This is when you should get rid of your expired makeup & skincare

We’ll be the first to admit that we’re suckers for hoarding makeup and skincare products. 

Every time we try to clear out our beauty storage, we just end up re-discovering endless products that we’d forgotten about, thinking to ourselves, “Yes, I’ll definitely start using that again,” and then immediately putting them back in the drawer. This tactic isn't exactly helpful!

So, today we’re taking the opportunity to be ruthless with our makeup and skincare clutter, and paying particular attention to each product’s expiration date.

If you don’t already know, every makeup and skincare product has a ‘use by’ date, just like a carton of milk in your fridge. Although most products don't automatically become useless after their expiration date, their levels of quality and hygiene do begin to weaken.

Every product has a varying expiry date, so how can you tell when it’s the right time to chuck it in the bin? Well, we have done the sums for you!

Below, we have developed a comprehensive list of all of the most commonly used makeup and skincare products, alongside their average expiration dates. If any of your products have well surpassed these dates, do your skin a favour and clear them out of your storage:

Makeup

BB/CC cream – one year

Brow gel – six months

Brow pencil – two years

Concealer – one year

Cream blush – one year

Powder blush – two years

Eyeliner – six months

Eyeliner pencil – two years

Eyeshadow – one year

Foundation – one year

Lip balm – one to five years

Lip gloss: one year

Lipstick – two years

Lip liner – two years

Liquid eyeliner – three months

Mascara – three months

Nail polish – one year

Powder – one year

Primer – one year

Setting spray – one year 

Skincare

Bar soap – 18 months to three years

Bath oil – one year

Body lotion – two years

Body wash – three years

Deodorant – one to two years

Eye cream – one year

Face cream – two years

Hair brush – one year

Hair gel – two to three years

Hair spray – two to three years

Loofah – six months

Makeup sponge – one month

Mouthwash – three years from the manufacture date

Perfume – one to two years

Shampoo and conditioner – two to three years

Shaving cream – two years

Sunscreen – three years

Toothbrush – three months

Teeth-whitening strips – one year