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When to throw out makeup

post #1 of 65
3/20/09 at 4:54pm
Thread Starter 
So according to a MAC artist, here is when we should throw out makeup..:

1. LOOSE GLITTER (pigments): 2 years
2. LIQUID FOUNDATION: 6 months
3. LIPSTICK: 1 year
4. PRESSED POWDER: 18 months
5. POWDER BLUSH: 2 years
6. LOOSE POWDER: 2 years
7. LIQUID LINER: 6 months
8. LIQUID HIGHLIGHTER: 6 months
9. EYE SHADOW: 2 years
10. MASCARA: 3 months
11. LIPGLOSS: 1 year
12. EYE LINER PENCIL: 1 year
13. CONCEALER: 1 year
14. CREAM BLUSH: 2 years
(source)

Oh man..I definitely don't want to think of it like this..lol if I followed this, half of my stash would be in the trash right now and I really don't want to do that..
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post #2 of 65
3/20/09 at 4:59pm

Re: When to throw out makeup

oh no I don't want to think about it either.
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post #3 of 65
3/20/09 at 5:06pm

Re: When to throw out makeup

Quote:
Originally Posted by mizuki~ View Post
So according to a MAC artist, here is when we should throw out makeup..:

1. LOOSE GLITTER (pigments): 2 years
2. LIQUID FOUNDATION: 6 months
3. LIPSTICK: 1 year
4. PRESSED POWDER: 18 months
5. POWDER BLUSH: 2 years
6. LOOSE POWDER: 2 years
7. LIQUID LINER: 6 months
8. LIQUID HIGHLIGHTER: 6 months
9. EYE SHADOW: 2 years
10. MASCARA: 3 months
11. LIPGLOSS: 1 year
12. EYE LINER PENCIL: 1 year
13. CONCEALER: 1 year
14. CREAM BLUSH: 2 years
(source)

Oh man..I definitely don't want to think of it like this..lol if I followed this, half of my stash would be in the trash right now and I really don't want to do that..
I'd like to know what that is based on.

I have a masters in chemistry and chemical engineering, and I would never follow those guidelines. It might be based on how long it takes for the chemicals that control bacterial growth to lose their functionality, but a powder product is a horrible place for bacteria to grow anyway. As long as powder products are kept dry, you can use them forever.

You have to be more careful with liquid products, but I'd never throw them out unless they started seperating, the texture changed, or they smell bad.
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post #4 of 65
3/20/09 at 5:13pm

Re: When to throw out makeup

i've had most of my pigments for 4-5 years and i refuse to toss'em. i always scoop out what i need and use it separately anyway.
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post #5 of 65
3/20/09 at 5:24pm
Thread Starter 

Re: When to throw out makeup

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jinni View Post
I'd like to know what that is based on.

I have a masters in chemistry and chemical engineering, and I would never follow those guidelines. It might be based on how long it takes for the chemicals that control bacterial growth to lose their functionality, but a powder product is a horrible place for bacteria to grow anyway. As long as powder products are kept dry, you can use them forever.

You have to be more careful with liquid products, but I'd never throw them out unless they started seperating, the texture changed, or they smell bad.
Thanks! Although I never planned on following that guideline, that makes me feel a lot better about my products
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post #6 of 65
3/20/09 at 5:40pm

Re: When to throw out makeup

I am going to pretend I never read this....
lol jk, it's good to know, like the lipstick, lipgloss and liquid foundation. Idk about the eye shadows though.
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post #7 of 65
3/20/09 at 6:05pm

Re: When to throw out makeup

i have had some nars multiples and blushes for over 5 years. they have not changed consistency, they dont smell and they are just as awesome as they were the day i bought them, why would i throw them away. i swear these rules are to make money for the cosmetics industry, use common sense. if the product looks or smells weird, toss it
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post #8 of 65
3/20/09 at 6:17pm

Re: When to throw out makeup

Makeup is a horrible place for bacteria to grow, theres no nutrients for it to survive on.. unless you use the dry products wet. i wouldnt follow that guideline per se but use your good judgement. You can tell when something goes bad when the smell and texture changes.

I have a few pigments from 2001 and they are still fine, maybe i should bring it to the lab and do a simple stain and check to see if there are bacteria growing.. actuallly i should do that with all my makeup.. just to see..
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post #9 of 65
3/20/09 at 6:55pm

Re: When to throw out makeup

Quote:
Originally Posted by xxManBeaterxx View Post
I have a few pigments from 2001 and they are still fine, maybe i should bring it to the lab and do a simple stain and check to see if there are bacteria growing.. actuallly i should do that with all my makeup.. just to see..
Yeah, would be fun to try

I'm guessing you'd probably find some bacteria, but not more than you'd find on say... your desk, and certainly not as many as on the average keyboard or on people's hands.

