Spring Clean Your Makeup!

Now that we’ve given tricks of the trade to help you spring clean your beauty routine, now it is time to give you tips on how to spring clean your makeup and skin care products!

With a whole new season in full swing, here are ways to renew and refresh your beauty item collection:

(1)  Check all items for potential expiry dates, funny texture, strange odours or signs of decay. For specific products such as concealer, liquid foundation, cream-based eye shadows and blushes, try to check for these issues often and if it has been used for a year, replace it with a new item for good measure.

(2)  Keep your eyes open! Mascara and both liquid and pencil eyeliners need to be replaced quite often – every 3 months for mascara and every 3 to 6 months for eyeliner (depending on the type). As much as this may drill a hole in your wallet, you want to keep your eyes healthy and infection-free. If you have had an eye infection, throw out all eye makeup immediately and start fresh!

(3)  Spruce up your brushes. As much as one may think brushes don’t need some beauty TLC, they do. Make an effort to spring clean them and keep it up with a monthly cleaning with a specially formulated brush cleaner – which can be found at the majority of makeup counters. It removes makeup residue and enhances the bristles so they work like they were new again.

(4)  Disinfect your beauty goodies. For your items that are still good to go, clean up the products and create a reminder so this is repeated every few months. For powder-based makeup, take rubbing alcohol and a spray bottle, lightly spray the product and leave the lids off to air dry. For lip products, dip a cotton swab or Q-Tip in rubbing alcohol, softly rub against the product, wipe it down with tissue and close the lid.

(5)  Create a good home. Go through your drawers and cupboards, clean out all of the old stuff or things you don’t need anymore. Make space for your makeup and beauty products and get into the routine of storing them away from sunlight and in a cooler place. It will help sustain the quality of your products.

(6)  Scrub down your storage cases. Make sure to wash your makeup bags and travel cases every three months so everything is fresh and a good clean place to store your products.

For more information on how to maintain the longevity and health of your skin care products, cosmetics and other personal care items, please visit Health Canada’s Cosmetic and Personal Care Item page: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/cosmet-person/cons/index-eng.php