Outdated cosmetics should be discarded

Changes in color, consistency and smell indicate the end of the cosmetics life.
SCRIPPS HOWARD NEWS SERVICE
Your cosmetics have a shelf life. While it's certainly longer than the life expectancy of fruits and vegetables, it's not forever.
Makeup that's gone bad lets you know it's gone bad. The color, consistency and, most important, the smell change. Using cosmetics that have expired can irritate skin, even cause breakouts. And your product won't perform the way it did when you first bought it.
Your blush and eye shadow will hold up longer than other products such as liquid foundation and mascara. But some women keep a death grip on their favorite lipstick or pressed powder.
So what are some tips for keeping tabs for not only makeup but also other cosmetics such as cleansers, perfumes and applicators such as sponges and brushes?
Labeling each item with a marker (date of purchase) is great if you're consistent about it. Keeping a notepad in your makeup drawer with purchase dates is another option. But the surest way to know if something is old is to look at it. If the color and consistency have changed, dump it. If it smells funny, dump it.
Tips on tossing
Here's how to know when to toss your cosmetics and buy something new.
For the face
UFoundation: Liquid formulations should last three to six months. Powders should make it a year. Foundations packaged in wide-mouthed jars should be tossed after three months because they expose the makeup to more air, increasing chances of bacterial growth.
UConcealer: Because it's a product that's used frequently, and therefore exposed to the air, replace every three to six months.
UBlush: It depends on the texture. Powders last longer than creams. Ditto for blushes that are packaged in tubes, especially those with a powdery finish. Washing your blush brush often will keep powder blush fresh longer.
Yucky odor
Diana Byrne, beauty editor at Allure magazine, says a liquid foundation that's gone bad will smell yucky, and there will be visible differences. "It will look chunky and separated," she says.
Celebrity makeup artist Shalini Vadhera advises tossing if your powder blushes or foundations have a glazed consistency on top.
"This happens if you don't change powder puffs often or your skin is oily and that oil is being transferred to the powder," she says. "It also means you won't achieve the true color of the product."
For the lips:
ULipstick: Like foundation, a tube of lipstick will let you know that its time has come. That's about a year.
ULip gloss: How it's applied is key. If you use fingertips, toss after six months.
ULip pencils: Every time you sharpen a pencil it's like a cleaning. The more often the better.
"We have a tendency to keep lipsticks longer than we should, but the official time limit is one year," says Julie Redfern, Sephora's beauty editor. "So all of those 'just-in-case' colors you have stuffed in the back of your makeup drawer -- toss them."
For the eyes:
UMascara: Of all the eye products, mascara needs replacing most often -- every three months. Redfern of Sephora says mascara is extremely prone to microbial growth because the wand pushes both air and bacteria into the tube. Allure's Byrne says there are two ways to tell if mascara is bad: "If it's dried up or it smells bad." Using dried-up mascara can dry out your lashes, too.
UEye shadow: If it starts to break up a lot, it's time for a replacement. (This is true for powder blush as well.) Whether the shadow is cream or powder -- or some other texture -- toss after six months because eyes can be vulnerable to bacteria.
UEyeliner: Replace liquid eyeliners every three to four months and keep tightly sealed. If your liner is a pencil, sharpen and replace every six months to a year, depending on usage.
UEyebrow pencils: Sharpen frequently and follow the same guidelines as with a lip pencil.