{Bombshell Beauty} Makeup Shelf Life

OK, ladies. Let's be honest. We've all been guilty of holding onto at least one bit of makeup longer than we should have...maybe a favorite shade of lipstick that was discontinued (a la my dear Grandma Gladys), a now-too-sticky-to-use bottle of nail polish you try to thin with remover for one last touch-up, mascara that flakes off or foundation that may be causing more of those blemishes than covering them up? Yeah. I've been there.

I read once about the shelf life on makeup -- how long we should keep it before tossing and replacing anew, but I still can't remember the expiration on every piece at any given time. So, here's a handy list of quite a few common items in our beauty arsenal, along with their respective expiration dates:

• Mascara: 3-6 Months
• Oil-Free Foundation: 1 Year
• Moisturizing, Cream or Compact Foundation: 18 Months
• Concealer: 12-18 Months
• Powder: 2 Years
• Powder blush: 2 Years
• Cream Blush: 12-18 Months
• Powder Eyeshadow: 2 Years
• Cream Eyeshadow: 12-18 Months
• Eyeliner: 2 Years
• Liquid Eyeliner: 3-6 Months
• Lipliner: 2 Years
• Lipstick: 2 Years
• Lip Gloss: 18-24 Months
• Fragrance: 18-24 Months
• Nail Polish: 1 Year
• Makeup Brushes: Clean weekly with a mild detergent
• Makeup Sponges: Replace weekly
  

{List compiled from articles here, here and here.}

And this should go without saying, but if it smells or has an odor, THROW IT AWAY!

Want to really organize your beautystuffs this spring? Check out the Beauty Alert! stickers. It's bad enough that the FDA doesn't require expiration dates on makeup (even though the ingredients found in most cosmetics spoil)...let these handy labels help you keep tabs on those dates. Seriously. Expired makeup is just gross.

{Courtesy: Beauty Alert!}

Here's your homework for the evening: Take an hour, clean out your makeup bag, under your sink and in your medicine cabinet. Toss out the yuckies and clean up the keepers. Give your makeup brushes a bath and let them dry overnight. Wipe out all of your makeup bags. Make a list of what you need to replace and be off for a little self-indulgence at CVS. Pick up some Calgon while you're at it...you deserve it.