This post was written by Aleya who writes the blog for Hair Design Institute, a Florida beauty school with locations in New York.

Many women hate throwing out expired makeup because they love the color or don’t want to feel as if they are throwing away money. Other women simply don’t realize that makeup has an expiration date the same way that food does and can be harmful if used past the date of well-being.

Since the FDA does not make it mandatory for cosmetic companies to print expiration dates on their products, I would like to share some important facts that you should know about using outdated cosmetic products.

Using makeup that has gone bad can lead to many skin problems. Take a look at the list below. If you have any of these symptoms it may be a good idea for you to get some new skincare and see if your issues clear up, or to visit a dermatologist ASAP:

Skin Allergies
Rashes
Dry Skin
Pimples
Eye Infections

All of these problems lead back to bacteria. If a product is sitting around for an extended period of time, or if they are stored in a place that is very warm bacteria can build up and spread throughout the packaging. Once this happens, the makeup is no longer fit for use.

When Does Makeup Expire?

Different products have different expiration dates so the best thing that you can do to make sure that you’re not using something that has gone bad is to label it with the purchase date as soon as you buy it.

Four ways that you know that your makeup is no longer good are:

• It has a strange odor.
• The consistency has changed.
• There is water in it and there never was in the past.
• There is oil in it.

From the date of purchase here are some dates that you should keep an eye on.

• Mascara- 3 months
• Lipstick and Lip Gloss- 1 year
• Nail Polish- 1 year
• Moisturizers, Foundations and Concealers- up to 1 year
• Eye Shadows- up to 3 years

We’ve all mourned the loss of our favorite nail polish and tried to resurrect it by shaking the bottle, but just because you mixed it, it doesn’t mean that it’s now safe to use it. The same goes for your other products, so remember that it’s better to be safe than sorry.

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