Makeup use-up

[baby monster]

So earlier this year I started watching a YouTube channel centered on makeup, cosmetics and nails. The woman who runs it does a quarterly update on products she used up. It just seemed so satisfying to throw out empty containers that I decided to follow suit.

I rounded up all my products and have been diligently trying to use them up and not buy any new stuff. It's so hard! The darn eyeshadows last forever. I like to use different lipsticks depending on my outfit and/or mood so there's a large selection that I can't seem to make a dent in. The only category I wittled down is hair stuff but only because Im using it on my kids.

Does anyone else try to use up cosmetics before buying new? I feel that marketing has gotten me overly excited about constantly buying the next new thing.

 

[AV_]

I don't seem to have the problem: I like so few things because they seem - to me, to fit my skin etc. very well. The stuff either runs out, or perishes of old age . Because the list of items is very short indeed; everything is already the best I know of.

Very often I am finding myself trying new things, just to end up with somethig so similar to what I have already, that I end up not buying. Consequently, when the time comes to replace something, I'll be going straight to the top of the line

I am not sure this sounds reasonable, but the practice does keep me happy.

The same is much harder to do with diamonds!

rambling, perhaps

____

Perhaps more relevant: other stuff, no, I would not try to use up things that do not suit me. Water under the bridge... [gold under the bridge too]

 

[missy]

As a general rule of thumb:

you should replace your mascara every three months, eyeliner and eye shadow every six to 12 months, and lipstick every one and a half years. Meanwhile, the average expiration date for foundation, powder, and other facial makeup is 12 months.

The above is for hygienic reasons to prevent infection. I appreciate wanting to use it up but safety first.

 

[Calliecake]

I think the majority of women who wear make up have a drawer full of stuff they don’t wear LOL.

 

[Amber St. Clare]

I recently weighed my bag make up and ii weighed 7 pounds. My nail polish weigh 4 pounds .pounds.

I enjoy being a girl!

 

[msop04]

I think the majority of women who wear make up have a drawer full of stuff they don’t wear LOL.

#guilty
...but some of it was $$$, and I just can't bring myself to toss it out.

 

[missy]

I recently weighed my bag make up and ii weighed 7 pounds. My nail polish weigh 4 pounds .pounds.

I enjoy being a girl!

Ditto! I use clothes to express my girly side. Though one should never underestimate luscious long lashes. #thankyou #latisse

 

[missy]

#guilty
...but some of it was $$$, and I just can't bring myself to toss it out.

Toss it dear @msop04 for your safety.

 

[baby monster]

As a general rule of thumb:
The above is for hygienic reasons to prevent infection. I appreciate wanting to use it up but safety first.

Call me jaded but IMHO this is another marketing strategy to sell more products. Companies pay beauty magazines for product placement and questionable advice to dispose of previous purchases. Consider the raw materials that go into powder eyeshadow - talc, mica, magnesium stearate. None of these go "bad." Same for eyeliner but with slightly different inorganic materials. AFAIK, mold can't grow on eyeshadow. I'm not prone to eye infections so why dispose of products that don't change their state. Lipstick can separate or become rancid at high temperature but otherwise nothing happens to it.

 

[lyra]

I'm a purger, regardless of price. I rarely ever wear makeup anymore, so products do expire and dry out. I get rid of mascaras often. I don't wear foundation anymore. Basically I'm down to powder products only, lol. Like the Naked Basics palette, and maybe a Lancome one.

 

[msop04]

Toss it dear @msop04 for your safety.

I need an intervention. #helpme

 

[missy]

Call me jaded but IMHO this is another marketing strategy to sell more products. Companies pay beauty magazines for product placement and questionable advice to dispose of previous purchases. Consider the raw materials that go into powder eyeshadow - talc, mica, magnesium stearate. None of these go "bad." Same for eyeliner but with slightly different inorganic materials. AFAIK, mold can't grow on eyeshadow. I'm not prone to eye infections so why dispose of products that don't change their state. Lipstick can separate or become rancid at high temperature but otherwise nothing happens to it.

@baby monster I totally understand your viewpoint but I was in the health field specifically eye care and saw some nasty infections from old eye makeup. FYI.

(I am not at home and posting on the go so hope this is the right article lol).

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5002883/

https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/resourcesforyou/consumers/ucm1240208.htm

https://www.today.com/style/germs-lurking-old-makeup-it-isnt-pretty-2D80556139

I will add that these guidelines are just rules of thumb and good common sense outweighs any time limit. If something looks or smells funny get rid of it.