That said, I have seen mold grow on potted lipgloss. I should have taken a picture, but I just threw it out.
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post #10 of 65
3/20/09 at 9:30pm

Re: When to throw out makeup

Hmm.. Im in the lab right now..

I did a simple stain on my 2 year old mascara (that i dont use). I found rod shaped and coccus shaped bacteria.. So i just smeared it on an agar plate and in 24 hours i'll see what kind of bacteria we have.. I think its Staph Aureus... All though its not life threatening if you get it into your eye or a cut i could get a nasty infection.

I did another smear on my 2 1/2 year old lip gloss.. I found it was INFESTED with rod shapped bacteria.. O_O disgusting i still used it too.. I smeared this one on an agar too... Meh i hope its not samonella or e coli.. -_- ya ever re apply lip products after you ate something? -_-??

Did you guys ever forget your lipgloss in the hot car all day by accident?? Yeah that can cause a lot of bacteria to grow..

My pigment was A OK, since i dont grab directly from the jar...
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post #11 of 65
3/20/09 at 9:59pm
Thread Starter 

Re: When to throw out makeup

Quote:
Originally Posted by xxManBeaterxx View Post
Hmm.. Im in the lab right now..

I did a simple stain on my 2 year old mascara (that i dont use). I found rod shaped and coccus shaped bacteria.. So i just smeared it on an agar plate and in 24 hours i'll see what kind of bacteria we have.. I think its Staph Aureus... All though its not life threatening if you get it into your eye or a cut i could get a nasty infection.

I did another smear on my 2 1/2 year old lip gloss.. I found it was INFESTED with rod shapped bacteria.. O_O disgusting i still used it too.. I smeared this one on an agar too... Meh i hope its not samonella or e coli.. -_- ya ever re apply lip products after you ate something? -_-??

Did you guys ever forget your lipgloss in the hot car all day by accident?? Yeah that can cause a lot of bacteria to grow..

My pigment was A OK, since i dont grab directly from the jar...
WHOA that's not good..lol Thanks for sharing! *glares at old lipglosses*.. I think I should start buying cheap drugstore glosses from now on since I'm the type of person that leaves it in hot cars all the time...haha
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post #12 of 65
3/20/09 at 10:42pm

Re: When to throw out makeup

I think those guidelines are just there so people can't sue cosmetic companies if their makeup goes off.
I reckon you're safe enough with powder products but with liquid ones use your judgement. If the colour/consistency/smell/taste changes then throw them away and don't let other people use your lipgloss/mascara because they're the ones most suited to bacteria growth.
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post #13 of 65
3/21/09 at 12:31am

Re: When to throw out makeup

Puh-lease. I don't throw out any of my powder products. Call me gross but whatever. Liquid foundations are supposed to last 24 months and I'll toss them after that and the same goes for cream/emollient face products as well. But that is as much as I'll toss. Oh and once a lip product begins to smell I toss them as well. But mascara is the only product that I trash regularly. That's just me though.
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post #14 of 65
4/2/09 at 12:25pm

Re: When to throw out makeup

I use up foundation, concealer, and mascara so fast that it's not an issue. I only use lipstick about once a week though and have never used one up completely, so I probably have a couple I should toss.

I'm with Twinkle_Twinkle on the powder products though. You would have to pry my eyeshadows from my cold dead hands. I'm keeping them all until they are completely used up.
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post #15 of 65
4/2/09 at 2:00pm

Re: When to throw out makeup

I think I`ll buy less lip products..please let us know what you found out in lipglass.Thanx
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post #16 of 65
4/2/09 at 2:07pm

Re: When to throw out makeup

Quote:
Originally Posted by xxManBeaterxx View Post
Hmm.. Im in the lab right now..

I did a simple stain on my 2 year old mascara (that i dont use). I found rod shaped and coccus shaped bacteria.. So i just smeared it on an agar plate and in 24 hours i'll see what kind of bacteria we have.. I think its Staph Aureus... All though its not life threatening if you get it into your eye or a cut i could get a nasty infection.

I did another smear on my 2 1/2 year old lip gloss.. I found it was INFESTED with rod shapped bacteria.. O_O disgusting i still used it too.. I smeared this one on an agar too... Meh i hope its not samonella or e coli.. -_- ya ever re apply lip products after you ate something? -_-??

Did you guys ever forget your lipgloss in the hot car all day by accident?? Yeah that can cause a lot of bacteria to grow..

My pigment was A OK, since i dont grab directly from the jar...
Im curious to see what you would find in powder products. Well maybe not. LOL
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post #17 of 65
4/6/09 at 10:53pm

Re: When to throw out makeup

say if I bought a mascara but never opened it for three months....will it be bad by the time I opened it, or does it actually start from the point when I twist the cap off the mascara?
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post #18 of 65
4/7/09 at 4:53am

Re: When to throw out makeup

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jinni View Post
I'd like to know what that is based on.

