Collector Care 4.5 Tips: Taking Care of Makeup & Cosmetics

Hello Makeup Loving Collectors! We know that you've invested a lot of money in your  makeup, and (like myself) you probably like to hang onto it until the last drop.

Don't forget that cosmetics do expire. The ugly truth is that once makeup is opened, it's exposed to nasty germs that begin to live inside. Below are 4.5 tips on how to properly care for your makeup.

1. If you see mold, it's too old. This probably goes without saying, but anything with black, green, or white spots should be discarded immediately.
2. Keep it clean. Though you can't actually clean your makeup, you can minimize additional contaminants by cleaning your makeup brushes regularly.
3. Not sharing is caring. Sharing your makeup is unsanitary, as it transfers infectious bacteria such as staph, conjunctivitis, yeast, and fungus.
4. Keep it cool. Store makeup in a cool, dry place. Direct sunlight can alter the preservatives in your makeup.
5. Stay dry. For liquid makeup use Q-tips or 

Collectors,

Do you want your makeup and cosmetics PROFESSIONALLY ORGANIZED? Why not! Have fun and get #organized with one of our Collector Care Professional Organizers! Need a little inspiration? Check out our Pinterest Board on Cosmetic Organizing. 

Rachel Seavey, Blogger, Professional Organizer and Makeup Lover

Collector Care: Organizing Makeup and Cosmetics

How long do you keep your makeup?

Hey Collectors!!! I love my makeup! I have a lot of makeup! I show up to level 5 squalor jobs with makeup on. I am that chick. No doubt! However... every three months I go through and purge all my cosmetics that are expired. I have this handy dandy chart below to show me what expires and when.

Since expired cosmetics can cause skin irritation and infections, it's important to replace them before they go south.

Unlike food, though, cosmetics aren't required to have an expiration date on their packaging. Instead, you'll have to keep track of when you opened it. Most products have a symbol similar to this one, in which the number signifies the number of months you have until the item is no longer usable. If you have a hard time keeping track of when you've bought things, use a Sharpie to write down the purchase date right on the tube or compact.

If you know how to take care of your cosmetics, your makeup should serve you well.

Collectors,  use common sense: If your gloss has cat hair in it, your nail polish is dried out, or your lipstick smells, it's time to say adios!

Product	Toss it...
Mascara	Every three months
Foundation	One year
Concealer	12 – 18 months
Powder	18 months
Blush/Bronzer	18 months
Cream blush	12 – 18 months
Eye shadow	18 months
Eyeliner	18 months
Liquid eyeliner	6 months
Lipstick / lip gloss	18 months
Lip liner	One year
Nail polish	One year
Makeup sponges	Wash after each use, then throw away after a month.

Thank you for visiting our blog Collectors. Do you need help organizing your makeup? I would LOVE to come over and help ... give me a call!

Rachel Seavey, Professional Organizer (and blogger) For Collector Care

Collector Care specializes in hoarding disorder, chronic disorganization and professional organizing. We  love what we do, and  provide realistic expectations and timelines. Please visit our website at

www.collectorcare.com  or call 925-548-7750

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