How Often Should You Replace Your Makeup? Experts Reveal the Expiry Dates Most People Ignore

Two dermatologists are sounding the alarm on a habit many beauty lovers are guilty of. Their advice might just change the way you look at your makeup bag.

When you love something, you want to make it last for as long as possible — and makeup is no exception to that rule. But how long can you safely keep using your favorite products before you risk damaging your skin?

Some skincare and makeup items are easy to use up, but others, like moisturizers, mascara, and blush, take much longer to finish. And for those, there's something important to keep in mind: expiration dates.

Every skincare and makeup product has one. It might be tempting to keep using an expired item, especially given how pricey some can be, but experts advise against it.

According to Dr. Michelle Henry, founder of Skin & Aesthetic Surgery of Manhattan and clinical instructor of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College, using beauty products past their expiration dates is far from harmless.

According to Henry, using expired products could dry out or irritate your skin because their concentration can change. "We're putting this on our face; this is delicate skin. If [the product] is compromised in any way you can get an infection," she warns.

She continues, "We're putting things near our eyes, near our mouths where we have the mucosa that can more readily absorb these things. And those are areas where you can get an infection quite readily. So it's about your overall health and safety."

Angela Bowers, MD, a dermatologist on the medical staff at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Grapevine, agrees that holding on to makeup past its prime could expose your skin to harmful bacteria.

The expert regularly treats patients with perioral dermatitis, an acne-like condition that can be triggered by expired makeup.

"If bacteria get in old makeup, the preservatives might not work quite as well as when you first opened it," Dr. Bowers said. "If you get some of that in your eye, you'll start to get conjunctivitis, which we know as 'pink-eye.'"

Beyond checking expiration dates, it's wise to use your best judgment. If a product looks old, changes texture, or smells bad, toss it. Expired makeup can harbor bacteria and lead to acne, rashes, eye infections, and sties.

Parting with expensive products may sting, but Dr. Bowers said hanging on to them could hurt even more. "If you end up in the doctor's office with an infection, all those savings are negated," Dr. Bowers said. "You always want to have a clean face using a good, fresh product."

Not sure when to replace your cosmetics? Here's a general timeline based on the product and when you opened it:

• Mascara: four to six months
• Eyeliner: three to six months
• Foundations and concealer: one year
• Lipstick: eight months to one year
• Lip gloss: 12 to 18 months
• Powder products: 12 to 18 months
• Cream products: six months to one year

A simple system can help you keep track of when you open something. Each time you crack open a new product, label the container with the date. Keeping small labels or even masking tape near your makeup drawer makes this easy.

Last but not least, don't skip the handwashing. Plenty of people apply makeup with their fingers, so clean hands before and after are a must.