Have you ever noticed that some foods have an expiration date, and others don't? It's pretty clear cut—if it smells funny or looks weird, we throw it out. But did you know that most cosmetics have "best-by" dates too?
It's just as important to avoid using and clean out/replace these items as well. Just like food begins to breed bacteria and mold, our expired cosmetics can too. That's why it's important to avoid putting expired products on our bodies—because the last thing we want is to be spreading germs or becoming ill!
The best time to do this is every 12 or so months, and what better time than during the spring cleaning season. As the top growing beauty brand on social media, Boujee Girl has the quality products to get your collection back in stock for the 2023/2024 year.
The easiest way to tell if your makeup has expired is by checking for a PAO (period after opening) symbol. This refers to the length of time AFTER opening your products and breaking its seal, that it is safe to continue using said product(s). This time frame of course varies from product to product, and product formulations as well.
Here is a break down of cosmetic lifespans by product:
- Foundation: Usually a water-based formula, shorter lifespan than other cosmetics, recommended expiration date is usually between 6-12 months after first opening. Using expired foundation is know to cause acne breakouts and other skin problems.
- Eye Shadow: You would think because of its powdered formula the shelf life would be longer, however it is also recommended to replace shadows and pressed powder items every 6-9 months. As this product is close to the eye area, and does have the tendency to occasionally get into the eye I would take extra caution with using expired eye shadows. The bacteria that can form can cause eye irritation and even infection.
- Eyeliner: Just like eye shadows, eyeliners can transfer bacteria from your skin/eye back into the product on later applications. This is why it is recommended replacing after 3 months of breaking the seal. Using contaminated eye products can cause itchiness, redness, and in worse cases pink eye. in most cases you can't even tell when your cosmetics are growing troublesome bacteria and microbes.
- Lip Gloss: Most lip glosses do not contain water allowing them to have a longer shelf life. It is recommended to switch out your gloss every 9-12 months or after any major illness. As you become closer to your lip products expiration date, you may start to notice a change in the consistency of the product. It may become clumpy, separated, oily (in a bad way), or may even begin to smell bad. These are all signs to replace your lip product.
Boujee Girl's vegan lip care line are perfect when you are ready to restock your collection of lip care or eyelash products. We have something for everyone and our collection is still growing.