Makeup: The Good, the Bad and the Expired
Tips to keep your cosmetics and cleansers healthy for your skin
by Laura Dayton
Makeup is a model’s best friend. The palette of colors and textures, in the hands of a professional, can achieve spectacular effects on the plainest of faces. Professionals, like Ujena makeup guru and Public Relations Director Catherine Cross, know the importance of using pure, fresh makeup and sanitized applicators, but few of us maintain Catherine’s high standards when it comes to our own makeup bags.
“Unlike food products, cosmetics are not required to display an expiration date,” explains Catherine. “Many times, such as with sunblocks, the products degrade and no longer do their job. In the case of mascara, there are serious bacteria that can contaminate and cause eye irritations, or worse.”
Expiration Dates
From the time you open them, the life and effectiveness of cosmetics begins to decrease and bacteria grow. Here are some universally held expiration periods for makeup:
Liquid Foundation: 3-6 months
Cream Foundation: 4-6 month
Concealer: 1 year
Mascara: 3 months
(Air pushes bacteria into the tube—never pump your mascara)
Lip Gloss and Lipstick: 1 year
Eyes/Lip Pencils: 1 year
Facial Cleansers and Moisturizers: 6 months
Natural Cosmetics: 6 months
Discard any cosmetic that changes color, or texture or smell. Wash your brushes in hot water with a mild soap and dry flat. Try to use sponge applicators and discard often. Store your cosmetics in a dry environment.
A Word About Sunscreens
Sunscreens should be replaced every year. Make certain the brand you use states that it is water-proof and/or sweat-proof, and protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Do not buy products that contain oxbenzone, an ingredient that has been linked to cancers.
If you’re dark haired, don’t think you’re immune to skin cancer.
U.S. scientists recently identified a mutation in a gene that more than doubled the risk of skin cancer in people with dark hair. This same mutation in blondes and redheads had no effect.
Cleansers and Soaps
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics recently questioned the safety of children’s bath products, but their advice is applicable to adult cleansers as well. They suggest you read labels carefully and avoid products that contain: formaldehyde, 1,4 dioxane, PEG-100 stearate, sodium laureth sulfate, polyethylene and ceteareth-20.
Look instead for products that contain fewer ingredients and no synthetic fragrances or dye.
The flipside of purchasing more pure, natural products is that they do not contain preservatives and should be replaced every six months.
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