When to Throw It Out

Question Can you tell me how long I should use/keep cosmetics once they've been opened? I have been looking everywhere for the answer.

Answer: Unfortunately, there really are no hard and fast rules about the shelf life of makeup. No two brands are equal, and from eye shadow to lipstick, life spans vary. There are a variety of factors that can determine how long your cosmetics will last.

Like all that is good in life -- HoHo's, Snickers and Doritos, for example --preservatives are the key ingredients to prolonging the life of your makeup. Typically, the more expensive the cosmetic, the more the preservatives are in it, and the longer it will last. So while that 99 cent tube of lipstick you bought at the drug store may not last past six or seven months, you only paid a buck, so no big deal. Natural cosmetics usually have little or no preservatives so they have an even shorter life span despite the fact that they often cost more than their artificially preserved cousins.