Most of us don’t want to waste a good product so we hold on to it for as long as possible, but what if we are doing more harm than good?
Think about it, your foundation expired but you keep using it. The formula is going bad, so you need to use more primer and setting spray to keep the finish neat. Your beauty blender has not been cleaned in some time.
You are clogging up your pores, with dirty tools. In summer time, while you are sweating up a storm, you add even more powder. No wonder you have breakouts!
Check the expiration date
Make-up and other cosmetics have a small symbol of an opened jar somewhere on the packaging, coupled with a number like 3, 6, 12, etc. This represents how many months you can use it after opening the product. After that, you should discard it.
Tip: Mark the date on the bottom of your newly opened products with a permanent marker, tip-ex or nail polish or a sticker label.
If your powders, blush or eye shadows do not have an expiration symbol on them, discard it after two years of use.
Clean your tools
You can use a shampoo, face wash or a brush cleaning product for this, just make sure you rinse all the product out until the water runs clear. It is best to use a paper towel to get the excess water out, instead of a towel – as they are often a breeding ground for germs.
You can fluff out your brushes and have them air dry on a paper towel. Some like to have the bristles hang off the edge of the counter so they don’t dry “flat”, however some brushes will end up drying in a downward direction, or just be top-heavy and fall off the counter.
To clean your brushes on the daily is recommended, however, not realistically possible for everyone. Therefore, a proper deep clean is recommended once or twice a week. Since many of us have sanitisers at home now, you can squirt a bit of sanitiser into a little bowl, and give your brushes a quick dip-and-swirl on the days between deep and thorough cleaning. It should rinse some of the product off, disinfect the bristles, and due to the high volume alcohol content, it should air dry much quicker.
Remember to clean out your actual make-up bag or drawers as well.
Time for new goodies!
You used to love your foundation, but it failed to excite you in the last few months – keep in mind that not only did you possibly use an expired product, but the formula may have been updated in the time since you last purchased. Use your discretion, if your purchase was less than a year ago, you might want to try something different. If it was about 2 years ago, you can try it again and see if it sparks the same joy as it once did.
You may also need to switch it up for the season – If you were using a heavier cream foundation in winter, you might consider something lighter that you can build up in summer. With the added use of masks, less is more.
The latest Beauty Basket catalogue or the cosmetics section on the Mopani Pharmacy online shop is a great place to start looking for replacements. Some Beauty Basket items are in-store only items that are available at great discounts, but our online shop has the benefit of free delivery for all purchases over R400, nation-wide!
Read more: Mask Breakouts – When your face needs to breathe
More info: mopani.co.za | crossing@mopani.co.za | Tel: 013 755 5500 | WhatsApp: 066-192-1703