We all know that despite our desires, makeup doesn't last forever. We also know that makeup can be pretty pricey, so we really should be taking better care of our favorite products. How?Try these steps:
- Store your goods correctly. While it may be convenient, the worst place to store makeup is on your bathroom counter. Bathrooms have warm, humid air that can destroy all those minerals, oils, powders, and other crucial ingredients in your favorite products. Instead, keep your cosmetics in a makeup case or some place cool and dark and keep it out of extreme environments.
- Keep it clean. To extend the life of your tools, you should clean them regularly. Experts recommend cleaning synthetic bristle brushes every couple of days and natural bristle brushes once a month. (Yikes! I am so guilty of having dirty brushes--I only do mine every few months. Oops!) To clean your brushes, apply a makeup remover, brush cleaner, or baby shampoo to the bristles, wipe the brush on a paper towel, run the brush under water to clean it out, reshape the bristles, and let it air dry. Viola! All clean and ready to go.
- Keep it sharp. If you really love your current eyeliner or lipliner, invest in a good quality sharpener to keep your pencils from getting gnawed. If the tip of your product is really soft, try chilling it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before you sharpen it.
- When in doubt, throw it out. Makeup is perishable, and if you think your stuff is past its prime (i.e., if your nail color is milky, if your foundation smells off), the best bet is to throw it out and buy new stuff. Click here for guidelines about expiration dates.
