Writing tips & tricks

How long unopened makeup lasts

You're character is a complete and utter makeup addict. But oh no! It's the apocalypse! The government is crumbling! Businesses are shutting down! What will they do?

Here's how long their unopened makeup will last:

Only by rule of thumb consider that:
- any dry (powder) product such as powder eyeshadow, compact powder, lose powder -> throw away if older than three years after you've bought them, even if they are unopened;
- any creamy or liquid product, either oil or water-based -> throw away if older than 18 months after you've bought them, even if they are unopened.

The above is not based on any regulation, lab testing or survey, just a rule of thumb to avoid unnecessary heath risks.

Also consider where you will apply the product:
- if near the mucous areas of eyes or mouth, be more careful as wet areas are more prone to bacterial infections, so why tempt face with a really old mascara, lipstick, eye or lip liner? -> throw these away after six months.
- on unbroken skin areas you can be a little bit more daring, but again, it's better to be safe than sorry.

All makeup products, even unopened have a shelf-life, i.e. a best-before date and to make matters worse, the actual shelf-life of any makeup product (opened or not) depends on how you store it. It is best to store your products in a dry, cool, dark place ( so if they fight some zombies in an old Walmart, this will probably be good) as the products ingredients (such as pigments) might react to UV light and bacteria thrive on heat and humidity.

The shelf-life depends on the type of product itself. e.g a powder eyeshadow will have a much longer shelf-life than say a moisturizer or a product containing SPF. This is due to the fact that products containing oil are more susceptible to bacterial growth over time