Top tips on how to prolong the life of your favourite make-up
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We're all guilty of it; hoarding our favourite make-up for much longer that we actually should. In fact 17% of us readily admit to owning a mascara for (a shocking) eight years. And as for lipsticks? Those
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Check The Label
Expert: Rebecca Butterworth, MAC Senior Artist
'All cosmetics products have a shelf life date printed on the box – it's the little open jar with a number inside it on the label. That number is the number of months the product will stay safely useable from when it's first opened. But as a general rule, powders last longer than liquids.'
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Scent Test
Expert: Jane Richardson NARS International Lead Make-up Stylist
'Like with food, be aware of any changes to the look and smell of your products. If it smells stale or rancid or has changed in appearance in any way it's time to throw it out. The smell indicates a build up of bacteria in the products.'
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Brushes
Expert: Samantha Chapman, Founder of Real Techniques Brushes
'If you're just using your brushes for personal use I recommend cleaning them once a week. Any longer and pesky bacteria begins to build-up between the fibres in the brushes and these can quickly multiply. Plus, if you're experimenting with colour you won't get a genuine end result if there's still left over product on the brush.'
Lifespan: If you clean synthetic brushes once a week they will last years
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Make-up Bag
Expert: Jane Richardson, NARS International Lead Make-up Stylist
'Ever noticed how dirty the inside of your make-up bag can get? And how quickly? Make sure you remove all the products out of your bag and give it a good clean inside and out once a month. This will stop the build-up of dirt and bacteria and make your bag last much longer.'
Lifespan: This really depends on the material of your make-up bag. If it's wipe-clean or washable then there's no specific time limit; for more porous bags (which are rare anyway) then replace every 2 years.
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Foundations
Expert: Armand Beasley, Beauty Expert and Makeup Artist
'The golden rule is - the wetter the product, the bigger the breeding ground for bacteria; so foundations, liquid concealers and primers will degrade quicker than powders. Prolong the life of liquids by storing them in a cool, dry environment away from sunlight (to stop them from heating up and oxidising) and apply with clean tools.'
Lifespan: Liquid foundation 9-12 months. Powder foundation 18 months.
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Lips
Expert: Armand Beasley, Beauty Expert and Makeup Artist
'Avoid using your lipsticks and glosses straight from the bullet where possible; use the side of a lip brush to scrape off a small amount of product and put on to the back of your hand (like an artist's palette); then apply using the brush. This helps to prevent bacteria being transferred from lips to lippy and vice versa.'
'Powders can look like they've gone bad because they can develop an oily film on the surface. You can remove this really easily by pressing a small piece of sticky tape on the surface of the powder. If it's deeply embedded, use a clean mascara wand to scuff the surface and reveal fresh powder underneath. For cream based eyeshadows avoid dipping your finger directly in to the pot, instead scoop some out with a brush and then blend with your finger.'
Lifespan: Cream based eyeshadows 12-16 months. Powder eyeshadows up to 24 months.
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Mascara
Expert: Rebecca Butterworth, MAC Senior Artist
'You MUST change mascara regularly. I recommend every three months and definitely no longer than six. Using a mascara older than six months can lead to infections like conjunctivitis. Mascaras harbour the most germs, which love a little moist tube in which they can grow! Don't pump your mascara wand back and forwards, this will introduce air into the tube and mean your mascara dries out far quicker.'