Are there expiration dates for makeup? Yes and no. According to the FDA, "There are no regulations or requirements under current United States law that require cosmetic manufacturers to print expiration dates on the labels of cosmetic products." Nonetheless, makeup isn't like snack cakes, folks. It really does have a shelf life.
How long does makeup last, exactly? According to this excellent article on the CBS News website, the general guidelines for cosmetic viability are as follows:
- Liquid Foundation, 3-6 months
- Cream foundation 4-6 months
- Concealer, 6-8 months
- Powders (eye shadows, blush), 1 year
- Mascara, 3 months
- Lip gloss & Lipstick, 1 year
- Eye/Lip Pencils, 1 year (sharpen pencils at least once a week to prevent bacteria from being transferred to your eye area. You'll know the product has gone bad if it dries or crumbles).
I'm not going to lie to you, Questers: I assure you I have powders that are older than a year. Like lip gloss and lipstick, I keep powders until they develop a funny texture or smell weird. But that's me. Generally I do adhere to the rest of the suggested expiration dates, although it does seem I keep my mascara for closer to six months. Nothing has happened to me yet, but as you know from last week's mishap with the craft knife, I live on the edge.
