Cheat Sheet: Exactly When You Need to Replace Your Makeup

Hands up if you "occasionally" neglect to throw your out your expired makeup. That makes most of us, right? After all, it's tough to keep track, especially since most types of makeup have different shelf lives, ranging from three months (mascara) to 10 years (fragrance).

With that in mind, we've put together a little guide listing each product and approximately how long it lasts, ranked from shortest to longest. And to help elucidate the whole situation, we chatted with Justine Purdue and Stoj, celebrity makeup artists with Streeters. They explained the importance of keeping track of your makeup since its expiry can lead to infection and irritation.

"When you use your makeup after the expiration date, you are exposing yourself to bacterial overgrowth, contamination, infection and other toxins," says Stoj. Luckily, spoiled makeup isn't generally too hard to spot: "The easiest way to know if something is expired is if it's changed color, consistency or smell," explains Purdue.

That said, it's important to keep track of your makeup's shelf life when possible. Play it by ear, though — some products can last longer than these guidelines, while others may expire more quickly. "Even if your makeup hasn't expired and you notice the product separate, change color or smell, it is time to throw it away!" cautions Stoj.

Image via Imaxtree