 

[missy]

I need an intervention. #helpme

Hahaha, I am here for you @msop04! (((Hugs))).

 

[msop04]

Hahaha, I am here for you @msop04! (((Hugs))).

 

[ChickityChicken]

So earlier this year I started watching a YouTube channel centered on makeup, cosmetics and nails. The woman who runs it does a quarterly update on products she used up. It just seemed so satisfying to throw out empty containers that I decided to follow suit.

I rounded up all my products and have been diligently trying to use them up and not buy any new stuff. It's so hard! The darn eyeshadows last forever. I like to use different lipsticks depending on my outfit and/or mood so there's a large selection that I can't seem to make a dent in. The only category I wittled down is hair stuff but only because Im using it on my kids.

Does anyone else try to use up cosmetics before buying new? I feel that marketing has gotten me overly excited about constantly buying the next new thing.

I have been guilty of purchasing lots of new formulas of eyeshadows when really I don't think I will even have enough time in my life to use them all up. I have started to use restraint, especially since where I moved to has no makeup counter for my fave brands for me to make impulse purchases. I am a lippy whore however, but finally made a commitment to use up a few before I purchase any more, since I have all the colors covered for any look I may want to create. I have thrown out any nasty smelling off makeup. No matter the price, I will not use old makeup, just take it as lesson. I had like three high end mascaras that just had to be tossed. Now I buy sample sizes for when I want to use mascara, but mostly curl my lashes.

 

[Matata]

If all the safety warnings about old makeup were categorically true, I would have dissolved into a ball of slime a long time ago I don't use up stuff like eyeshadow and liner because I tend to get tired of some of the colors I loved when I bought them. I have an "active" drawer where I keep the stuff I regularly use and a "semi-retired" drawer where I keep stuff I think I might want to wear again. A couple of times a year I go through the semi-retired drawer and throw stuff out.

 

[baby monster]

I have been guilty of purchasing lots of new formulas of eyeshadows when really I don't think I will even have enough time in my life to use them all up. I have started to use restraint, especially since where I moved to has no makeup counter for my fave brands for me to make impulse purchases. I am a lippy whore however, but finally made a commitment to use up a few before I purchase any more, since I have all the colors covered for any look I may want to create. I have thrown out any nasty smelling off makeup. No matter the price, I will not use old makeup, just take it as lesson. I had like three high end mascaras that just had to be tossed. Now I buy sample sizes for when I want to use mascara, but mostly curl my lashes.

Mascara is tricky. I just threw out a wand that dried up. Maybe used 3 times, if that much. Strips of single use mascara wands would be a great option. Anyone reading for new product suggestions?

 

[baby monster]

I recently weighed my bag make up and ii weighed 7 pounds. My nail polish weigh 4 pounds .pounds.

I enjoy being a girl!

Nail polish is different! I don't need to use it up and it doesn't go bad. Well, dries out but can be restored. I just bought a mini set if new OPI winter collection.

 

[ksinger]

Call me jaded but IMHO this is another marketing strategy to sell more products. Companies pay beauty magazines for product placement and questionable advice to dispose of previous purchases. Consider the raw materials that go into powder eyeshadow - talc, mica, magnesium stearate. None of these go "bad." Same for eyeliner but with slightly different inorganic materials. AFAIK, mold can't grow on eyeshadow. I'm not prone to eye infections so why dispose of products that don't change their state. Lipstick can separate or become rancid at high temperature but otherwise nothing happens to it.

Yes. Very much agree. I see getting rid of stuff you don't use, and frequent replacement of mascara - mostly because it dries out and gets flakey and hard to apply, but other than that? What you said. I have some blushes and eye shadows that I've had for ages, and I've neither broken out, nor needed hospitalization. In all my years of using makeup, I've never had a powder product "go bad".

They do this now with perfume too, which sends this user of vintage perfumes into eyeball spasms from rolling them so hard. Some of my vintages are almost 80 years old, and still smell fine, albeit slightly different than if they had been made yesterday. But they aren't bad, aren't clogged with mold, and most definitely are not any more toxic than the day they were bottled.

 

[ksinger]

@baby monster I totally understand your viewpoint but I was in the health field specifically eye care and saw some nasty infections from old eye makeup. FYI.

(I am not at home and posting on the go so hope this is the right article lol).

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5002883/

https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/resourcesforyou/consumers/ucm1240208.htm

https://www.today.com/style/germs-lurking-old-makeup-it-isnt-pretty-2D80556139

I will add that these guidelines are just rules of thumb and good common sense outweighs any time limit. If something looks or smells funny get rid of it.

