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Post Info TOPIC: Cosmetics Shelf Life
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Kenneth Cole

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Cosmetics Shelf Life
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I found a great article on the shelf life of certain cosmetics. Really helpful...Enjoy!


  • Concealer Up to 12 months.




  • Eye liner Should be sharpened regularly. Will last up to 3 years.




  • Eyeshadow Will also last up to 3 years.

     


  • Foundation Check the ingredients: A water-based foundation will last up to 12 months, oil-based will last up to 18 months. You may find you need two different shades of foundation each year: One for summer when your skin is naturally darker & one for winter when you're lighter. Extra tip: If your water-based foundation dries out before it's expiry date, simply add a few drops of alcohol-free toner & shake to get rid of clumps. No need to do this to oil-based foundations. Because they contain oil, they will tend to separate. You have to shake anyway.



  • Lip liner Up to 3 years.

     


  • Lipstick Up to 4 years, but if it smells rancid, throw it out, it's spoiled. Extra tip: If you store lipstick in the refrigerator, it will last longer. Bonus tip: Want your lipstick to last longer during the day? Shade in lips with lip liner before applying lipstick.




  • Mascara This product expires the fastest: Throw out after 3 months. Extra tip: If you don't want your mascara to expire faster than its fresh date, don't pump the wand in & out, you're only exposing the product to drying air.




  • Nail Polish Up to 12 months, depending on the quality & how many times you take it on a plane (the cap always unscrews on me during flights, leaving my purse a -- fume-y -- mess!)



  • Powder Up to 2 years.
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    Hermione


    Kate Spade

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    Posts: 1029
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    this is hilarious - i keep my makeup for a really long time - i just don't use that much and i used to buy it in mass quantities when i worked in the beauty industry. 


    i never believed the shelf life that the cosmetics people and salons/spas (including mine) would tell people - they said like 6 months for everything!  how ridiculous!


    the only thing i regularly (and fairly frequently) replace is my mascara.



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    rosey


    Dooney & Bourke

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    Thanks for posting this- really helpful!

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    Elle


    Hermes

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    Hmmm, while I think they're good general guidelines, I feel like it's partially a ploy from cosmetics manufacturers to increase sales.  Unless the smell or consistency of something changes and you wash the brushes/applicators you use often, I really don't see a reason to throw something out until it's gone. 


    FWIW, I have:


    Eyeshadows & Lipsticks that are approximatel 5 years old, still as good as new


    Foundation that is 3 years old, finally almost empty but still as good as new


    Nail Polish that is 7 years old, still just fine


    I don't have any old powder, because I go through it fairly quickly


    The only thing I replace on a regular schedule is my mascara, only because it gets too dried out to use!  I've never suffered any ill effects (infections, rashes, etc) from using 'old' makeup.  JMO



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    Metric


    Gucci

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    Posts: 2747
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    I was just watching a beauty segment on our local morning show where the "expert" claimed that for optimal eye health you should throw out your mascara every 6 weeks! Hello? At like $25 bucks a pop (I use Dior show) thats pretty pricy. And a waste- no one uses a whole tube of mascara in 6 weeks.


    I thought it was really stupid.



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    bex


    Chanel

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    Posts: 3194
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    BrazenCanadian wrote:

    I was just watching a beauty segment on our local morning show where the "expert" claimed that for optimal eye health you should throw out your mascara every 6 weeks! Hello? At like $25 bucks a pop (I use Dior show) thats pretty pricy. And a waste- no one uses a whole tube of mascara in 6 weeks. I thought it was really stupid.
    the last time i was at sephora looking for mascara i was complaining because it seemed that the one i was using at the time "flaked".  the SA asked how long i had had it (2 months) and claimed that you should throw mascara out every 2 months! 

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