3 Dangers of Using Expired Beauty Products

No one likes to admit it, but makeup and beauty products go bad. This is a sad thing for us beauty lovers because we want to make sure we get our money's worth out of what we buy. Understandably, it's hard to justify throwing out a product (especially when it seems to be performing like it always has) when we know there's more left to be used. This can make it very tempting to keep a product past its expiration. However, the consequences of doing so may be riskier than it seems.

Eye infections: So much of the makeup we use around our eyes is a liquid or creamy consistency. This makes for a smooth, easy-to-apply product, but it also creates a breeding ground for bacteria. Our eyes, being moist themselves, are especially prone to infection, and the side effects of an eye infection can be anything from redness to itchiness to excessive swelling, and even compromised vision.

Eating Your Lipcolors: This seems like a scary fact altogether, but statistics estimate that the average woman will eat up to four pounds of lipstick in her lifetime. As shocking as this sounds, the fact that cosmetic-grade ingredients are approved for usage on the face means that your lipstick is safe to use when it is in date. Along with that, more and more companies are basing more of their lip product formulas in food-grade natural ingredients or food-safe synthetics than ever before. But since you wouldn’t eat food after it’s expired, you shouldn’t run the risk with your lipstick either.

Increased Chance of Breakouts and Other Skin Irritations: This goes back to the harboring of bacteria, but old foundations are particularly bad for doing this. The primary things we use base products for is to cover blemishes which are, in essence, like very small wounds or low-grade infections on our skin, so as our hands or our applicators dip in and out of the product and spread across our faces and concentrating over blemishes especially, we are putting bacteria into the formula and then back onto our skin.

Also, every time you open your foundation container, the formula is exposed to oxygen—something that bacteria also love. That oxygen also interferes with the binders and color pigments of the foundation as well its preservative system. Preservative systems also are only meant to be effective for a certain period already, and they weaken naturally over time after the product has been opened. The more quickly that preservative system is downgraded, the faster the other ingredients spoil and in some cases might become dangerous to apply, causing rashes or even chemical burns.

No matter how well it might still seem to be performing or how much it may have cost, it is truly best to let go of any makeup item that you suspect may have expired immediately. Saving products--even beloved ones-- past their prime is just not worth the risk to your health or safety. If you are unsure when it might be time to let a product go, check out this article here.