The Shelf Life of Beauty Products
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Here's a very interesting article on how long you ought to keep your beauty products for!
Ladies, pay heed!
"From eye shadow you bought last year to the minty lotion you got two birthdays ago, your vanity is likely to be full of items you think are too nice to throw away but that you rarely use.
While some cosmetics last up to three years, others - like that eye shadow or mascara - must be replaced every few months. "Preparations can break down, making them less effective and putting them at greater risk of contamination," says Irwin Palefsky, Snr Vice President of Cosmetech Labaoratories, a consulting firm that develops products for beauty companies.
Even though most cosmetics contain protective preservatives, it's important to know how ingredients affect such products. Those high in water content provide a breeding ground for microorganisms. Preservative-free products are easily containated (as is eye makeup, which has limited preservatives). And items containing lots of oil can go rancid if exposed to air often.
To keep track of beauty products, label each with the date of purchase or receipt. Then go through your supplies every couple of months, and do a look, feel and smell test. Does it look cloudy? Has the colour or texture changed? Is it bulging at the lid? Is it separating or difficult to spread? Does it have a strange smell? Let the answers, and the timeline and tips in the chart that follows, guide you.
From : Martha Stewart's Living, 2002?
Written by : Patricia J O'Conner
The chart follows...
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SKIN CARE PRODUCTS
MOISTURIZER : 6-12 months
Keep jar lids tight to prevent from drying out; always clean hands before using. If product separates, becomes liquidy, or smells strange, discard it!
TONER : 6-12 months
Look for cloudiness or a foul odour.
CLEANSER : 6-12 months
Choose tubes or pumps, which help prevent contamination from microorganisms.
EXFOLIANTS : 6-12 months
Keep cap tightly closed to prevent water from entering in the shower. Oil-based scrubs (like many of the sea-salt ones) last longer than water-based forumulas.
EYE CREAM : 6-12 months
Never share eye products. Look for tubes instead of jars. Apply above eyelid, not on eyelid itself.
LIP BALM : 1-2 years
Don't leave in the car; it can go rancid if exposed to heat and air for prolonged periods.
More follows! -
If there is no expiry date, would women continue to buy more and more of their cosmetics?
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HAIR PRODUCTS
SHAMPOO : 6-12 months
Store above shower head so water doesn't get in. If it changes in smell or appearance, throw it out.
CONDITIONER : 6-12 months
As with shampoo, watch for changes in consistency and odour.
STYLING PRODUCTS : 1 year or more
High-alcohol (20% or more) gels and hairsprays can last many years. Close caps and lids tightly to prevent formula from drying out.
Yet more follows...
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yes they would...
without a shred of doubt!Originally posted by charlize:If there is no expiry date, would women continue to buy more and more of their cosmetics? -
NAIL POLISH
1 year
Keep caps on tightly; store at room temperature. Don't add remover to bottle to thin.
MAKEUP
FOUNDATION AND CONCEALER : 6 months
Use sponges or brushes (not fingers) when applying so you don't contaminate with microorganisms from your skin.
EYE AND LIP PENCILS : 3-6 months, 6-12 months for lips
Sharpen pencil before each use to clean off surface. Discard if rancid odour develops.
LIPSTICK : 2-3 years
TO prevent rancidity, store at room temperature and not in the car or refrigerator.
(Beading does not indicate rancidity; it's merely oils escaping from the formula.)
MASCARA : 3-6 months
Keep cap on tightly to prevent from drying out. Never put wand down on counter or tabletop. Don't add water if it gets thick.
POWDERS (FACE, BLUSH or EYES) : 3-6 months for eyes, 6-12 months others
Wash applicators monthly; use water (not saliva) if you use wet powder. Dry before storing.
APPLICATORS (BRUSHES, SPONGES) : 3-6 months or longer
Wash sponges used for liquid makeup with soap and water; dry. Replace those used with powders every few months. Cleaned regularly, brushes can last for years; use mild soap and a little water (do not immerse).
And coming right up... one last section. -
FRAGRANCE
3 years or longer
Reduce headspace in bottle to preserve scent (that is, if you've used half, pour what remains into a smaller bottle); store in the refrigerator.
SUN PRODUCTS
SUNSCREEN : 2 years
If it separates or doesn't spread well, replace it. At the beach, keep in a beach bag, out of direct sunlight.
SELF-TANNER : 3-6 months
Don't stock up. The self-tanning ingredient, dihydroxyacetone, oxidizes within a few months, turns brown, and can take on an unpleasant odour.
That's it, ladies! Pay heed! -
I think most of us keep our cosmetics and skin care products past the recommended timeline.
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i think my sister's cosmetics finish much earlier than the expiry date..
same for those facial stuff too..
cos......the gals @ home shares them
i'm not included... i'm too lazy -
But even if you don't use cosmetics, you at least use skincare products, right?Originally posted by shinta:i think my sister's cosmetics finish much earlier than the expiry date..
same for those facial stuff too..
cos......the gals @ home shares them
i'm not included... i'm too lazy -
no no noOriginally posted by Rhonda:But even if you don't use cosmetics, you at least use skincare products, right? -
Oh, izzit? Then, what do you use for your skincare regimen?Originally posted by shinta:no no no -
er..Originally posted by Rhonda:Oh, izzit? Then, what do you use for your skincare regimen?
plain water?
to be exact.. water runnin down my face as i wash away the shampoo
muahahhahahaha
and my skin was quite ok for the lack of care..
but recently.... haiz..
hormones imbalance (is that wat u call it?)
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i think mine all exceeded liao..
will i get cancer or my complexion rough? -
Don't think so bah...Originally posted by CryoLind:i think mine all exceeded liao..
will i get cancer or my complexion rough?
But I don't think you'd wanna use expired items on your face, right? -
Y'know, recently, I spoke to my mom about this, and she wasOriginally posted by CryoLind:i think mine all exceeded liao..
will i get cancer or my complexion rough?
, and got pretty quiet for a while, then she said, "I've used these products without observing the expiry dates for decades already and nothing has happened to me before!"
She's got a point there, y'know! -
hmm...how's her complexion now?Originally posted by Rhonda:Y'know, recently, I spoke to my mom about this, and she was , and got pretty quiet for a while, then she said, "I've used these products without observing the expiry dates for decades already and nothing has happened to me before!"
She's got a point there, y'know!
but i think mayb in d past the ingredients used are better???
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is it actually expiry date? or best used before date?
there's a difference wor...
best used before: u can still use it after that date... but they got a weird smell..
like my bottle of silkpro shampoo in one corner of the toilet.... dug out after rottin there for a year..
it had this VERY weird... close to pungeant smell... -
Her complexion has always been good!Originally posted by CryoLind:hmm...how's her complexion now?
but i think mayb in d past the ingredients used are better???
Hmm... not sure about the quality of the components though...
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Most natural cosmetic products have very short shelf-life once exposed to air and light.
Most products that have a long shelf-life are likely to have lots of preservatives.
So essentially, the stuff you're really putting on to beautify yourself is likely to be concentrated preservatives!