I have a masters in chemistry and chemical engineering, and I would never follow those guidelines. It might be based on how long it takes for the chemicals that control bacterial growth to lose their functionality, but a powder product is a horrible place for bacteria to grow anyway. As long as powder products are kept dry, you can use them forever.

You have to be more careful with liquid products, but I'd never throw them out unless they started seperating, the texture changed, or they smell bad.

I think it's based on companies wanting us to buy more products.

Thanks for the helpful advice

Quote:
Originally Posted by kuuipo415
say if I bought a mascara but never opened it for three months....will it be bad by the time I opened it, or does it actually start from the point when I twist the cap off the mascara?
As far as I know, it's from the point where you take the cap off and let air in to the tube.
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post #19 of 65
4/7/09 at 5:17pm

Re: When to throw out makeup

yea i can't bear to part with my products. most of mine are older than suggested.
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post #20 of 65
6/6/09 at 5:07am

Re: When to throw out makeup

what if you haven't opened the product at all? does it still go bad?
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post #21 of 65
6/6/09 at 4:14pm

Re: When to throw out makeup

For what I paid? I ain't throwing it out till it's gone. At least for eyeshadows, blushes, lipstick/gloss.

Mascaras I go thru quickly, so no biggie.
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post #22 of 65
9/15/09 at 5:56pm

Re: When to throw out makeup

Same here. I have a MAC lipgloss I haven't used in 3 years and it doesn't smell funky. Sounds gross I know.
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post #23 of 65
9/15/09 at 6:07pm

Re: When to throw out makeup

Quote:
Originally Posted by kuuipo415 View Post
say if I bought a mascara but never opened it for three months....will it be bad by the time I opened it, or does it actually start from the point when I twist the cap off the mascara?
Quote:
Originally Posted by PrincessAriel03 View Post
what if you haven't opened the product at all? does it still go bad?
It's only once it's been opened and the air has a chance to get to it. That said if the mascara is not sealed tightly to begin with there may be a problem. I've had that happen with MAC paint pots; new from the MAC store but already drying because the lid wasn't on tight from the factory...so annoying!!

Mascara is really the only thing I throw out regularily. If you'd ever had an eye infection from mascara before you would too!! It's horrible.
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post #24 of 65
9/15/09 at 6:28pm

Re: When to throw out makeup

I'm really bad with this. I've had some products for such a long time, but I still have them and use them. It may be gross, but I hang on to my stuff until it starts to look or smell weird.

Mascara is the only one I get rid of after a few monthes because it gets all clumpy and that is just not cute.
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post #25 of 65
9/15/09 at 7:14pm

Re: When to throw out makeup

***runs to the MAC shrine in her bathroom and begins the sacrifice ceremony**
Anything in a powder form is spared... as for the lipsticks, glosses, glasses,& mascaras.....
Bye, bye
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post #26 of 65
9/15/09 at 7:49pm

Re: When to throw out makeup

lol, this is why those of us who have a ton of makeup always get, "why do you have so much? you'll never use it all!"

i had two lipglasses that i B2Med on sunday.one was 4-5 years old and the other was about two years old. i stopped using them a long while ago since they were almost done and they were getting kinda... gross when i got rid of them (although i'd like to think they were still usable, lol).

those expirations all seem reasonable until you get to the eyeshadow. TWO YEARS?! lol, i still have my very first mac eyeshadow i got five years ago and i am NOW just seeing the bottom of the pan. not following that rule, homes
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post #27 of 65
9/15/09 at 9:31pm

Re: When to throw out makeup

i'm going to chose to forget i ever read this and i wont feel bad about having my make up for too long *sings* lalalala... i cant hear you... hahaha
i'm going to keep using my stuff til it runs out or goes bad.. mascara i always chuck after 6 weeks or so anyway
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post #28 of 65
9/15/09 at 11:55pm

Re: When to throw out makeup

I agree with most of the posts i throw out mascara more frequently than my other makeup products.
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post #29 of 65
9/17/09 at 6:21pm

Re: When to throw out makeup

I have some eyeshadows somewhere in a box, from 1996. Meh.

I'm a microbiologist, so I don't get as freaked out over stuff as a normal person would. Bacteria is everywhere and anywhere... there's more bacterial cells on and in the human body than there are human cells. Unless you live in a sterile bubble, there's going to be bacteria on everything you come in contact wtih. Most bacteria is non pathogenic as well.

Mascaras I throw out when they get too clumpy or I get sick of that brand... so about 6 months to a year. I've never had any eye problems. Other than that, I have never had a make up product go "bad" on me. I wouldn't be into make up if I had to seriously toss everything after a year or a few months...

I feel like I'm living on the edge, LOL!
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post #30 of 65
9/18/09 at 5:30am

Re: When to throw out makeup

I use mascara everyday and I throw them away every 3 months. I always try to finish my lipglosses within 18 months. With the other stuffs like e/s and blushes, I'll use them until they run out.
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