I never realized how bad I was at keeping old makeup until I went through my makeup bag and actually saw how old some of my products were. Part of this is because when something goes on sale, I HAVE to get at least 2 of the same product to make sure they last me until the next time it goes on sale. I’m sure I’m not the only one who does this! 😜 But honestly, one of whatever it is usually lasts for a while anyway.
A few weeks ago, I came across a TikTok video that showed a celebrity checking her cosmetic expiration dates and it got me doing a full purging of my own products within the same day!
Keeping your products for too long can result in infections, breakouts, or rashes. The preservatives that some of these products have can become less effective over time and allow for bacteria to grow which then transfers over to your face. If throwing away my old products will protect me from getting a highly contagious skin infection, I’m in!
Most cosmetics usually have a batch code that you can check online to see when it was manufactured or when it’s best by, but not all brands are available for this. Typically, makeup will last anywhere from 6-36 months after you open it and other ways to tell if it’s time to throw out your favorite eyeliner or lip gloss is by the smell, consistency, and color.
So, what are some of the websites to check for cosmetic expiration dates? These are some of the ones I tried, but all of them failed to list Tarte products in their databases:
One of the makeup items I checked was this Too Faced eyeshadow pallet.
These results are from the Check Cosmetic website listed above. I’ll definitely be throwing this one away! 🙁
If going through a website that may or may not have the brand you’re looking for sounds like too much work, then you may consider getting an app or creating a spreadsheet to help you keep track of your makeup’s expiration dates.
Beauty Keeper is an app I found useful and it lets you search the batch codes for tons of different brands as well as keep a list and everything nicely organized!
Summary
Making sure you’re not using overly expired products is just as important as cleaning your makeup brushes and sponges regularly. If you’ve noticed a change in smell, consistency, or color on any of your makeup, throw it out! It’s not worth the infections or breakouts it could cause. Use the tools listed above to help you keep your makeup bag full of safe and in-date products that’ll make you look and feel your best. 🙂
