Tossing These Beauty Products You’re Overdue To Part With ASAP
If you're anything like me, you have drawers and containers full of old makeup/hair products/skincare products that clutter your bathroom. Much like the items in your fridge, beauty products have an expiry date, but, unlike your wilted, smelly baby spinach, it isn't always easy to know when a product needs to be trashed.
So, if you're looking to clean out some of the beauty products you don't need anymore, here's a list of things that you should toss.
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Fruity Body Sprays
I still remember the days when people were consistently rocking fruit-scented body sprays from Bath And Body Works. However, if you still have those lying around, give them a toss. You're an adult now: Use perfume.
Old Liquid Foundation And Concealer
Maybe you bought the wrong color or maybe you just have a darker shade for the summer months—either way, you shouldn't keep those old products lying around. Foundation and concealer expire after about six months and become breeding grounds for bacteria.
Oil-Free Hair Protectant Spray
If you're going to be using heat—blow-drying, straightening, curling—on your hair, protectant products are important to avoid frying the strands. Sprays without oils, however, do little to protect and can even increase damage so look for oil-based options.
Your Collection Of "Almost Empties"
We all have them—they're products that we love, but they have a couple drops left or a few particles in the pan, so we hold on. Trust me, you will never use it. Buy a replacement instead.
The Tube Of Mascara You've Been Using Too Long
Mascara starts to expire after about three months, and "preservation" methods do little to extend its life. It can get expensive to buy a new one regularly, so skip high-end mascaras and opt for drugstore options that do almost the same job.
Products That Didn't Work For You
You bought it on a whim hoping you'd like it, or maybe it was a gift but the product just didn't do it for you. If it's old or liquid, give it a toss. If it's a pressed powder, like a shadow palette, offer it to a friend who might like it.
Your Super Gross Blending Sponge
Even the best of us don't wash our sponges and brushes enough, and washing can only take a blender so far. Eventually, you just need to give up and buy a new one—and you are probably overdue.
The "Crunchy" Hairspray You Hate
Hairspray is a necessity for anyone with fly-aways and a love of doing curls, but just about all of us have one old can that leaves your hair crunchy and stiff. Toss it in favor of a formula spray that keeps your hair soft.
Old, Dried-Out Lipsticks
As a lipstick fiend who has been rocking a bold lip since high school, this one hits me right in the feels. Most lipsticks dry out and become home to bacteria after two years. Let that dry red you haven't used in years go!
Traditional Hair Elastics
We all know the elastics that have metal fasteners, and the classic Goody multipacks, but it's time to retire those in favor of spiral elastics. Spiral hair ties are more gentle on your hair, don't leave a kink, and can return to normal after being stretched out by just being placed in hot water.
Products That You Just Stopped Using
Maybe you found a product you liked better, or you no longer needed that product after your skin/hair condition changed, but you kept it around for a rainy day. Believe me, you won't use it again, and it's probably expired.
"Hair Growth" Products
You may have bought into the "hair growth" promises of products you lathered into your hair for a while before you realized it was about being better to your hair and eating nutrients that boost hair growth. It's probably just chilling in your cabinet growing cobwebs.
Your Old Nail Polish
Nail polish only stays good for about two years before the formula starts to separate. Even if you can shake it back together, it's not going to stay on your nails well enough to be worth keeping.
That One Headband You Literally Will Never Wear Again
You bought that cat-ear headband after you saw Ariana Grande wear it, but believe me when I saw that you will never wear it again. Not even for Halloween. Throw it out!
Face Scrubs
We all tried those face scrubs with the little beads or pieces of walnut shell, but chemical exfoliators are more effective and gentler on your skin, and you need to replace those outdated products.
Any Makeup That's Defective
It can be tempting to hold onto something that you spent a lot of money on and just try and pretend that the gross thing you found in your palette wasn't there, but don't do it!
Your Women's Razors
While there are a variety of shaving razors marketed toward women, men's razors have been proven to provide a better shave on legs anyway. Toss those pink ones out and start browsing the men's section.
The Half-Dead Backup Hair Curler/Straightener
This curler or straightener was your ride-or-die for years before you noticed that it doesn't do the job as well anymore and opted for a new one. You kept it around for emergencies, but there will never be an emergency.
Any Kind Of Broken Applicator
Let's be serious, you're not going to go out of your way to use any makeup that doesn't have a functional applicator. You may think you'll use a different brush but you probably won't.
Old Skincare Products
Much like how you can tell milk or yogurt have gone bad based on their texture, skincare products are the same. If the product is lumpy like cottage cheese, smells "off," or doesn't work as well as before, it's time to let it go.
Crusty Liquid Eyeliner (Including Pens)
Liquid eyeliner only has a three-month life in your makeup bag, whether you use an inkwell or pen. Not only will it become hard to apply after that, but it will also look way worse than before. Get a new one and out with the old.
Sunscreen That Won't Protect You Anymore
The first step toward healthy skin is to avoid UV damage, but sunscreen can lose its effectiveness if it's been open for more than two years. Old sunscreen can give you a false sense of security, so keep track of when you open a bottle.
