Do you keep using your makeup past the expiry date?

[LoraPiano]

Was hearing some horror stories about using old eye makeup and eye infection. I don't use a lot of makeup so have eyeshadows and liners that belong to the pre-covid era. Powders and concealers that are quite a few years old. Am trying to replace mascara every six or so months but that's about it. How does everyone else do it? Do you really get rid of your makeup and keep track of the use by dates?

My favourite lipstick, long discontinued, only has a tiny bit left, used on special occasions, was purchased in 1987. I'm determined to go to the grave wearing the last bit!

So, no. No notice taken of dates on make up here!

Anything wet near the eyes yes
Anything dry...nope

There are expiry dates??!

I replace mascara regularly. I've just thrown out some 2 year old foundation.

I have a 6 year old Mac lipstick that they've stopped making (lustering) which, like oldtinhat, I'll hang on to forever! I'm convinced I've got a second one somewhere that's even older but it's lost in a handbag.

Everything else is just replaced as needed.

@Rattai do you consider cream eyeshadows and eye pencils wet?

@Notonthestairs yup there is an open tin image on the back of things with a number on it, e.g. 6M, indicating the use by date after opening (e.g. in this case 6 months)

I pay attention to mascara, I wear contact lenses and they can get irritated quite quickly.
Apart from that all bets are off, a lot of it is ancient. Unless it looks like its gone weird, smells or whatever.

Currently using a Bobbi Brown cream blush that is 15 years old…….loads left. Doubt I’ll have to by blusher ever again.

Of course - only thing I’d chuck is mascara but it does a good job of telling you that it’s done.

Powder products last forever imo, unless there's obvious build up or mould. Eye liners, pencil type can be sharped fresh, dip types probably need replacing more often. Mascara is best to replace often (I don't, maybe every year). Lipstick until it looks, smells or taste funny. Ime Mac ones go off faster than most. I've never had to bin eyeshadows. Foundations can separate or start to smell funny, or cause skin reactions. Generally you'd know if make up was off.

I've got a 30 year old eyeshadow I wear on special occasions (it's dry)

I probably wouldn't use something like a liquid foundation that had been open for years.

But powder is generally fine. My blusher is about 5 years old and showing no signs of needing replacing anytime soon. Just make sure to keep brushes clean.

No. I don’t wear makeup very often (beyond a bit of face powder) so if I stuck strictly to the use by dates I would be throwing stuff out after one use.

What expiry date?

I have make-up that is older than my kids. I think I still have my Rimmel "Firebird" lipstick that was free if you collected a certain number of tokens from packets of Tampax (remembering to allow 28 days for delivery). I think I got that in 1989!

I'd love to see a picture of this, is it in the burgundy square packaging? With the sticky out bit you push up?

@BusterGonad I've just been to find it and alas, it seems that I did get rid of my "Firebird" lipstick after all. I did, however, find a bottle of the Body Shop's White Musk perfume, which is of a similar vintage - photo attached!

No and I can only think of a couple of things that I’ve ever had to throw away. A pot of gel eyeliner that dried out and no amount of oil was bringing it back. And maybe something else.

Most packaging of liquids is dispenser and airtight so never had a liquid go off either.

If I wore contact lenses I’d be more careful with mascara, maybe?

I don't wear any makeup anymore, but back when I wore powder foundation, I'd use it until there wasn't enough going on anymore. I used to get one which had the cream bit for most of it and a pink rectangle at the bottom, but I'd just sort of swirl the brush. In the end, there'd be only little flecks of the powder left. I think it took about 3 years to use one up.

Used lipstick until it became unusable as well.

Never put anything near my eyes, so can't comment on that. I'd want to err on the side of caution more there, since using any products by your eye is already riskier even when they're new.

I’m still using my Body Shop bronzing balls which I bought in the early nineties, I think. I’ve yet to find a better blush.

Do I heck lol!

I've got an eyeshadow pallette that's as old as my 11 year old!

No. Only things I throw out are foundations that have separated & some lipsticks that began to smell rancid, Clinique were some of the worst. Mac, Estée Lauder, Revlon & Max Factor last forever.

I only bin mascara and open liquid foundations. I've got years old eyeshadow palettes and lipsticks. And the obligatory leftover bottle of white musk.
I think use by dates on make up are mostly a scam, getting you ditch £50 palettes and buy replacements before you really need them!

Yes I do, trying to use it up, it's impossible

Replace mascara though

I only ever throw out dried up mascara or split foundation. Everything else is fine. I have stuff in my collection from when I was 13. I’m now 50

Yes I think there is an element of that

Nope. Use everything till it's either run out / dried up or stopped working / decided I don't like it.

I don't sweat makeup that often so there's things I've only used once or twice that are yonks old.

I've still got stuff from the 90s that I used at school ffs!

Eta I'd bin anything I used if I got an eye infection or something - but I never have.

I keep it all forever too, never had a problem.