With the Holiday season in full swing, it’s almost undeniable that I will purchase a few holiday sets. The only problem is, I already have an extensive makeup collection and it seems as though I have a difficult time breaking up with old makeup.
My biggest offender, lipstick. So I decided it’s time to do a lipstick purge and have come up with a few helpful tips to make a lipstick breakup less painful.
The first and easiest way to break up with a lipstick is by following the expiration date. Most lipsticks have an image on the bottom. The number in front of the M signifies how many months a product will stay “fresh” after it has been open.
Did you know the average shelf life for a lipstick is 2 years and a lipgloss is 1 year?
Now to make things even more terrifying, did you know I own lipsticks that are older than that? Say circa 2006.
When I look at all of my lipsticks that are passed their prime, I resent having to toss such great products. But then I come to the realization, that storing old makeup causes more harm than good. Yes, it would be nice to keep / preserve my favorite lipstick F-O-R-E-V-E-R, but the reality is, it’s GROSS! Yes gross! Lipstick and lipgloss are cream products which over time harbor nasty bacteria. That bacteria can cause your lips to appear chapped or dry and it doesn’t take an expert to tell you dry lips make even the most expensive lipstick look horrible.
I know I’ve been told that some lipsticks can last a bit longer than the desired expiration date and the best way to tell if a lipstick or lipgloss is expired is to see if it’s changed colors or scent, but ladies and gentlemen, why do that to yourself? Although they may not appear expired, only a microscope can see what bacteria is living in those products.
In the end, as hard as it may be to part with old lipstick, it’s smart to do so. Yes, I will resent having to throw them away, and to be honest a bit ashamed and embarrassed, but it’s a wonderful opportunity to see what colors I never use and well maybe should avoid and well. If you are a true makeup lover like myself, it’s an even better opportunity to revamp your makeup collection!
Dare I ask, what’s the oldest lipstick you have in your makeup bag?