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When Should you Replace Makeup?

As much as it can hurt to think about this, your makeup is only good for a certain period of time before you should toss it. Why? Makeup is, unfortunately a breeding ground for bacteria, and the longer you keep it, the more likely you are to infect yourself with some of the bacteria that have been living in your makeup. Itchy eyes? That could be a result of the mascara you've kept in your makeup drawer for the past year.

Here's a guideline for how long you should be keeping your makeup.

• Eye Shadow, Mascara: 3 months
• Foundation, Blush, Concealer: 6 months
• Toner, Powder: 1 year
• Lipstick: 1 year
• Eye Liner, Lip Liner: 18 months
• Nail Polish: 2 years

You shouldn't keep anything longer than two years.

Of course, this is just a guideline. If you find that your makeup starts looking discoloured, has a grainy texture or starts to smell, then it's definitely time to toss it. In order to prevent having to throw out your makeup early, you should be keeping it in a cool area, away from sunlight and moisture. To keep track of when you need to toss your makeup, when you first open it, use a permanent marker to write the date on it. That way you will always know exactly when you should replace what you have.

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