Comments on: Time to toss expired makeup?

By: Julie

Julie — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 20:42:57 +0000

Oh, Sooz, lipstick DEFINITELY goes bad. I cleaned out my makeup last night, coincidentally, after buying some new stuff (my rule: if I can’t fit it into my makeup storage, I have to throw old stuff out). It’s easy to tell when they go bad– they smell different. For example, Bobbi Brown lipsticks generally smell like nothing much. When they’ve turned, you smell a very pronounced wax smell. Mind you, it takes a LOT longer than a year (I threw away a lipstick I’m certain was about 6 years old yesterday, that hadn’t smelled the last time I used it).

Mascara– Sephora at the holidays sells these little trial packs, $30 for 10-12 LARGE sample sizes, enough to last a couple of months (per sample).

By: Sooz

Sooz — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 17:56:41 +0000

I refuse to believe that lipstick “goes bad”! Now, mascara I definitely ditch after a couple of months, regardless of how little or often I use it. And since I wear mascara rarely, I tend to use the small size ones that come in a gift-with-purchase goodie bag; somehow throwing that out doesn’t bother me as much as throwing out a full-size one. But lipstick-gone-bad has never been a problem, as far as I can tell. Still safely using lip gloss that was discontinued 5 years ago!

If makeup manufacturers were smart, they’d sell those small, travel-sizes of their products ROUTINELY. Small sizes would be bought for travel, for trying-out, and for being able to fit one’s makeup into a small purse without looking like one has packed for a road-trip! The manufacturers don’t have any idea how much they are missing in sales from this untapped market.

By: jenn

jenn — Sun, 24 May 2009 05:28:23 +0000

This might be a useful tool. http://tosstime.net/

By: tanny

tanny — Thu, 07 May 2009 06:55:54 +0000

while reading this i ws just thinking about all the unused and rather old products lying at home…i have to start my clean up mission..

By: Josephine

Josephine — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 19:35:02 +0000

Luckily, I don’t have this problem. The only “makeup” I wear is Chapstick.

By: Yodder

Yodder — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 18:22:52 +0000

@Jenn-

I am a graduate of Make-Up Designery (MUD) in Burbank, CA with certification as a Journeyman Make-Up Artist (the highest certification). Hygiene and cleanliness were drilled into us, as a make-up artist’s supplies are used and reused many, many times. Standard practice is to clean EVERYTHING with 99% alcohol. There is professional brush cleaner available, or swish and squeeze in container of water w/ a dab of dishwashing soap. Air dry and spritz w/ alcohol. I have supplies that, because I never touch twice with any ‘unclean’ implement, I’ve had for many years. When in doubt, use alcohol.

By: TheGreenCat

TheGreenCat — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:47:14 +0000

Following up to Juli’s comment: MAC makeup takes most of their makeup packaging back. (In fact, if you return 6 packages, you will get a free lipstick!) Additionally, many of their packages are designed to have a portion of the package (like the little cup that holds the actual product) removed and replaced with a new one, so there is less packaging waste overall. They not only make a great product but they are good at using minimal packaging!

By: mstreemn

mstreemn — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 23:42:16 +0000

I buy E.L.F makeup or mascara and eyeshadow at the $ store. It is only a $1 so I don’t feel bad tossing it. I don’t notice a big difference from any other brand I’ve tried. I use basic earth colors so It is easier to find the right one.

By: Karolina

Karolina — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:39:13 +0000

Jenn: Wow, that’s a great idea! I’ll definitely give that a try. I have some very old eye shadows – I like to have a variety of colors available, I do rotate through using them and they last for years. Being able to sanitize them would be great.
What do you all wash brushes with, btw? Just soap and water?

By: Jenn

Jenn — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 13:05:03 +0000

Use rubbing alcohol to clean any non liquid make-up. This will kill most of the bacteria. Fill a small spray bottle with it and spray it evenly over the surface of the product. Once it dries it’s ready to use again.

I do this once every 6 months or so on all my eyeshadows, compact bronzers and fountations, lip liners and lipsticks.

By: Sian

Sian — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 10:07:34 +0000

To get back on topic-regardless of how sceptical one is about these sorts of expiry dates, it makes sense that if you’ve still got make-up over two years old then you can’t be using it much-an opportunity to get rid of it in aid of an uncluttered lifestyle? An uncluttered make-up bag saves time and space.

By: Sian

Sian — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 10:04:38 +0000

Erin-with all due respect the longer life expectancy of Americans has little to do with infections-in the top ten causes of death in economically developed countries there is not one infectious cause on there.

We have vaccines (and importantly vaccine programmes) for many life-threatening infectious diseases (and whatever you get off your make-up would never KILL you unless you’ve got an immunecompromised condition such as HIV-a skin infection maybe for the rest of us, which is a valid reason for chucking the old stuff I’ll admit), and when we do get infections, there are myriad treatments for them, unlike for cancer and heart attacks (etc).

Increased life expectancy is primarily to do with better access to healthcare, safer/less manually taxing workplaces and no civil wars and the inevitable famines that go with that (plus efficient agriculture/money to import the extras).

Also, I don’t think Shana was referring to countries with lower life expectancies-rather other economically developed countries which have less paranoia than the average american, and just as high if not higher life expectancy.

By: Erin Doland

Erin Doland — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 04:02:25 +0000

@Shana — Sure, we probably are more nervous about it than people in other countries … however, we also have longer life expectancies than people in many other countries. There are many reasons for this longer life expectancy, and product safety, healthy lifestyle choices, and disease prevention play a large part in that.

By: Bridget

Bridget — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 03:17:52 +0000

wow. sorry about the typo.

*when you’re done

yikes. i need to stop and proof read more often

By: Bridget

Bridget — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 03:08:46 +0000

If you do have makeup that needs to be tossed PLEASE recycle it! Origins just started a cosmetics recycling program which will take any of your old products:

http://www.origins.com/about/i.....ge=recycle

Also–a fun way to use the last bits before recycling the containers is in an artsy sort of application…you can use any cosmetic as a paint or way to get your art on! Just shellac when your done (and wash your hands!!) and you’re good to go. The best ones that I have seen are renderings of faces that aren’t too overdone–but they look so modern and cute…