What happens to the makeup?
Expired makeup may become dry or crumbly, and you should never use water or saliva to moisten it, as it can introduce bacteria. Color pigments may not look as vibrant and powders may seem packed down and hard to use.

Expired makeup can also start to harbor bacteria which can lead to:

acne
rashes
staphTrusted Source and eye infections
sties
It’s especially important to not use eye makeup past its expiration, as this can be harmful to the delicate eye area.
You can generally expect your cosmetics to last about this long, depending on the type:

Product Expiration
lipstick 18–24 months
lip gloss 12–18 months
foundation & concealer 12–18 months
mascara 3–6 months
liquid eyeliner 3–6 months
cream products 12–18 months
powder products 12–18 months
How can you tell it’s expired?
All makeup should be stamped with an image of an open jar, then a number followed by the letter M. This Period After Opening (PAO) symbol signifies how many months after opening until the product expires. It’s helpful to remember around what month you opened it.

Mascara and other eye makeup has a shorter shelf lifeTrusted Source and may be stamped with a 6M, for example, and concealer is usually around 12M. Fragrance may last as long as 5 years.

If it doesn’t have a symbol, it may have been on the original packaging, which is likely discarded.

The first step is to smell the makeup. If anything smells off, toss it.
Look to see if it has changed color. For example, many concealer products will oxidize and turn a bit orange.
Pay attention to whether or not the texture has changed, and throw away if the product feels different on your skin.
When to throw it away

You should throw away your makeup once it hits its expiration point. These numbers are averages, however, so if you use a concealer a few days after 12 months, you’ll likely be fine.

Pay careful attention to certain natural makeup and skin care, which may be formulated without preservatives and may have a shorter period before expiration.

If you have an eye infection, like pink eye, or any other skin infection, toss your makeup immediately as it likely carries the same bacteria that caused the infection.


You should throw away your makeup once it hits its expiration point. These numbers are averages, however, so if you use a concealer a few days after 12 months, you’ll likely be fine.

Pay careful attention to certain natural makeup and skin care, which may be formulated without preservatives and may have a shorter period before expiration.

If you have an eye infection, like pink eye, or any other skin infection, toss your makeup immediately as it likely carries the same bacteria that caused the infection.
The bottom line
It’s not uncommon to use the same makeup for years, especially if it’s something you only use a tiny bit or each time, like blush or eyeliner. However, you should heed all makeup expiration dates in order to avoid infection and skin irritation.

Expired products also will not perform optimally. To find the expiration, look for the PAO symbol stamped on the product or its packaging, which will indicate how many months you have until it expires.