How to avoid wasting beauty products
Ihave a basket of packaging from products I’ve used up. Some people may find this weird, but for anyone else who’s makeupand skincare-obsessed and talks about it, it’s perfectly normal to set these empties aside for an “empties” discussion reviewing the prod- ucts. It got me thinking about the lengths I go to avoid wasting products.
1. Look at the shelf life. If you happen to use products after their shelf life, they may not harm your skin, but the ingredients may be less effective. Be sure to throw away anything that smells weird. For ingested products like collagen powder or hair care capsules, do not risk using these past expiry.
2. Do not open too many mascaras or brow gels at once. These tend to dry out within a few months from opening. These tube-and-wand products are hard to clean since you’d waste too much product washing the wands, so use these as often as possible to use them up before they expire. Mascaras should be used up fast once a tube is opened. Anything this near your eyes should be kept fresh.
3. Keep liquids and creams away from high heat or direct sunlight. Do not put these near the window or leave them to bake in your car! The heat will break down ingredients in these much faster than dry products. The same goes for perfume. The oils in it will break down if left in the sun; plus, many perfumes are flammable, so don’t place them near candles!
4. Sanitize products regularly. You can use a cosmetic sanitizer made especially for this purpose, but I’ve been using good old isopropyl alcohol in a spray bottle for years. Many people berate me for having such a large makeup collection because it’s all going to expire. However, you can extend the life of your products by disinfecting them.
5. It’s a chore I hate, but it’s a necessary evil to wash makeup brushes regularly. This is part of keeping products clean. Your skin will be happy about being acne-free, too. Don’t forget to start the makeup application process with just-washed hands.
6. If nothing more comes out of a squeeze tube, cut it open. You’d be amazed how much product is stuck on the insides! If you’ve used up so much of a lipstick that you can’t even press it on your lips anymore, use a lip brush. You’d also be amazed how many more weeks of use are left in the bottom of that tube!