If you’ve ever looked closely at your beauty packaging, you’ve probably noticed this sneaky symbol in the fine print:
Embarrassing as it is, I didn’t even know makeup could expire until curiosity got the best of me and I finally looked up what this little symbol means. Like many women in my life, I used to hold onto my favorite makeup for years on end. You can probably find my favorites from high school if you dug through beauty cabinet for long enough. But, I’ll admit, since finding out my beloved beauty products really do expire, my outlook has changed. But don’t go throwing out half your stash just yet – keep reading to find out more about what it means for makeup to expire and how to tell if your makeup is past its peak.
The Importance of the Expiration Date
Now, you may be wondering, why does the expiration date even matter? Similar to food, once makeup has “gone bad” its quality deteriorates leading to the possibility of bacteria growth which can cause infections and breakouts. To put it simply, the makeup is not as good as it used to be.
I know what you may be thinking, you probably have a trusted makeup product that you have been using religiously for many years, well past its expiration date, and is truly hard to give up. The truth of the matter is you are not alone. In fact, this affects people all around the world.
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98% of Brazilian female students sampled reported that they use makeup past the expiration date.
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One in four people use expired makeup in the United Kingdom.
How Do You Know Your Makeup Has Gone Bad?
So when is the right time to toss out products? Well, each makeup product has their own timeline and how long it tends to last before expiring. Here are some key visuals to look out for that show it's time to let your product go:
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The product smells different
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The texture is changed
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The color is off
Similar to food, a good smell test can tell you if there is something wrong with your product. Also, if you notice the texture of your product is not the same, for example, your powder is crumbly or your usually liquid foundation starts to thicken, it’s time for a change. Last but not least, a change in color, specifically in foundation, means that oxidation has occurred, which happens when the products react with exposed air. This can lead to foundation appearing darker or more orange than it should be, disrupting how the shade should look on your skin.
This Product’s Expiration Date May Shock You
To stay on the safe side, the best indicator of the expiration date is looking at the previously mentioned, open jar symbol, which indicates the Period After Opening in months. In fact, one specific product that I cannot live without, has a shorter shelf life than you probably anticipated. If you have mascara in your drawer and you’re not sure when you bought it, then it’s probably time to let it go. Mascara is actually one of the most important products to stay up to date on because of how much contact it makes with the eye. There’s a higher risk of eye infections due to microbial exposure across all eye cosmetic products. The recommended replacement time is 3 months after purchase, one of the shortest lifespans of cosmetic products.
You’re Ready to Toss Your Makeup, Now What?
Now that you know the need to retire expired makeup, there are many paths that your products can take after their time with you is over. One interesting initiative is the Pact Collective co-founded by Credo Beauty, a clean-beauty retailer SOSHE products are sold through, and MOB Beauty. This non-profit organization provides drop off locations for consumers to recycle their empties once they are finished or send them by mail. Furthermore, the site teaches you about where each product should go after it is finished. For example, stainless steel can be recycled at home while plastic and aluminum squeezable tubes can be sent to Pact Collective or dropped off at pickup points.
Numerous retailers have created recycling programs alongside Pact Collective including, Sephora’s Beauty (Re)Purposed Program and Ulta’s Beauty Dropoff, To ensure efficient recycling, it is also key to clean out all the residue remaining in products before mailing or dropping them off.
A Difficult Goodbye
With the vast amount of products in the world used on a daily basis, it’s most definitely important to care for our products just as much as they care for our skin. With that said, it may be time for us all to re-evaluate our makeup containers and say goodbye to a few products. I know I’ll be rummaging through my makeup bag while shedding a few tears. But as hard as it may be, both your skin and your products will be more grateful for it in the future.
What was the longest time you’ve ever kept a product? What about the first product you’ll be letting go of now? Feel free to share in the comments!
