Beauty Product Expiration Dates

Have Your Beauty Products Expired?

If only makeup were like red wine with the unspoken promise of getting better with age. Instead, every beauty product has an expiration date and some are shorter-lived than others once you pop the top. Rather than wait for your makeup to crust, discolor or give off a strange odor, make a point to organize your cosmetics bag every season. This will keep you organized and remind you to weed out mascaras and liquid eyeliners that potentially contain harmful bacteria (this is especially critical if you're a contact lens wearer) Herein, a few beauty expiration dates you ought to be mindful of.

Mascara Expiration Date

A mascara wand can harbor all sorts of bacteria, especially if they've been shared with others (a no-no by all accounts, but some women still take the risk). Although most mascara formulations contain preservatives that are gentle enough for use near the eyes, the fact that they are continually exposed to germs gives them the shortest shelf life of all cosmetics. Don't ever add water or saliva to dried-out mascara or you will introduce even more bacteria to the equation. Expiration date: 4 months.

Foundation Expiration Date

Your foundation is only as clean as your fingers, which you are usually forced to dip into formulas that are packaged in pots or open bottles. Tubes, pumps and sprays are ideal and generally make for less mess. Expiration date: up to 18 months.

Lipstick Expiration Date

You'll know when your most loyal lip products have gone sour—they'll dry out, discolor and change smell or taste. You might wear out your liner before it goes bad, since sharpening it regularly helps germs from accumulating. Expiration date: 2 to 4 years.

Nail Polish Expiration Date

Some say the trick to resuscitating old nail polish is to mix it with a little nail polish remover (one of few beauty products that lasts indefinitely) to thin it out. We say buy a new bottle and save yourself the trouble of dealing with a clumpy mess. Expiration date: 1 year.

Fragrance Expiration Date

An acidic, vinegar-like smell is a sign that a scent should be tossed in the trash, unless you like smelling like salad. Spray-on formulas generally last longer because less air enters the bottle (air causes a fragrance's composition to change). Expiration date: when the scent begins to change.

To get the most mileage from your makeup, store it away from heat—a cool, dry place far removed from the sun is your best bet. And, of course, always recycle the containers whenever possible.

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