Does Skincare And Makeup Expire? How To Tell When Your Beauty Products Are Off
Has your once trusty moisturiser left you a little itchy? Is your lucky lipstick looking lacklustre? And is your favourite mascara becoming dry and flaky? It could mean that they’re past their prime...
It's always a sad day when the the makeup we've imprinted on, or formed an emotional attachment to start to feel gammy. "Mould grows where there is an ideal environment for it," Roberta Del Campo, a board-certified dermatologist, told Allure. "Moisture, warmth, and food are all necessary for mould to grow."
It means, asides from buying products with natural preservatives and keeping lids tight, simple environmental factors such as storing your beauty stash somewhere cool, dark and dry, could help preserve it for longer. Make room in a drawer and keep your skincare and makeup as far away from the radiator as you can. Some influencers have even been investing in mini-fridges to store their favourite makeup products (that's dedication).
Keep an eye on your makeup tools, too. There's no point storing your products correctly, only to dip a bacteria-ridden brush into your bronzer, or dirty fingers into your face cream. You know the hard film that can develop on top of powders, blushers and bronzers? They're caused by the bacteria and oils from your skin and elsewhere, transferring onto your products and solidifying. Yikes. Clean your beauty blender, people!
With a lot of us in lockdown, now could be the perfect time to sift through your beauty stash. However, before you risk putting something perfectly good in the bin (sob) or definitely dodgy on your face (ew), listen up and use your common sense. Look closely at the product as well as the expiration date. If it's gone clumpy or it smells? Something probably isn't right. If you bought it months ago but only just opened it, you should have plenty of life still left in your product.
How do I know how long my skincare should last?
You want to make sure you’re not smearing something that’s taken a funky turn into your skin. Not only could it cause breakouts, but remember everything going in your skin carries on down into your body. Like, all the way in. Plus, if the active ingredients have gone off, then those two hours you’ve just spent on your ten step regime could have been a big fat waste of time.
Rather than taking a guess and potentially poisoning yourself (dramatic? Us?) or throwing away a perfectly good, eye-wateringly expensive cream, try them on a friend to see if their face falls off. JOKES. Instead, try looking for secret symbols. Alexandra Jansons, founder of British-based skincare brand Oilixia, explains…
‘Period After Opening’ (the little tub-and-lid symbol that has a 6M or 12M, for example, printed inside it): “Most products on the market have a shelf life of over 30 months when left unopened.” The 6 or 12 indicate it’s safe to use for that number of months after opening.
‘Best Before Date’ (hourglass symbol with a date stamped nearby): “This is when the product should be used before. It’s required for a product that has an unopened shelf life of under 30 months”.
How can I keep it in good shape?
These symbols are useful, yes, but don’t take them as gospel. “They don’t take into consideration how you store the product once you bring them home,” says Dr Stefanie Williams, founder and Medical Director at top London clinic Eudelo. “The storage conditions very much influence how long a skincare item is good for.” This means taking them out of your bathroom (the humidity and constant changes in temperature play havoc on formulas) and off of your windowsill (direct sunlight does the same thing). Try Muji for the niftiest storage solutions.
With skincare becoming more active (‘unstable’ ingredients such as Vitamin C are now being used more widely), the way it’s delivered to consumers – and the size and shape of the containers - is changing. For example, smaller bottles aren’t a way of companies ripping you off. Quite the opposite, says skin care expert and facialist Teresa Tarmey: “A big product can lose properties very easily, or oxidise. Go for smaller sizes that will be used while they’re in their prime”. Try treatment kits too.
Unless your go-to cream comes in a jar, try going for pipettes and pumps: “Some amazing products come in a jar, but with fingers going in, bacteria goes in. And – depending on the ingredients - constant contact with the air can cause products to oxidise too” says Tarmey.
Tips and tricks:
“Label your product with the date of opening” suggests Dr Stefanie “as time goes quicker than you think!”. Trying keeping a Sharpie with your products to mark the date you pop their cherry.
If a product comes in a jar or pot, use a spatula or cotton bud to scoop it out instead of your grubby little fingers.
If something stings or tingles (but never used to), wipe it straight off and bin it.
If the colour has changed, bin it “especially with vitamin based serums, which have a tendency to go brownish” says Tarmey.
If something has changed in smell (“sniff for a rancid, sickly-sweet or foul smell” suggests Dr Stefanie) guess what? BIN IT.
How long should my skincare products last on average?
Again, this can depend on how it's stored. A moisturiser in a pump tube will remain fresher for longer than one in a jar, but in general, most skincare products like moisturisers, eye creams, face masks and serums will last between six months and a year.
How do I know if my makeup has expired?
Because the texture of makeup is so important to its efficacy, it’s actually pretty easy to tell, by sight and feel, whether they’re better off in the bin. “It’s fairly obvious,” says Mary Greenwell (supremo makeup artist) “mascara will clog and pencils will dry out”. When you see those changes, it’s time to trash. And not just because they’ll apply badly, but because they’ll fill with bacteria over time. “Adhere to any sell-by dates and chuck them if they look a bit dodgy. I would never risk damage to the skin” says’ Greenwell.
Tips and tricks:
Change mascara and pencils every few months, or when it clogs or dries.
Liquid foundations should last for around a year.
Powders can last for years “unless they get a greasy film” says Mary, “that means they’ve been contaminated with another product.
Regularly cleaning brushes will help stop bacteria transfer and prolong the life of the makeup you’re sweeping them in.
Wipe your lipstick with a tissue after each use to prevent bacteria building up. If it’s dragging or clumping on your lips it’s possibly dried out.
How long should my makeup last on average?
Products around our eyes have the shortest shelf life with mascaras and liquid liners lasting around three months. Liquid foundation and liquid concealer should last you around a year, while lipsticks, lip pencils and powder products such a bronzers and blushers can last for between three and five years.
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