Reader Question: Shelf-Life of Cosmetics

Q: Hi Vanessa,
Love your site! You have a lot of great tips. I was wondering how long should you keep eyeshadow?
Thanks!
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A: Thanks! I also included the shelf life of other cosmetics, mascara is the quickest to expire. We all have makeup in our drawers that we will "oneday" use and never do!

Concealer up to 12 months: Eye liner should be sharpened regularly. Will last up to three years.

Eyeshadow will also last up to three years. Extra tip: A dark eyeshadow can double as eyeliner. You’ll need a super-flat eyeliner brush for this. Get the brush a little damp and dab in dark eyeshadow (black, brown or deep jewel-tones work great).

Foundation: Check the ingredients, a water-based foundation will last up to 12 months, oil-based will last up to 18 months. You may find you need two different shades of foundation each year:
When your skin is naturally darker and when you’re lighter. Extra tip: If your water-based foundation dries out before its expiry date, simply add a few drops of alcohol-free toner and shake to get rid of clumps. No need to do this to oil-based foundations. Because they contain oil, they will tend to separate. You have to shake anyway.

Lip liner Up to three years. Extra tip: Skip the push-up lipliners. They’re expensive, tend to break and you never really know how much you have left until you run out. No need to spend money on lip liners, there’s no secret to greatness for this product. Save your money for powders and foundation.

Lipstick Up to four years. Extra tip: If you store lipstick in the refrigerator, it will last longer. Bonus tip: Want your lipstick to last longer during the day? Shade in lips with lip liner before applying lipstick.

Mascara This product expires the fastest: Throw out after three months. Extra tip: If you don’t want your mascara to expire faster than its fresh date, don’t pump the wand in and out, you’re only exposing the product to drying air.

Nail Polish Up to 12 months, depending on the quality and how many times you apply it. Powder up to two years.