sunlight may not last that long.

Here’s how long specific cosmetics can usually be stored. Start counting when you open the container. Since you’ll never remember or be able to keep up with everything, write the expiration date (calculated from the time you opened the container) on the bottle with a permanent marker.

Mascara: 3 months
Cleanser: 6 months
Eye shadow: 6 months
Foundation: 6 months
Moisturizer: 6 months
Concealer: 6 to 8 months
Blush: 6 to 12 months
Lipstick and gloss: 1 year
Powder: 1 year
Toner: 1 year
Nail polish: 2 years
Applicator sponges and brushes: toss disposable ones and wash others regularly

Keep makeup containers tightly closed and store them at room temperature. Toss anything that looks or smells bad. Yuck.

Bear in mind that natural cosmetics, and those that have no preservatives, may expire sooner than others. You should never add water or (worse!) saliva to thin out a foundation or other cosmetic. Do not return unused foundation to the container. Discard if you accidentally pour out too much. Do not share cosmetics. (Similarly, avoid testers in department stores.)