Do you know that over time makeup products also expire?

We use many cosmetic products every day to look beautiful, especially every woman has a good collection of cosmetic products. However, as soon as a new product arrives in the market, we buy it and add it to our latest collection and keep the old cosmetics stored and use it for years. But do you know..? that every product has its own expiry date and time, if you keep using that cosmetic product,even after that date or time then apart from skin and hair, the particular part on which the product is used, you may have many problems related to it like cosmetic acne, conjunctivitis, dermatitis, pigmentation,itching and irritation of the mucous membrane.

Most products have a period after opening (PAO) symbol which acts as a guideline for when to dump product after you have opened it but what if you don't find a PAO symbol on your products.? follow the below guidelines to get the best from your cosmetics and know the expiration of your favourite makeup and skin care products.

Moisturiser Oil based moisturisers definitely have longer life but they are also susceptible to contamination by air, dust or direct contact with skin so always opt for pump bottles or tubes which keeps out germs effectively. throw away all your moisturiser containers that have been opened for more then 2 years now.

Foundation liquids and cream foundation generally last for 6 to 12 months. They contain more water,oils and hydrating agents which reduces their shelf life. Always keep yours fingers away from the neck of the bottle. If you notice your foundation has started separating or losing it's fragrance its definitely a time to toss it.

Concealer If your concealer dries out,becomes cracky, sticky or starts to smell different, throw it immediately.

Lipstick, liner and gloss They can last up to one year or so but if you notice a change in their texture or flavour then it's time to toss your favourite lip products,otherwise they may cause discolouration of the lips.Never keep your lipstick without a lid, use a lip brush to avoid unnecessary contact with your skin and lips. clean your lip brushes and tools with wipes occasionally to remove the stickiness as the top layer may carry bacteria.For lip gloss watch out for discolouration and thickness.

Brow pencil Your brow pencil can last up to 2 years or just as long as you want it to, if used with care.so always keep the cap closed and make sure to keep in regular use.

Mascara Shelf life of mascara is between 3 to 6 months. always write the opening date on your mascara tube and replace it after 6 months. In between if it dries out, changes the texture, colour or perfume in particular, replace it immediately to avoid eye infection. And yes! Never ever share your mascara as it can cause cross contamination.

Eye liner liquid or pencil Liquid liners can last up to 4 or 5 months. If it dries out or changes it's texture throw it out immediately but never ever try to put water in your eye liner to make it liquidy or work again as it may cause redness or irritation in the eyes. pencil liners can last to the maximum 2 years but to keep them free from dirt and dust always keep the cap on after use or when not in use.

Eye Shadows Eyes are the most sensitive part of the body so all the eye cosmetics are made absolutely germs free. In the case of cream eye shadows some degree of bacteria activity may develop after 6 months, due to too much air exposure, house dust or touching them oftenly with dirty fingers. So it is advisable to replace your creamy shadows more often then the powder one, but don't stick to your powder shadows also for too long since they are used around your eyes.

Powder and blusher

Powder base cosmetics can last longer say about for 2 years.but when it starts to separate, discolour, lose it's fragrance, flake, cake or harden, it has probably outlived it's usefulness and the time has come to replace it. To make your powder base products more stable avoid their exposure to the air so throwing away all your powder products without lids will be a sensible thought.

Fragrances All perfumes deteriorate on exposure to air, moisture, sunlight and heat. heat breaks down the chemical structure, making it lose it's fragrance more quickly. So always keep them away from direct sunlight or avoid keeping them under heat bulbs or lamps. They can last for 8 to 10 years as long as you avoid heat and bright light.

Brushes, sponges & applicators Bacteria and germs can cling to the greasy residue on sponges and brushes if you are using cream based cosmetic products so replace all your brushes every year and cream eye shadow applicators and sponges every 6 months. Be careful with mascara wands or brow applicators because they pickup germs very readily and can infect the eye if applied carelessly.