When you think of spring cleaning, you should not just think about the rooms in your house. You should also consider the items sitting at the bottom of your makeup bag. If you look through your makeup bag or drawer, do you have items in there that you wore to a cocktail party 3 years ago? It is time to clean them out because expired cosmetics can cause breakouts, skin parasites, infections and even loss of vision if they are not disposed of at the proper time. Old products contain bacteria and some of the chemicals can break down and cause you to have an allergic reaction. On the bottom of each container of makeup, there is an expiration date that shows you how many months you should use the makeup for after it has been opened. Once the number of months is up, toss it!

Additionally, if the makeup starts to smell bad or starts to crumble or flake, make sure you throw it out. Foundations last 6 months to 1.5 years, eyeliners last 6 months to 1 year, mascara lasts 3 to 6 months, powder cosmetics last 1 to 2 years and lipstick & lip gloss lasts 6 months to 1 year. Natural products have an even shorter shelf life because those types of makeup do not have any preservatives in them. Most natural beauty products only last 3 to 6 months. Additionally, cleaning your brushes regularly and storing your makeup in a dry place is a must.