Expiration Rule-of-Thumb

Moldy bread. Rotten lettuce. Sour milk. Stale cereal. Gross, right? Food, as we all know, has varying expiration dates. It's fairly easy to recognize when a snack in the fridge or pantry has gone rotten because we can physically see the mold, smell the foul odor, or taste when something has gone rancid. What's hard to remember, though, (and even harder to be disciplined about, but more on that later), is that cosmetics all have their relative expiration dates too. Mascara. Foundation. Lip Gloss. Blush. Eyeliner. Eyeshadow. Concealer. Under-eye-brightening shimmer. You name it, it sadly doesn't last forever. In fact, the cruel truth is that all of those absolutely brilliant beauty products displayed in Sephora and department stores are contaminated the moment they're opened and exposed to air.

Given the precious dollars spent on makeup, (egad, how effective marketing can lure us in), it's a downright painful process to weed out old and expired products from a cosmetics bag. Trust me, I know. Just thinking about tossing a lip gloss that hasn't been squeezed to the very last drop makes me want to cringe. Consequently, I'm guilty-as-charged because my makeup bag is busting at the seams and has, in due time, become slightly out-of-control. It's vital, though, to realize the importance of keeping bacteria at bay and off the skin. Breakouts? Irritations? Eye infections? Nooooo thank you. Time to purge. Out with the old. Now, where's that trashcan and recycling bin?

So, ladies, I invite you to join me in a little mid-winter cleaning! According to an article published by www.ivillage.co.uk, the shelf lives of some typical beauty products are as follows:

• Oil-Free Foundation: 1 year
• Cream or Compact Foundation: 18 months
• Concealer: 12-18 months
• Powder: 2 years
• Blush and Bronzer: 2 years
• Cream Blush: 12-18 months
• Powder Eye Shadow: 2 years
• Cream Eye Shadow: 12-18 months
• Eyeliner: 2 years
• Liquid eyeliner: 3-6 months
• Mascara: 3 months
• Lipstick: 2 years
• Lip liner: 2 years
• Lip gloss: 18-24 months

While U.S. labeling restrictions do not require an expiration date on most cosmetics, some cosmetic companies conveniently do include a Period-After-Opening (PAO) symbol on the back of their packaging. The PAO identifies the useful lifetime of a cosmetics product after the packaging has been opened for the first time. The time period is most often written as a number followed by the letter "M," as in 12M, which indicates the number of recommended months. However, please take note that the lifespan of a product is also related to the environment in which it is stored and used in. Products that have been improperly stored may deteriorate substantially before the expiration date.

Ideally, makeup should be kept in a dry, dark, cool place, (though convenient, a steamy bathroom can encourage bacterial growth). Also, avoid using your fingertips to apply product directly from the container. Brushes, which should be washed about once a month in mild soap, are the preferred and cleanest method. Refrain from sharing makeup - especially eye makeup, and as a general rule-of-thumb, if the product changes at all in color, texture, consistency, or odor, it's time to toss it. Just like you would that expired yogurt, forgotten in the back of the fridge.