Keep a Clean Cosmetic Bag

Nobody ever thinks about their make-up bag. I know I didn’t. I wash my rushes, beauty blenders, applicators and tweezers, but I never though a second about my bag. I only got a new one when I got tired of the old one or needed a different size. Now that I know, I wanted to share the best tricks for renewing your makeup kit. A few simple tips to keep everything in order and discard anything old/expired!

-Discard all broken products.

-Discard all products beyond their use-by date.

Expiration:

It is always a good idea to write down when you purchase an item; some products last longer than others, and who really remembers when they bought something over a month ago? And if you aren’t sure, check the expiration date on the package! But here are a few simple rules to go by:

• Mascara: about three-four months after opening. If you use it a lot it may be that it doesn’t even last three months.

• All texture products in powder form such as shadow, matt powders and foundation -last about two years.

• Foundation in cream form, correctors, shadows or rouges in cream form: these last about a year and a half.

• Lipsticks: about two years.

• Lip gloss: about two years. See when the color or texture changes; it is possible that if you have exposed it to temperature changes then it may have gone off.

• Face creams and cleansers have different shelf lives, depending on their ingredients- They can last from 3 to 12 or 24 months.

Cleanliness:

Clean all your products with a damp towel, and dry them with a soft cloth. They will come out looking new.

Don’t forget to clean all your brushes, and you’ll see how much easier it is to put makeup on. Here’s how:

Natural hair brushes:

 Clean them with a mild shampoo, with a neutral fragrance.

 Rinse them in cold or lukewarm water (avoid using hot water)

 Apply a hair pack or intensive hair conditioner

 Allow it to take effect for a few minutes.

 Rinse again, until you are sure there is no remaining soap.

Synthetic-hair brushes:

 Clean your synthetic-hair brushes with a grease-removing product, such as washing-up liquid.

 Rinse them in lukewarm water and ensure there is no remaining soap.

TIP: Always leave your brushes to dry on a towel; never let them dry vertically in a cup, as in this case the water would enter the brush’s handle and ruin it, besides which the hair will part.

New sponges and powder puffs:

Buy new sponges and powder puffs. They are very accessible and you will feel as though you are trying out a whole range of products for the first time.

Cosmetic Bag:

 Wash your cosmetic bag in a washing machine, if the material and shape allow it. Otherwise clean it with a damp sponge and eliminate all left-over pencil shavings, broken pencils, bits of makeup, etc.

If you can, buy yourself a new cosmetic bag with separate compartments so as to keep all your makeup products in order. They’ll last longer this way.