Shelf life of beauty care products

Sometimes, the time when you should replace a beauty care product is not the expiry date printed on their packaging.

Bath sponges: Bath towels are one of the fastest dirty items, because they accumulate dead skin, dirt, and oil on your body after each bath. Therefore, you should change the sponge every few weeks or as soon as you notice that the sponge has an odor or changes color. Mascara: You should replace your mascara every 3 months to avoid the risk of bacteria and viruses accumulating on the mascara, causing eye infections and diseases such as colds and flu. Not just mascara but any product that comes into contact with wet parts of the body, like eyes and lips, has a very short shelf life. Makeup sponges: If you don’t change your makeup sponges every few months, or as soon as they change color, they can become an ideal breeding ground for mold. You should regularly clean your makeup remover sponges and let them dry completely to minimize the bacteria that cause pimples. Eye cream: When you open a cosmetic container, the ingredients in that cosmetic are exposed to the air and begin to break down. Besides, every time you use your hands to remove cosmetics from the jar, you allow bacteria from your hands to enter the cosmetic jar. You should change your eye cream every three months, unless you use a tube eye cream. Toothbrush: To keep the oral cavity clean, you need to change your toothbrush every 3 months or when you see that the bristles on the brush are no longer upright. Lip balm: Experts recommend replacing your lip balm with a new one every 6 months to 1 year, especially if you use a jar of lip balm where you have to use your fingers to apply it to your lips every time you use it. You should also follow the instructions printed on the product and refrain from sharing your lip balm with others. Acne Creams: If you find your acne creams are starting to lose their effectiveness, it may be time to throw them in the trash. When the acne cream has passed the expiry date printed on the package, the active ingredients of the cream will no longer work as they were originally. Sunscreen: You should replace the new sunscreen when the old sunscreen bottle has expired, or after 2 years from the date of opening the cap. However, you may also need to throw away your current sunscreen if you notice a different color, smell, or texture than when you first bought it. Eyelash curler: You should replace your eyelash curler every 2-3 years, or sooner if you find the rubber part has started to crack or get old. You should also use alcohol to clean the eyelash curler after each use. Perfume: The longevity of perfumes depends on how you take care of them. Please note that perfume should be stored in a cool place, away from high humidity and sunlight. You should also limit shaking the perfume bottle to avoid dissolving the chemicals in the perfume. You should change the perfume after 2-3 years of use, or when you find that the perfume starts to smell strange. Nail clippers: Even nail clippers and scissors have a shelf life of about 2-4 years. Of course, the longevity of these beauty products depends on their quality and how often you use them.