Applying make-up allows you to highlight your best facial features and take away the spotlight from the ones you don’t consider as some of your finest assets. However, you may fail to look and feel great if you mistakenly apply expired cosmetics. In fact, you may end up facing problems that can mar not only your appearance but also health.
Some of the ingredients in make-ups are preservatives. This is a clear testament that these beauty products do not have infinite shelf lives. Just like food with expiration dates, using perished make-ups can be a huge disadvantage to you.
Eating perished food can give you problems such as diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite and cancer. Some chemicals in expired food products may actually trigger the formation of cancer cells, according to the experts. Using expired make-ups is also a no-no because it can cause serious problems concerning not only your skin but your eyes as well!
Certainly, all cosmetic products should have expiration dates. Generally speaking, make-ups can last up to a couple of years. The kinds you apply on the eyes, however, have shelf lives of only a year. Applying eye make-up past its expiration date may cause a negative impact especially because it does not have a protective barrier that’s as good as your skin.
Here are some of the nasty effects of using expired make-ups:
- Contact dermatitis – This condition is characterized by severe skin inflammation and itchiness. Stepping foot inside the office of a dermatologist may have to be done if the symptoms persist.
- Skin allergies – The application of expired cosmetics may also leave you with rashes, blisters, bumps and other forms of skin allergies. Infection may also ensue, something which may lead to pus formation.
- Pimple and acne formation – Expired make-up may clog up the pores, causing the accumulation of excess oils and dirt which may lead to the development of pimples and acne.
- Unsightly scarring – Especially when skin infection strikes, you may end up with nasty scars on your face. Light ones may be improved by scar-removing solutions but not really dark and pitted ones.
- Eye infections – It is definitely not a good idea to use perished eye make-up. Otherwise, you may end up with red and irritated eyes which may lead to conjunctivitis if not treated or controlled.
These are the problems you may encounter when using expired make-ups. Sometimes they show up immediately after applying products that are past their shelf lives, while there are times when it may take the signs and symptoms a while to surface. No matter the case, the results will surely rob you of your beauty and self confidence.
Here are some of the reasons why the use of expired cosmetic products can be detrimental:
- Their preservatives may stop working past the expiration date, promoting the growth of bacteria which may cause skin and eye infections.
- Certain ingredients in make-ups may lose their potency after the expiration date, potentially leaving you with rashes and other skin problems that may take some time before subsiding.
- Some ingredients may actually become stronger, and you may end up with all sorts of problems most especially if you have sensitive skin.
- They may fail to give you the desired result, such as in the case of cosmetics containing sunscreen that shield your skin from the damaging effects of the sun’s UV light.
Remember to throw away make-ups that have already expired and replace them with new ones. It is also a good idea to store your cosmetic products in a cool and dry place, away from light in order to keep some of their ingredients from being damaged by heat and light. When shopping for make-ups, always read their labels and make sure that they are not about to perish anytime soon.
