Spring is a time when we dust away the cobwebs, clear the clutter, and get rid of what doesn't serve us. When you’re doing your spring cleaning this year, don’t ignore your makeup drawer! Makeup, just like the milk in your fridge, has an expiration date. Ingredients degrade over time and your expired makeup can be a breeding ground for harmful bacteria that can cause breakouts and infection. Gross. 

With that in mind, here are some helpful tips and tricks that will help you clear the clutter and ensure you’re using the freshest products for your face. 

1. Read the Labels: Most makeup products have an expiration date on their packaging. Look for the label to determine how many months from purchase your product will remain fresh. 


2. Do the Sniff Test: One of the first signs your makeup has expired is the smell. If the product has a peculiar odor, smells off, or has a drastically different aroma than when you purchased it, there’s a good chance it’s expired.




3. Check the Texture: Another way to tell if your makeup is past its prime is the texture. Look for separation or thickening in liquid products like foundations, lip glosses, and skincare. Solid powders and cream-based products may become crumbly, bumpy, or dry when expired. 




4. When in Doubt, Throw it Out: Not sure when you purchased a product or whether it’s expired? Throw it away, especially when it comes to eye products like mascara, eyeliner, or eyeshadow. 


5. Bathe Your Tools: So you’ve thrown away a bunch of beauty products…now what? Make sure your sponges, brushes and towels are cleaned after each use to prevent the growth of bacteria. Paola recommends working gentle soap and water into the bristles by gently rubbing them against the palm of your hand. Rinse and repeat until the suds are 100% makeup free. Rinse well, then turn the brush upside down and spin to remove excess water, reshape and let dry.


6. Build Back Cleaner: Cleaning out your makeup drawer is the perfect opportunity to swap out conventional makeup and skincare for cleaner, better-for-you options. Look for ingredients like parabens, PEGs, synthetic fragrances, and talc. If your goal is to move toward cleaner beauty products, those are all items you may want to toss. Our products are made with nutrient-dense, mineral-rich, antioxidant-loaded, skin-loving ingredients. You can read more about our ingredients and philosophy here.


7. A Note About Clean Beauty: Many clean beauty products—like ours—don’t rely on preservatives or stabilizers to keep ingredients fresh. Make sure you read up on all the proper care and storage for your clean beauty products. We like to store our balms bone dry at 76 degrees for up to 12 months. 


Important Note!  When it’s time to dispose of your unwanted beauty and skincare packaging, please recycle whenever you can. We have recently implemented a recycling program for our plastic balm sticks here.