It’s Time to Spring Clean Your Makeup Stash
Whether you store your makeup in a bag, drawer, bathroom cabinet or Caboodle (they still exist!), spring is the perfect time to purge that space of old, expired products as well as those you never wear. Consider the following tips as you sort through your stash and make room for new items that will keep you looking fresh all spring and beyond.
Throw Out Old Makeup/ Products
Nothing lasts forever and that goes for makeup as well. Start by looking for any expiration dates on your products. If you find one, and that date has passed, it’s time to pitch it. Liquid foundations and mascaras past their expiration may have become breeding grounds for bacteria. Skincare products like moisturizers, serums and sunscreens may be less effective after their expiration date. When in doubt – especially if the product has developed a foul smell – it’s safer to throw it out and replace.
For makeup products without expiration dates printed on their packaging, experts recommend the following replacement cycle:
· Powdered eye shadow – up to two years
· Blush and bronzer – up to two years
· Powdered foundations and setting powder – up to two years
· Lipstick and gloss – up to one year
· Eyeliner – up to one year
· Mascara – three months
· Moisturizers and serums – up to one year
· Liquid foundations and creams – up to one year
· Nail polish – up to one year
If you’re not regularly washing the brushes, sponges and other implements you use with your makeup and skincare products, you will dramatically decrease their shelf life. Brushes should be washed at least weekly and replaced if they begin to lose bristles. You can clean brushes with a gentle shampoo and allow them to dry or, if you’re in a hurry, use a quick-dry spray cleanser like this one from Ulta.
Toss Products You Don’t Use
If your makeup storage area is overflowing, chances are you have quite a few unused products taking up space. It’s generally a safe bet to ditch anything you haven’t used in four months, with the exception of your summer (or winter) shade bronzer or foundation. If you’ve been holding on to glittery New Year’s Eve eye shadows or other rarely used special occasion products, consider storing them in a separate bag in your cabinet or a closet.
Wash or Replace Your Makeup Bag
Whether you use your makeup bag every day or only on overnights, now’s a good time to give it a once over and a thorough cleaning. If it’s plastic, rinse it out in the sink. You can generally throw fabric makeup bags in your washing machine. However, if your makeup bags are really old, stained beyond repair or otherwise destroyed, replace them. You can find tons of affordable makeup bags and organizers at retailers like Target.
Fill in With New Spring Trends
What to do with all that extra space now that you’ve purged your expired and unused products? Add a few new touches for spring! A new lipstick, gloss or nail polish in one of spring’s hottest shade will put you on the fast-track to a fresh look. The spring nail polish collection from Essie includes several pinks, peach and lavender as well as a surprising metallic teal. For lips, Chanel’s Rouge Allure Liquid Powder was all over the spring runways, especially in this season’s Electric Blossom, a vivid coral.