Keep a Clean Cosmetics Bag- No Excuses
The best tricks for renewing your makeup kit. A few simple tips to keep everything in order and discard anything old/expired!
-Discard all broken products.
-Discard all products beyond their use-by date.
Expiration:
It is always a good idea to write down when you purchase an item; some products last longer than others, and who really remembers when they bought something over a month ago? And if you aren’t sure, check the expiration date on the package! But here are a few simple rules to go by:
Mascara: about three-four months after opening. If you use it a lot it may be that it doesn’t even last three months.
All texture products in powder form such as shadow, matte powders and foundation -last about two years.
Foundation: in cream form, correctors, shadows or rouges in cream form: these last about a year and a half.
Lipsticks: about two years.
Lip gloss: about two years. See when the color or texture changes; it is possible that if you have exposed it to temperature changes then it may have gone off.
Face creams and cleansers have different shelf lives, depending on their ingredients- They can last from 3 to 12 or 24 months.
Cleanliness:
Clean all your products with a damp towel, and dry them with a soft cloth. They will come out looking new.
Don’t forget to clean all your brushes, and you’ll see how much easier it is to put makeup on. Here’s how:
Natural hair brushes:
Clean them with a mild shampoo, with a neutral fragrance. Or better yet Dr. Bonner's castile soap is my go to.
Rinse them in cold or lukewarm water (avoid using hot water)
Rinse again, until you are sure there is no remaining soap.
Synthetic-hair brushes:
Clean your synthetic-hair brushes with a grease-removing product, such as washing-up liquid (dish soap) or again use Dr. Bonner's
Rinse them in lukewarm water and ensure there is no remaining soap.
TIP: Always leave your brushes to dry on a towel; never let them dry vertically in a cup, as in this case the water would enter the brush’s handle and ruin it, besides which the hair will part.
New sponges and powder puffs:
Buy new sponges and powder puffs. They are very accessible and you will feel as though you are trying out a whole range of products for the first time.
Cosmetic Bag:
Wash your cosmetic bag in a washing machine, if the material and shape allow it. Otherwise clean it with a damp sponge and eliminate all left-over pencil shavings, broken pencils, bits of makeup, etc.
If you can, buy yourself a new cosmetic bag with separate compartments so as to keep all your makeup products in order. They’ll last longer this way.
Not only does keeping your cosmetic bag clean help with cross-contamination it also helps keep bacteria and dirt at bay which can transfer to the skin, causing breakouts~