Are you sure it was the makeup? Because I'd be inclined to blame the eye makeup itself a whole lot less than it simply being due to someone not cleaning their applicators or brushes often enough. There are a lot of women who don't clean their tools (judging by some video I watched). If I hadn't cleaned my applicators/brushes in years, yeah, I'd expect to be at greater risk of infections, and not just in my eyes. But that wouldn't be due to the age of the makeup.

 

[missy]

Are you sure it was the makeup? Because I'd be inclined to blame the eye makeup itself a whole lot less than it simply being due to someone not cleaning their applicators or brushes often enough. There are a lot of women who don't clean their tools (judging by some video I watched). If I hadn't cleaned my applicators/brushes in years, yeah, I'd expect to be at greater risk of infections, and not just in my eyes. But that wouldn't be due to the age of the makeup.

The makeup can become contaminated in various ways. The fact is microbial species grow well in the makeup medium and this especially becomes an issue when it involves applying that makeup on the eyes. And yes of course not cleaning your brushes is trouble for sure. But that is only one potential issue.

3 common microorganisms that can and do contaminate and infect are Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Serratia liquefaciens and Candida parapsilo.
All of these have similarities in that they can survive in harsh conditions and are able to metabolize complex substrates and are resistant to various antimicrobial agents. Plus since they are ubiquitous in nature the are easily transported to the cosmetic environment. They are all opportunistic pathogens and can easily get in through the eyes and nasal passages through cosmetics.

I for one would rather take the cautious route and just replace eye makeup within 3 months or sooner if it looks or smells funny. Not worth the risk IMO. YMMV.

 

[luv2sparkle]

I pitch stuff every so often. The only thing I seem to go through regularly is mascara.

 

[bludiva]

i look for travel size for just this reason....mascara that's almost full but too old to use..lipstick or lip liner that dries out and breaks...arghhhhh

a lot of the benefit stuff comes in mini sizes that are just the trick. hope more brands start offering those...

 

[AV_]

If I used the stuff more, keeping track of these - culture media - would be a chore.

One thing I love about kohl is that the stick applicator is clean compared to little sponges & brushes.

 

[Cockatiel]

I've been a make up junkie all my life and I'll never be able to use up what I buy. I stick to powder rather than cream based products for eyeshadows, blush, bronzer, etc so they seem to last forever without really expiring. I just end up throwing them out after a while in order to declutter. I can't remember the last time I hit pan on anything. Can't seem to use up even the little rectangles inside palettes let alone single items. When it comes to nail polish, I am a big hoarder and will always have mountains of untried stuff. Usually with mainstream polishes I'd use it once and then end up giving it away. I have no intentions of using up a polish and would probably get very distressed and go buy backups if I ever even use up half of a bottle.

 

[AprilBaby]

I have a bag of at least two hundred lipsticks. Not one of them is the perfect color. Yet.

 

[Sparkles88]

I have a bag of at least two hundred lipsticks. Not one of them is the perfect color. Yet.

Hi AprilBaby, in Australia there is a shop called Lip Lab where you can create amd personalise your own shade of lipstick, I’m not sure where you are located, but might be worth checking out. They also custom make foundations too!

 

[FinleysMom]

I adhere to the 3 month mascara rule for replacing..the rest meh...never had any issues.

I just dropped $$$ at Merle Norman to replace my skin care products and make-up. After I use up my current drawer full...I am ready ! Love Merle Norman...been years since I stopped in for a consultation and the memories just flowed in!

 

[baby monster]

I have a bag of at least two hundred lipsticks. Not one of them is the perfect color. Yet.

I like to use many colors in lipsticks. They are right for different occasions. Don't think there's only one right color but I have thrown out lipsticks in good colors that dried out my lips.

 

[baby monster]

I've been a make up junkie all my life and I'll never be able to use up what I buy. I stick to powder rather than cream based products for eyeshadows, blush, bronzer, etc so they seem to last forever without really expiring. I just end up throwing them out after a while in order to declutter. I can't remember the last time I hit pan on anything. Can't seem to use up even the little rectangles inside palettes let alone single items. When it comes to nail polish, I am a big hoarder and will always have mountains of untried stuff. Usually with mainstream polishes I'd use it once and then end up giving it away. I have no intentions of using up a polish and would probably get very distressed and go buy backups if I ever even use up half of a bottle.

Hitting the pan is so fun! I have been able to do so in the past when I didn't buy as much. It's hard to believe but I actually used up a full size bottle of Essie Mademoiselle once. It was back in college when I owned "only" 2 or 3 bottles of polish. I do use use up the mini sets.