The Importance of Knowing Your Makeup Expiration Dates

January could easily be considered the time of year when I enter full out cleaning mode. Between Marie Kondo inspired clean outs, and beautiful shots of organized bathrooms and closets, it’s easy to see why so many of us get the urge to purge! Some clean outs are easier for me to handle than others, this is especially true when it comes to beauty. I’m lucky enough to be able to try a variety of products. The downside to this is that my bathroom usually resembles an overstuffed beauty closet by the end of the year. Sometimes I’ll catch myself wanting to hang onto an eyeshadow or blush simply because I love the color and didn’t end up using it enough in the previous year. Well, I’m here to offer some tough love and shed some light on makeup and beauty expiration dates.

Beauty products DO expire! Now, don’t go into full panic mode just yet! Beauty expiration dates align with the first day or use rather than the day of purchase. In the past, there were general rules of thumb to follow per product, but now companies are going the extra mile to provide timeframes that their products should be used by. Some products may surprise you by just how short (or long) they can be used. For example, did you know most mascaras have a lifespan of 3-months? The reasoning behind these set timelines is how the product is packaged, as well as its ingredients. Another key component is the bacterial contamination that can occur with extended use.