Liners
When to throw: Eyeliners and lipliners last two to three years in
pencil form, about a year in liquid or gel form
Why they spoil: Sharpening your pencils regularly shaves away
bacteria-ridden surfaces caused by the nibs coming into direct
contact with the skin
Check for a mushy nib.
Tip: Keep your pencils in a cool, dry place.
Perfumes
When to throw: Fragrances, aside from the alcohol-free ones, last
between a year-and-half to two years. Alcohol-free fragrances
should be used up as soon as possible. Sprays are airtight and keep
well, while solid perfumes, roll-ons and dab-ons - which are more
exposed to air, bacteria and fingers - tend to go bad much
faster
Why they spoil: Heat and light can change the chemistry of
perfumes
Check for Cloudy liquids
Tip: Aside form stoning fragrances in a cool, dark place (like your
wardrobe), keep the bottles in their original boxes, or store them
in the fridge.
Eyeshadows
When to throw: Powder eyeshadows last up to three years, while
cream shadows rarely make it beyond 18 months.
Why they spoil: Applications - whether you use sponge applications,
brushes or your fingers - cause contamination to eye makeup by
being carriers of bacteria from the skin to eyeshadows.
Check for Powder eyeshadows drying out and getting clumpy and
hard-to-spread; cream shadows might �sweat' and grow a whitish
mould
Tip: Fingers ten to be carriers of bacteria. Don't dip directly;
scrape a tiny portion out with a clean spatula onto the back of
your hand, then blend with your fingers.
Mascaras
When to throw: Anything between three to six months, but the
creamier the formulation, the faster it turns
Why they spoil: The manual pumping action of the mascara wand in
the tube introduces bacteria into the mascara, and speeds
contamination
Check for A sour odour, clumpy consistency and dried-out
bits.
Tip: Use one tube of mascara at a time. You'll lower the risk of
contamination
Foundations
When to throw: Compact foundations last up to two years; liquid
foundations under a year.
Why they spoil: Foundations contain a high amount of liquid, which
makes them spoil quicker than most other makeup products. Oil-free
foundations, on the other hand, dry out before others.
Check for A funky smell, or when the emulsion separates into a
thin, two-phase liquid
Tip: Pick those with airtight pump dispensers
Blushers
When to throw: Powder blushers after two years, your cream blushers
after a year-and-a-half, and liquid blushers in a few months
Why they spoil: Cream or liquid blushers tend to spoil faster than
powder types
Check for Cakiness, mould, or a watery consistency
Tip: Cleanse blusher brushes with mild soap or facial cleanser at
least once a week.
Lip Products
When to throw: Lipsticks in about 18months to two years.
Lip-glosses in about a year to 18 months
Why they spoil: The applicator touches your lips then you stick it
back into the tube
Check for When they change colour or become dry and flaky
Tip: Place a dollop of lipstick/gloss on the back of your hand,
then use a lip brush or your fingers to apply product to your lips
from the dollop