Makeup

Spring Clean your Makeup Bag

Spring is a great time to have a clear out, with our homes and wardrobes often top of the agenda, but did you realise just how important it is to review the contents of your makeup bag?

When I talk about spring cleaning your makeup bag, I’m not just talking about updating your beauty look for the season (although it’s a great time to kill two birds with one stone, check out my latest makeup posts here). I’m actually talking about giving your products a health-check. You wouldn’t go for a year without cleaning out your fridge, and your makeup bag should be no different – these are products we use on our faces day in, day out and they contain use-by dates, which it can be dangerous to our health to ignore…

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Here are my top tips…

STERILISE:

Always make sure to clean your brushes. A good brush cleansing solution is one of my all time kit essentials.

SMELL:

If a product smells off, then it probably is off so don’t risk keeping it!

SANITISE:

Ensure you use hand sanitiser – Jao Hand Refresher is one of my staples.

STORE:

Make sure to keep cosmetics away from heat and direct sunlight.

THROW:

Old Sponges

STOCK UP:

Disposable Applicators

CREAMS AND LIQUIDS: 12-18 Months

If it’s a cream product, like a foundation, cream blush or cream eye shadow, then any separation, texture or colour-change means that your product has gone off.

POWDER PRODUCTS: 24 Months

Powders last longer than most cosmetics and can be kept for up to 2 years. Always use a clean brush and store your powders in a cool, dry place.

EYES: 3-4 Months

Mascaras and liquid eyeliners have the shortest lifespan of all cosmetics, lasting only 3-4 months once opened. If the product has gone dry or smells bad, then it’s a sure sign that it’s gone off.

LIP: 12-18 months

Lipsticks are wax or oil based so generally last longer than liquid products; 12-18 months if applied with a clean brush and stored properly.

PENCILS: 6 Months

Always sharpen eye and lip pencils before and after every use. Not only will you get a better result, sharpening helps to keep the pencils hygienic and prevents the spread of germs.

SPF: 12-24 Months

You must pay extra care with products containing SPF – if it smells funny, it’s a key sign that the preservative has gone off which means that your SPF is no longer providing protection!

READ NEXT: The Three-Step Cleanse (with video) | Spring Skin: Update Your Routine

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