The shelf life of beauty products is quite limited. That is why most brands advise you to use makeup within the suggested time.
But does makeup expire if unopened?
What happens if you buy a bottle of mascara but don’t open it for three months? Given you can only use mascara for three months, should you now be able to use it because you haven’t opened it?
This would surely help you get your money’s worth on makeup that you stock up during black Friday sales!
Well then, let’s find out if you can truly use makeup that hasn’t been opened for a long time, shall we?
Does Makeup Expire If Unopened?
Whether or not the makeup that you have sitting on your vanity unopened can be used depends on a few things.
Does It Have Skin Actives?
Many products, especially skincare, have a lot of skin actives added in. Different varieties of skin actives have different benefits for your skin.
Even if you have never opened, let’s say, a bottle of moisturizer that has skin actives, you won’t get any benefits from it once it has expired.
The skin actives are no longer potent. Some lose their potency quite soon, and some take a long time to become useless. But rest assured that if the product has passed its expiry date, the thing will do no wonders on your skin.
Now, while you could still use the product, it is best avoided since one ingredient in the substance has already gone off.
If you have sensitive skin, using products as such might cause irreparable damage to your skin.
Does It Have Preservation?
Preservatives help makeup products last a lot longer. So if the product that you have at hand has a lot of preservatives, you can use the makeup with ease. Even if the makeup has crossed its expiration date, there will be no harm in using the product.
But do check if the preservative is natural or not. A lot of brands tilt towards natural preservatives nowadays since it is much better and safer on the skin. But one downfall of using natural preservatives is that the makeup does not last very long.
If the makeup has chemical preservatives, you can rest assured that the compound will cause no harm at all!
How Was the Product Stored?
A great way to still keep makeup that is unopened in good condition is to store it properly.
Most makeup products will have storage instructions in their packaging. It’s best to follow that too.
But a general rule is that you need to store your makeup products in a cool and dark place. Keep the cosmetics away from sunlight and humidity as well.
Products such as lotions, creams, moisturizers, lipsticks, or even serums can be stored in the freezer as well.
Anything with a powder or oil formula can be stored in boxes in someplace dark.
Avoid keeping makeup on your bathroom counter. As there is more humidity in the bathroom, your makeup will go bad much sooner.
When Does Makeup Expire and When You Should Throw Them Away?
So that you get a better idea, here are details about how long a few kinds of products last in general. Follow this time limit if you want the best for your skin and health.
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Powder Products
Blushes, shadows, or compact powders are good to use within 24 months of their opening time. If you haven’t opened them at all, you can use powder products for quite a long time.
A maximum of 6 months can be added with the expiration date when it comes to powder products. As more time passes, the powder will start to break down and collect bacteria.
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Lip Products
Lipsticks, balms, glosses, and liners have a longer shelf life than others. They usually have a “best before” date that stretches from 12-24 months.
Unless you smell something funky in your lipstick, you can still use it for a longer time than that.
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Oil or Water Based Products
You will know an oil or water-based product has expired when you notice separating. Even shaking the container won’t be able to get you a smooth liquid.
Throw separated liquid makeup away unless you want fungal acne on your face.
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Products for the Eye
Now, this is something that you should throw out when it crosses the expiration date, no matter what! It doesn’t matter how much you spend on eyeliner or mascara; you need to throw it away the minute it gets past its expiry date.
Rashes or infection caused in the eye from expired makeup products is very serious and hard to cure.
Throw away your mascara or any gel liners within three months of opening for your safety.
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Handmade Cosmetics
A lot of people love making their makeup. With a few simple ingredients, you can make your blush, foundation, and even brow powder!
While this is a great way to include products that are more natural into your routine, you should know that these products won’t last that long.
Since you are not using any sort of preservatives in the makeup, they should be thrown away within three days of making.
Homemade cosmetics have a lot of products, such as cocoa powder, that could go off and cause rashes.
Final Words
Most of us can’t get through a product before the expiry date. Given the continuous changes in makeup trends, using just one product for a long time can be quite difficult.
It’s important to know whether the makeup you are using or gone off or not.
So to answer the main question; does makeup expire if unopened, we would say that it all depends on how you have stored the product and what the product is. But if you keep an eye on the ingredient list and store the product according to instructions, and you should be able to use the makeup for a couple of more days.