Let’s face it, we are either product junkies or we just don’t have a clue. When it comes to skin care, our cupboards are either overflowing or bare, depending on our level of knowledge when it comes to skin. The market is flooded with products that address a broad range of skin concerns, many that work synergistically with other products to give even more dramatic results. As we the shopper try new products, we constantly add steps into our beauty ritual, in turn adding more and more bottles, jars, and tubes to our medicine cabinet. It can become overwhelming to even peek inside, and a periodic purge is inevitable.
Let’s look at some important rules to keep your skin looking flawless and your medicine cabinet in check!
1. Skin care has a shelf life. Keep track of how long you keep products by writing the date in Sharpie on the bottom. Unopened product has a shelf life of 6 months to a year, depending on ingredients. Opened product should be used within 2 months for maximum potency.
2. Any changes in smell, color, or consistency means it’s time to toss. Using spoiled products actually does your skin more harm than good – causing irritation, allergic reaction, and even infection. If in doubt, toss it!
3. Products in tubes and pumps tend to have a lower rate of bacterial infestation compared to products that come in jars. With jars, you are usually putting your bare fingers in each time to get out product, which may allow bacteria to enter the cream or lotion. When using jars, use a Q-tip or spatula to remove product to keep it sterile.
Behind the mirror: A peek inside Davee Troublefied's cabinet
4. Just like food, organic ingredients in skin care products do go bad and will let you know by emitting an unpleasant odor. The more organic and natural the ingredients are in a product, the more likely it will go bad at some point. This also depends on the preservatives used and if your product has been exposed to heat or direct sunlight over a period of time.
5. To minimize exposure to water and moisture, don’t leave skin care products in the shower. Instead, store them in the medicine cabinet or a closet, away from direct heat and light.
6. Don’t keep your makeup in the bathroom. The humidity and moisture create a breeding ground for bacteria, mold, and yeast.
7. Don’t share products! It’s best to be the only user of your skin care and makeup. If you must share, follow the rules of the professional makeup artist:
- Wash hands before use;
- Remove product from container with a sterile cotton swab;
- Sharpen all pencils prior to use and again after.
- Spray tools such as tweezers and sharpeners with alcohol after each use;
- Clean brushes after each use with a antibacterial brush cleaner
8. Throw away any eye or lip products after any eye infections, cold sores, or strep throat. Bacteria can live on the product’s surface.
8. Mascara is one of the most volatile products in your beauty arsenal. If the product smells or changes texture, throw it away. Old mascara harbors bacteria, and “pumping” your mascara to get more product on the wand fills the tube with air that can allow microscopic organisms to enter and grow from within. THREE months is the maximum length of time to keep mascara before buying a fresh tube.
9. Our cells respond better to ingredients that are alive with enzymes, and refrigerating products helps to keep them living and fresh for longer. As an added bonus, cooler products will give your anti-aging products more of a lifting effect, and will help acne products penetrate your skin deeper and decrease skin redness. Refrigeration also speeds up the time it takes products to penetrate the skin: a room-temperature product can take one to two hours to work versus only 10 minutes when it’s been in the fridge.
10. Your bath sponge or pouf can also harbor bacteria, mold and other unpleasant invaders. Natural sponges take longer to dry, and therefore produce more bacteria – they should be replaced every 4 weeks. Synthetic poufs dry quicker, and are usually more resistant to bacteria. They should be replaced every 8-10 weeks. If you want to be a bit more frugal, disinfect your sponges every week to give them a longer life.
Keeping your skin care in check is one of the most important ways to know its benefits are truly working for your skin. If you follow the above mentioned guidelines, your beauty ritual will produce maximum results. I have added a photo of my own personal skin care cabinet, and would love to peek inside yours! There’s a lot you can learn about someone with a look at their skin care regimen. I suggest a spring cleaning of your products and then share your results with us, after all we love getting the “inside” scoop on beauty products that work!
Until next time… Davee xx
