We all get lazy to replace our everyday face products. With these four simple signs, you will be saving your face from potential skin damage.

Use Your Senses

The first three signs to indicate if you need to replace your skincare/makeup products are your own senses. This can be done through sight, smell, and touch.

If you start to notice a visual change of color, texture, or consistency in your products, it is time to dispose of them. This indicates that they are expired and you do not want to risk putting them on your face if they are no longer of beneficial use. For instance, you might realize that your foundation color has changed or became more dry than creamy. Eyeshadows and Lipsticks become dry and flaky which are key indicators that they are not okay to use anymore. Other powders, such as blush, bronzer, and highlighter tend to form a “chalky” texture. Your sense of smell can also help you figure out which products to ditch. If you use fragrance-free lotions, cleansers, or creams, and start to notice a developing smell or strong odor, it is safe to say those products are not safe to use anymore.

Check Expiration Date

An expiration date is the biggest sign and easiest way to indicate if a product is expired or not. Most skincare and makeup products have a small, expiration date on the label or at the bottom of the packaging. It appears to be an icon resembling an open-lid jar with a number in front of the letter “M,” in the middle of it. That number is how many months that product can last from the day it is opened. Make sure to dispose of any products that have gone over the date written on the label. Even if the product seems fine and does not show any signs of discoloration or odor, it is not safe to use it on your skin if the expiration date states it is no longer good to use. The expiration date does not always mean that is the date the product will go bad, it also can mean that the product is useless at that point and does not work anymore. This proves there is no point in using any expired product, whether it be harmful or not, there is no benefit to using it.

Why You Should Avoid Using Expired Face Products

We all buy skincare products to create a routine that will improve our skin to be more healthy and hydrated. Similarly, makeup is used to enhance our beauty and make us feel flawless. If we use expired skincare and makeup products that would jeopardize our skin and undo the hard work we put into making it look smooth and clear of any blemishes.

Expired skincare products, including foundations and concealers, may cause bad reactions to the skin such as acne breakouts, skin irritations, excessive dryness, or even discoloration.

Expired lipsticks, mascaras, and eyeshadows can be responsible for drying out your lips and even causing an eye infection due to the bacteria build-up in the products. You can avoid this by paying close attention to the signs we listed above that indicate your products have got to go.

How You Can Impact the Longevity of your Products

As long as you are applying your skincare and makeup products in a clean and efficient manner, your products will not expire so easily. Using applicators and brushes that are regularly cleaned is a safe way to ensure your products are not getting contaminated from any germs. However, if you dip your finger in creams, foundations, and eyeshadows, this can cause bacteria from your fingers to deteriorate the makeup or skincare product over time.

Dipping fingers in skincare products can cause bacteria to contaminate it.

Another thing to keep in mind is where you are storing your products. People assume the best place to store their skincare products is in the bathroom or shower. However, this is where a lot of heat and moisture may affect the consistency of your lotions and cleansers. It is best to store all of your skincare products, as well as your makeup products, in a dry and cool space with a consistent temperature.

We hope these signs can remind you to routinely change your skincare or makeup products in order to avoid having bad reactions to expired products!