What to toss, what to keep and what to keep clean.
Beauty Blenders and Makeup Sponges
Replace: Anything that’s coming into constant contact with your face and all its bacteria on a regular basis should be washed and replaced with regularity. Something as absorbent as a sponge, which not only soaks up water, but dirt, bacteria, oil and dead skin, should be replaced—generally—every three months.
Maintain: Luckily Beauty Blenders and makeup sponges can be cleaned quite easily—with soap and water. Take your Blender, wet it and scrub it gently with a bar of soap. Squeeze out the excess water and product and towel dry.
Brushes
Replace: Since there are varying qualities of makeup brushes, from synthetic to natural bristles and beyond, the lifespan of a regular makeup brush can range from one year to five years, with regular upkeep. Since there is no hard and fast timeframe for your brushes, pay attention to the fullness and softness of the bristles, the cleanliness of the brush itself and the wear on the handle—if these qualities begin to decline, a new brush is in order.
Maintain: Brushes, like makeup sponges, are regularly touching the skin and eyes, so a regular clean is necessary. Gently wash the bristles with a brush cleaner or natural alternative and towel dry, leaving the brushes to dry on a slight downwards angle towards the bristles, so no water runs back into the handle, causing water damage. Washing is recommended every week or so.
Mascaras
Replace: The last thing you want with mascara is to transfer bacteria to your eyes, which can lead to, among other things, conjunctivitis, sties and infections, so the recommended replacement timeframe for mascara tubes is about three months.
Maintain: Unfortunately, there’s no real maintenance for mascara, apart from keeping the wand clean and trying not to ‘pump the wand’ too often, as this traps in air and bacteria and dries out the product.
Blushes
Replace: Depending on the consistency of the blush, cream or powder, the lifespan is between one to two years. Two years for powders, as they don’t contain oils or water, and one year for creams, as they can separate and crack. If you see a darkening of the shade or caking of the consistency, that’s an indicator that it’s life is up.
Maintain: Any pan products should be wiped down with a clean makeup wipe often, and whichever applicators used with it, be it brush or sponge, should be cleaned and replaced regularly.
Eyeshadows
Replace: Eyeshadows, whether they are singles or in palettes, have a good lifespan: generally around two years for powder shadows and one year for creams. As you are constantly dipping into them and transferring them to your eye area, and then using the same brush to dip again, bacteria, dead skin and other gross things can build up in the pigment.
Maintain: Palettes should be wiped down regularly and discarded if they become caked or crumble-y.
Eyeliners
Replace: Since most of these products, barring pot or pan ones, are applied directly onto the eye via its in-built applicator, these need to be monitored closely to avoid infections. Pencil eyeliners, being cleanable via sharpening, can last up to two years, whilst liquid eyeliners have a much shorter lifespan—only around three months. Like mascaras, the pumping motion you use to re-dip your brush traps bacteria into the tube and it can stay there.
Maintain: For pencil eyeliners, the bodies can be wiped of excess product, while the tip can be cleaned by sharpening them regularly.
Foundations
Replace: As a product that is constantly applied to the face and exposed to oil, dead skin cells and dirt, foundations, whether they are liquid or cream, should be replaced every year. After one year, the consistency, texture, shade and smell of your foundation should begin to change.
Maintain: Maintain your foundations by avoiding application with your fingers, as that can spread bacteria. Regularly clean any applicator you use, including brushes and blenders, and make sure that your foundation is also sealed correctly after use.
Concealers
Replace: Concealers, as long as they are kept clean and well-sealed, can last up to a year and a half before they need replacement. Like foundations, they will turn in colour and smell once their time is up.
Maintain: Keep your concealer clean by gently wiping down the container every once as a while. If the concealer is in a pan (as opposed to a tube), try not to contaminate the product with fingers or dirty brushes.
Moisturisers
Replace: Skincare, like makeup, does have a limited lifespan and, because it’s going on your skin, should be adhered to. Moisturisers can last up from 12 months to 24, depending on the product. You can easily check this by reading the Period After Opening (PAO) symbol on the tub—this looks like a little tub with a number inside it. ‘12M’ indicates 12 months, while ‘24M’ indicates 24 months, and so forth.
Maintain: To ensure your products last as long as possible, keep them out of sunlight and make sure their lids are always screwed on tightly. If you can, try to avoid putting your fingers into the tub.
Perfumes
Replace: Although it doesn’t seem possible to use it all in this time, a perfume’s recommended replacement timeframe is around 36 months.
Maintain: Maintain your perfumes by wiping down the nozzle every so often and keeping them in a cool, dry space.
Elle
