Is your makeup out of date? What every beauty professional should know.

According to a recent survey, 49% of Brits admit to using expired beauty products, and 13% say they never throw makeup away¹.

As a beauty professional, you’ll know that your kit says as much about your standards as it does your skills. But even the most meticulous artist can end up with a few forgotten favourites tucked away in the back of a drawer.

Expired makeup is more than just an inconvenience. It can affect your clients’ skin and eyes, increase the risk of reactions and ultimately, impact your reputation. Knowing when your products are past their best is one of the simplest ways of keeping each client as safe as possible.

Every product has its own lifecycle. Once ingredients are exposed to air, heat or even light, they start to break down. Creams can oxidise, powders can harden and liquids quickly become a breeding ground for bacteria. Using out-of-date makeup can cause irritation, breakouts, clogged pores, and in the most severe cases, require medical treatment.

It’s true that in our personal lives, many of us have products that we tend to continue using long past the recommended lifespan. Perhaps it’s a discontinued shade, a brand that you can’t buy any more in the UK or something that has sentimental value. But for beauty professionals, hygiene sits at the very heart of a safe treatment, and paying attention to the shelf life is a key part of the picture.

It’s actually surprisingly easy to check when your makeup expires. Most products will include a Period After Opening (PAO) symbol on it (which is the little open jar icon with a number inside). For example, 6M means expires six months after being opened.

But what about unopened makeup? Even sealed products can still expire. Which means that makeup is actually edging towards expiry on the shelf before you even buy it. To make sure your product is as fresh and safe as possible, you can run the batch-code through websites like CheckFresh. Simply type in the brand and the code, and it will tell you exactly when that product was manufactured and how old it really is.

Although it will vary from brand to brand, here’s a rough idea of how long different products typically last[1]:

• Mascara: 3 to 6 months

• Liquid eyeliner: 3 to 6 months

• Liquid foundation: 12 months

• Concealer: 12 months

• Lipsticks and glosses: 12 to 18 months

• Pencils (eyeliner, brow and lip) 12 to 24 months

• Eyeshadow: 24 months

As a general rule of thumb, you should be able to trust the PAO symbol on the specific product. However, if a product starts to smell or look different, or starts to separate, then it’s a sign that it’s time to let it go.

When your clients book you, they don’t just pick you for skills alone. They trust that you’ll make them look beautiful and feel confident. The last thing you want is to find that on the day of a big event, your client has a reaction to an expired product in your rotation. Even if the reaction is mild, it can still damage your reputation and ultimately result in a financial loss.

To prevent this, consider writing the date that you opened the product on it and keep a schedule to remember when to replace items.

Expired products aren’t the only thing that can go wrong for beauty professionals. Some things that are completely out of your control, like faulty products, can lead to reactions too. Having beauty insurance in place can help create a financial safety net if things go wrong. It can cover treatment risks, equipment, accidental damage or if you’ve given bad advice.

Consistent with our policy when giving comment and advice on a non-specific basis, we cannot assume legal responsibility for the accuracy of any particular statement. In the case of specific problems, we recommend that professional advice be sought.

Sources:

1. The Dangers Of Using Expired Beauty Products