So is all this advice to discard mascara etc after six months a money-making scheme or sensible?

[emkana]

I have ancient mascara and it doesn't seem to do me any harm...

Well I'm still using the make up I bought to wear when I got married 10 years ago and no eye infections here!

limited - if I were fair-skinned I probably wouldn't take that risk. But being black, it's more about avoiding 'stripey' tanning than avoiding sunburn for me, so I'm happy to be my own lab rat!

ah that is where the problem is - i glow in the dark. be careful as the uv protects about cancer risk not tanning. its to do with dna damage in skin cells, which being replaced every 14days means they are more likely to become cancerous as changes are compounded quicker.

Leaves dust pan and brush for the pieces of speedy's brain that has just imploded!

Ah, yes - luckily for me I have better inbuilt protection against skin cell damage

turns light off and sits glowing in the corner

Oh it's total bollocks. I have mascaras that are about 15v years old that I still use occasionally. The make up that is most likely to go off would be foundations or lipsticks or possibly 'creme' eyeshadows and blushers but when stuff like that goes off, it smells off or is dried right out.

Though sharing mascara with someone else isn't a great idea, that may well give you an eye infection. Borrowing eye pencils is safe enough as long as you sharpen them between users.

at limited

I wonder if scientists would say that it's actually best to have a different mascara for each eye.

am perfectly happy to use my own ancient mascara- if it's full of bacteria, at least it's my bacteria and they haven't turned on me yet

I use my mascara till it's used up. Ditto for nail polish, lippie, eye shadow etc etc.

I did once get conjunctivitis, but I caught it from dh (who also infected half his office and my brother!). Once it cleared up I threw out all my eye make-up and bought new, but that was because I knew the stuff would be contaminated.

Maybe I'm just susceptible but I am reminded to change my mascara regularly by having very sore eyes for a day or two. Today my eyes were fine. Within an hour of putting my usual mascara on they were very sore and have been watery all day. I've had this one for about four five months and use it every day, occasionally twice.

Changing to a new bottle seems to help every time. The mascara does start to look quite gloopy and rank beforehand but I always ignore that and wait for the 'reaction'

I have wondered about the shelf life of make-up.....mascara i can understand as it is close to your eye.

I have a Chanel blusher that has i think a 12month lifespan...i got it 5 years ago as a birthday present, use it everyday and still have lots left! Value for money if nothing else!!!! But i just wonder how it could 'go off'

I was going to start a thread on this last week and forgot.

Is there anyone who has actually had an eye infection caused by mascara?

I use mine till it runs out.

i have make up that was my mum's when she was about 20...