I didn't put makeup in as a budget category, although it belongs there. Included in this category are not only actual makeup items but also applicators, facial and body sponges, facial lotions of all kinds, cleansers and soaps of all kinds, masques etc. Makeup, unlike an evening bag, doesn't last for ever and, indeed, has an expiration date after which it should be thrown out, finished or not. The following article, carried by a number of news outlets, gives you some facts.
Cosmetic Caution: Don't Keep Makeup Too Long
Bacteria Grows In Products
Every year, women spend $45 billion on cosmetic and skin care products -- all in an attempt to put their best face forward.
But those same products, if you're not careful, can cause serious skin problems or worse.
"I still have the lipstick from when I got married 13 years ago," said Sabrina Kurzman, an actress and model.
Kurzman never thought that aging products could be the source of her skin problems.
"I never attributed it to makeup. I attributed it stress -- the kids, the husband -- anything but the makeup," Kurzman said.
Fungus and mold can grow in products, which can cause serious problems, according to experts.
So when should makeup be thrown out?
Paula Begoun, a cosmetic industry expert, said products used around the eye area have the shortest longevity. Mascara should be thrown out within three months of opening it. Also, you should never pump it or mix it with water since both things increase bacteria, according to Begoun.
Liquid eyeliners and concealers should be kept for no more than six months.
Eye and lip pencils can last up to a year, if sharpened regularly to prevent bacteria build-up.
Begoun said that swabbing some alcohol over the tip could disinfect them.
Lipsticks and lip glosses should be thrown out after a year.
Liquid and cream foundations should be used within three to six months, Begoun said. However, some may last longer. The same for cleansers and lotions.
Powder-based products can last up to two years. Those used around or on the eye area last half that time.
Any product that has a rancid smell, an off color or an odd texture should be discarded.
Experts suggest that women keep track of makeup by dating it before it's used.
When in doubt about its age, throw it out. That's the safest way to make sure your beauty products keep you looking beautiful, Begoun said.
Here you have a product with a limited life. Finishing everything in the container is not what decides when you have to buy another one. That being the case, just why is it that women are so susceptible to the advertising claims of those who make beauty products? That $50 lotion that promises everything short of winning the state lottery has a shelf life in your home of three to six months. One lotion could, therefore, cost you $200 a year to use. Is that $12 mascara really worth it when it has to be thrown out at three months? How about those "designer" lipsticks that you have to have a zillion of so that you have the right match to an outfit? They need replacing every year.
I am sure not advocating not wearing makeup. But perhaps we need to balance those "magical" claims of the outrageously expensive brands against their actual shelf life. Paying more money for an item doesn't mean it will last longer; it's going to have to be thrown out just as often as the cheaper brands.
Add up the cost of "beauty" and its constant replacement for health reasons and you have a real item for a budget.
And then there is this: perfumes, colognes and after shave lotions also have a limited shelf life once you open them. The recommendations vary from 2 to 3 years tops. Makes you wonder about perfume at $125 dollars an ounce.
10 comments:
Are you seriously telling me that the huge case of stuff that lives in my bathroom and under the bathroom sink and on my wife's dresser has to be replaced every year? I still have the after shave I got married with and it doesn't seem to smell any different to me.
Couldn't we just have a listing on the budget for personal choice items and put the makeup in there? Don't think discussing makeup can be good for shalom bayis. Most women hold on to the makeup a lot longer then what the woman recommended.
I think that's the point of the posting justlooking. You shouldn't be holding on to it for longer then the recommended times. I learned the hard way. I kept getting a repeat eye infection. Went on for almost a year. A friend whose mom is a lab technician took my eye makeup to her mom and had her culture it to see if anything was wrong with it. All of it was loaded with bacteria. I'm a lot more careful now and I buy way less. And I sterilize every one of the makeup brushes and sponges with boiling water or wash them and put them into the microwave.
Admit I don't know much about makeup but can't believe it can cost very much. Pretty small containers. I looked at my wife's stuff and some some that say MAC and some with Este Lauder on them. Are those what you would consider expensive?
aguy, I'm going to give you some advice that could save you a lot of trouble with your wife. If you want to know what the makeup she buys costs, ask her not strangers on a blog. IMHO it would not go over too well with her if you start quoting prices for her makeup that you got here. I will give you just a little hint. You might want to be sitting down when you have that discussion.
Makeup is overrated.
Point taken, but I don't think it's necessary to stick to that timeline like "toras moshe misinai."
But I do think there's too much makeup going around our society, especially among the marrieds. Now, if a person wants their face to look beautiful whenever they're seen because it's G4S, I can understand this. But afterwards... why bother? (I'm not talking about a bad skin day here or there. I'm talking about the people who go out with fancy sheitels and caked-on makeup every day.)
Bas-melech,
The "why do they bother after marriage" question was answered by Rebbetzin Tehila Jaeger in a shiur she gave for women. She was married many years at the time. She told us that when she knows her husband is due to come home she changes out of her robe or house cleaning clothes into something "decent" and always puts on lipstick, because she is welcoming her "choson." The point of her explanation was that husbands need to continue to feel special to their wives and wives who make the special effort are also treated like "kallahs."
Personally, I'd say it depended on the husband's feeling about makeup. Clearly Jack above doesn't sound makeup enthusiastic. As for me, my mother still has to remind me to put on lipstick--it's not a big deal to me or to my husband. And then there is my cousin who for years woke up earlier than her husband, went into the bathroom and came out fully made up. It mattered to him and to her.
Different strokes for different folks.
Point taken, but I don't think it's necessary to stick to that timeline like "toras moshe misinai."
Holding on for a day over the suggested time might or might not be problematic but don't pooh pooh the idea of makeup getting "spoiled." An allergist went on record as saying that with those non-specific coughs or dry eyes or itches that sometimes happen to people and with those skin breakouts that sometimes just happen, if it is a woman who is having them it's 50% going to be a reaction to a makeup that is growing mold. You can't see the mold but it is there. His recommendation was to disinfect all brushes after every use, to disinfect the necks of all bottles that have been used and to take a tissue and completely wipe off the top layer of any powdered makeup after every use. He also stressed that mascara is a real culprit and needs to be thrown out every 3 months even if you disinfect the brush with alcohol after every use. Why take a chance?
Prof,
I'd buy your story if it were true. But we all know that in the majority of homes, when the makeup goes on everyone knows that mommy's going OUT. Hubby sees her bleary-eyed in the morning, then she slaps on some makeup before she leaves, then he sees her again looking like a used dishrag at night.
Now, if you're not like this don't take offense -- you know I'm not talking about you. This is a reality for many people.
Post a Comment