Out with the old in with the new, that’s usually the saying at this time of the year, and since most of the country is in a deep freeze what better time to clean out the makeup bag and get ready for sunny days to come.
Have you ever wondered how long you are supposed to keep a cosmeticand really what would happen if you continued to use that old stuff you have lying around in the drawer forgotten? Well nothing dramatic will happen of course ( apart from the colors being so last year) but it is good to note that some cosmetics were just not meant to be used for years and years. For example , mascara really does need to be replaced every 3 or 4 months as not only does it dry out and become clumpy but you reintroduce bacteria into the tube every time you use it and you are using that product near your eyes. Be safe and offer yourself a new one , the drugstore brands are great and don’t break the bank. Some cosmetics, such as sunscreens, also carry an expiration date which doesn’t mean that they are totally unusable after that date, but that their active ingredients will become less effective. ( like in the fridge when I see the yogurt is expired I panic even though I am sure it is perfectly edible). Mostly all cosmetics have preservatives to keep bacterial growth at bay, but the longer its been sitting around opened or used with dirty brushes, the higher the chance it’s collecting bacteria.
So step one of cleaning your makeup bag is removing those old colors you don’t use or never did because you didn’t like them on you. Check your mascara to make sure it isn’t all dried out, the same for any liquid liners. Foundations can last 1-2 years as long as they aren’t separating, so check to make sure it still matches your skin tone ( you may have bought it when you had a tan , so keep that one for summer) All powder makeup can be used almost indefinitely ( don’t quote me on that but makeup artists do generally keep some eyeshadows for years without any detriment), just take care that they are not broken and making a mess all over your soon to be clean makeup bag.( click here for a genius way to fix broken powder makeup) Lip glosses and lipsticks last anywhere from 12 months to 4 years but if you are in doubt smell it. If it smells funny, then it needs to be trashed. That rule applies to any makeup product.
That brings me to the next step in cleaning out your makeup bag…your makeup brushes!
Step two wash your makeup brushes! Ideally you should wash them once a week. I know that this doesn’t happen for most people! I have a friend who admitted to never washing them! Imagine my horror! It is one of my least favorite things to do after a long day on a photo-shoot, but since I work with different people everyday it is essential. Not washing your brushes makes them very ineffective and the hairs become hard but it also reintroduces bacteria onto your skin and back in your makeup every time you use them. This can definitely lead to break outs.
Step three organize you bag so you have the products you use the most frequently handy for when you need them. I actually have two personal makeup bags ( I know it’s excessive but I am a makeup artist ) One is for the everyday makeup and it’s small enough to fit in my purse if I need to. The second one is for everything else, like the red lip for going out and the eyeshadows I use for special occasions. This way you aren’t digging around all the time looking for what you need.
Just three steps…. with an optional fourth! Invest in a new makeup bag that will inspire you to keep it clean. I bought this everyday one in Taiwan because I loved the shape of it and it makes me want to keep it clean.
Enjoy your time exploring your long-lost makeup and I hope this little guide will help you be a new you for 2014.
Loved it Colleen very helpful Merci!!!!
Loved it Colleen very helpful Merci!!!!
Too funny, I just did this the other day! I figured a windchill of -50 wasn’t the day to go impulse shopping so I cleaned out my makeup and my closet. I even cleaned all of my makeup’s packaging.
-Katie
smoulderingviolet.wordpress.com
Too funny, I just did this the other day! I figured a windchill of -50 wasn’t the day to go impulse shopping so I cleaned out my makeup and my closet. I even cleaned all of my makeup’s packaging.
-Katie
smoulderingviolet.wordpress.com
Very good advice! I’m much more conscious now of keeping products up to date —and CLEAN! Now if I could just do my eyes the way you demonstrated……..!
Very good advice! I’m much more conscious now of keeping products up to date —and CLEAN! Now if I could just do my eyes the way you demonstrated……..!