Expired?

It’s so easy with food to know when it’s better in the bin than on your plate.  But when it comes to beauty products (which so rarely boast a written expiration date) it’s a different story.

That handy stamp telling you when it’s time to toss an item isn’t mandatory on your lipstick or face cream and because of that fact, we often use beauty products that have either lost their effectiveness or contain more bacteria, mold and yeast than we’d like to know about.

And why shouldn’t we hold on to that liquid foundation until it’s within a centimeter of its life? Or squeeze out that very last drop of moisturizer? We’re spending hard-earned money on this stuff, right? Right. But the likelihood is that if you have a beauty product that is expired, you probably haven’t been using it.

Don’t worry, we’re all guilty of holding on to things for a bit too long — even if we haven’t touched it in months.

Here are a few tips to help improve your beauty product regime:

#1: “When in doubt, throw it out!”  (especially if it smells off or is different from when originally purchased).

#2: Avoid buying beauty products in “bulk sizing” (Unless you have more than one person using the products, 12 ounces or less is the way to go).

#3: Most preservative systems ensure the shelf life of products as well as keep bacterial contamination at bay once opened.  Keep organic or non-preservative items in the fridge.

#4: Limit exposure to air & keep lids tight.  Be sure to wash your hands before use– the less you touch the product, the better.

#5:  Keep beauty products out of the bathroom.  Every time you shower, you steam up the room & moisture can get into your products, diminishing their shelf life.

Most products are effective up to a year, with the exception of eye liners & mascara– recommended use 3 months.