Yes, makeup does expire!  And with all the other important information we have to keep track of every day, who can remember whether it’s liquid or powder foundation that lasts 2 years and what date you opened that eyeshadow?  If you’re like me and struggle with keeping track of this information, read on for a free 1-page printable Makeup Expiry Guide and the quick and easy tip I use to avoid using makeup past its best-before date.

So Many Different Makeup Expiry Dates To Keep Track Of!

Confession time: while I can easily organize cosmetics to make getting ready a breeze, I know very little about the actual use of makeup.  My makeup routine is pretty basic, takes about 3 minutes and hasn’t changed much in 20 years (sad, but true).  So, I get you’d be reluctant to take any makeup advice from me (shows good judgement on your part 😉).  But, even with my limited knowledge, a few things I do know are:

1) all makeup expires;

2) different products have different expiry dates;

3) expiry dates generally start running from when you open a product; and

4) it’s freaking hard to keep track of all the different expiry dates for all the different products and to keep track of when you start using a particular one.

Seriously, who can remember the date they opened their mascara or eye shadow palette?  Not me, that’s for sure.  And is it even that big of a deal to use makeup past its expiry date anyway?

2 Reasons To Stop Using Expired Makeup

My younger self paid no attention to makeup expiry dates.  Throwing away a half-used product was like throwing away money and felt like a ploy by cosmetic makers to get me to buy more.  But, as I would learn, there are actually compelling reasons to follow makeup expiry dates.  As thehealthy.com  and womenshealthmag.com explain:

1) Expired Makeup Is Less Effective.  When makeup is past it’s “best before” date, it doesn’t perform like it’s meant to.  It generally doesn’t apply as evenly to skin and once on the skin, it tends to fade faster.  Additionally, the effectiveness of active ingredients like SPF and salicylic acid diminish over time.  So, your foundation with SPF may not be giving you the protection you think it is.

2) Expired Makeup Can Cause Damage to Skin and Eyes.  While the above effects of expired makeup are bothersome, the real concern of expired makeup is potential damage to your skin and eyes.  Once opened, bacteria can enter makeup products, which when applied to skin can result in irritation, bumps, rashes, swelling and breakouts.  Concerning your eyes, mascara in particular is easily contaminated by bacteria, which increases the risk of eye infections such as pink eye or conjunctivitis.

Who knew?  Makeup expiry dates actually are for our benefit and not just to get more money from us!

Free Printable Makeup Expiry Guide

Having realized the issues associated with using expired makeup, I knew I had to start paying attention to when my products expired.  But I also knew I still wasn’t going to remember all the different expiry dates; it’s just not information that sticks in my head.  So, I created a Makeup Expiry Guide for myself that lists all the products and expiry dates.  I keep it in the bathroom and refer to it when needed.  No more guessing or wasting time repeatedly looking up the same information.

While my initial version all those years ago was just hand written on paper, I’ve since created a much nicer one.   If you also find it challenging to keep all the expiry dates straight, click here to get your own free printable copy.

Quick & Easy Tip To Keep Track Of All Your Makeup Product Use

But keeping all the expiry dates straight only solved half the problem.  I still needed a fast and easy way to keep track of when I started using a new product.  Fast, because morning minutes when getting ready are precious.  Easy, so I would stick with it.   Enter Pinterest and this brilliantly simple tip I found:  keep a sheet of small round stickers (like the ones pictured above) and a pen with your makeup.  Each time you start a new product, write the date on the sticker and stick it to the product.  And that’s it!

How ridiculously fast and easy is that?  In less than 30 seconds you create a record you’ll see every time you use the product.  Keep your Makeup Expiry Guide close and you’ll never wonder if your using expired makeup again.  Because I came across this tip years ago, before I started organizing professionally and blogging, I don’t have the source to share.  But whoever it was, I’m happy they shared it and I’m paying it forward by sharing it with all of you.

Conclusion

I’ve been using this system for years and love it.  It’s inexpensive (this pack of 1,980 stickers from amazon.ca is $10.99 Cdn), it’s quick, and the only maintenance is re-stocking a sticker sheet every once in a while.  It’s a small thing, but it makes keeping track of this information so much easier.  And you know I love anything that makes life easier!

Do you have a different system to keep track of your makeup?  I’d love to hear it in the comments below.  And if you enjoyed this article, please share it!

Happy organizing!