Makeup doesn't last forever; it can even cause irritation and infections if used past its expiration.- To determine how long your products are safe to use, check for tiny symbols on the packaging.
- Specifically, the open cream jar symbol indicates how many months a product is meant to last.
Though many beauty products are created to stay on all day, they aren't designed to last forever.
Eventually, you'll need to throw out your favorite makeup and skin-care items and replace them with new ones. After all, makeup loses its quality, becomes harder to apply, and can even become harmful to your skin and cause infections as a result of bacteria buildup over time.
Thankfully, figuring out when you should throw away your
There are tiny symbols on product labels that tell you how long your products will last after you've opened them - but they're so small, you might not have noticed them.
Look for the open cream jar icon, known as the PAO or 'Period After Opening' symbol
The icon includes the number of months a product is safe to use after it has been unsealed.
The PAO was introduced on
While the US currently doesn't require cosmetics to have an expiration date by law, the US Food & Drug Administration holds manufacturers responsible for ensuring their products are safe to use - and determining the shelf life of a product is considered part of their duty to consumers.
That's why, when you look through your makeup bag, you're likely to find the symbol on nearly all of your
The shelf life of makeup and skin care varies between different beauty products
I raided my makeup bag to demonstrate how long certain products last compared to others. Products for the face - like primer, foundation, and blush - will typically last for up to 24 months after they've been opened.
I'll need to throw out my favorite Yves Saint Laurent blush in two years.
The same goes for my everyday Clinique foundation.
Lip products should be thrown away sooner, usually after a year. This PAO icon on the bottom of my colleague's Tarte lipstick is so tiny that you can hardly see it unless you zoom in really close.
And mascara should be replaced even more regularly.
While the PAO on my Tarte mascara says it will last for up to 12 months, the FDA recommends getting rid of mascara after it becomes dry to prevent irritation to the eyes.
My colleague's CoverGirl mascara has a shorter life span of six months.
In addition to your makeup, you'll find the symbol on your skin-care products as well.
This Caudalie toner is good to use for nine months.
Unsurprisingly, my Caudalie eye cream has a shorter shelf life of just six months.
Now, start digging through your makeup bag and bathroom cabinet - just as you would go through your fridge - and throw out any products you've been using way past their expiration date!