Makeup

I don’t know about you, but I used to be bit of a beauty product hoarder. I tended to keep products I rarely used, just in case I one day miraculously decided to switch up my mascara or swap moisturisers. I’m going to share with you the information that made me finally sort out of my product excess and crusty old mascaras.

Four simple words… all beauty products expire.

Whether it’s your moisturiser or mascara, the preservatives in products only last so long after opening. The average beauty product’s expiration date depends on when you first use them and how the product is packaged and stored. Using a product beyond its expiration date risks irritation, rashes, blemishes and various skin or eye infections. Not good.

Now, beauty products don’t have an expiration date stamped on them like your milk and eggs. Turn over your product and look for a little image of an open tub (usually next to the barcode). You’ll notice a number, followed by an ‘M’. They stand for how many months from opening the product should be replaced (see what they did there? M for months. Clever.). Remember though, this is a guide, if it starts to smell funky you might need to bring that date forward.

If a product appears discoloured, runny or lumpy, has separated or developed a strange smell, then throw it away.

Packaging that has expanded, warped, or has signs of deterioration is definitely a warning that something is wrong inside. A product doesn't have to be old to have gone bad or have been exposed to bacteria, so you should always pay attention to how your products are holding up every time you use them.

As a rule, products that contain water as one of the first ingredients have the shortest shelf life after opening because water encourages the growth of bacteria. Also susceptible are products that that contain plant extracts. Products made up of almost no water (such as powders) last the longest.

As a rule, use the below as a guide to keeping on top of your beauty product’s shelf life:

Makeup

* Mascara (regular or waterproof), liquid, pencil or gel eyeliners: 4 to 6 months (Top tip: don’t pump your mascara wand back and forth into the tube when using it as this will force air back into the product and make it dry out.)
* Cream, Liquid or Stick Foundations or Concealers: 6 months to 1 year
* Powder-based products (including mineral makeup): 2-3 years
* Lipsticks, Lip Gloss, & Lip Pencils: 2-3 years

Skincare

* Cleansers: 1 year
* Toners: 6 months to 1 year
* Exfoliators: 1 year
* Facial or Body Moisturizers and Serums: 6 months to 1 year
* Lip Balms: 1 year
* Sample Packets: 1 day (no, really, one day)

Golden rule; always use your common sense. If it smells wrong, looks wrong and feels wrong…you guessed it, throw it away. You wouldn’t eat gone off food, so stop putting gone off products on your face, body and hair! I beg you.

It’s not all doom and gloom. There are a few tips and tricks to prolong the life of your products while keeping your skin, body and hair as healthy as possible.

DO:

* DO store products in a cupboard or drawer
* DO wash your hands before using products
* DO tighten/secure the lid after each use
* DO consider how climate and humidity will shorten a product's shelf life
* DO write the date of purchase in permanent ink on the bottom or back of the package (a bit over the top I appreciate, but trust me, it helps)
* DO throw away all eye products after you've had an eye infection

DON’T:

* DON’T store your products in the refrigerator. Skincare formulas are designed to withstand the average fluctuations in temperature, but not long-term heat or cold storage—that means keeping your products in your fridge reduces their lifespan and stability. Nail varnish is the one exception to this rule.
* DON'T store products in direct sunlight
* DON'T share your products with others
* DON'T add water to thin out or remoisten products

So have a clear out and say goodbye to old, crusty and funky products, you’ll never look back and your skin, hair and body will thank you for it. Trust me.

It’s a classic make-up look that can bring dramatic focus to beautiful eyes …but it tends to fill most of us with a bit of dread when it comes to achieving the look at home. It’s time to face your fears and learn how, with a few simple steps, the smokey eye can be your new look for those long summer nights. Let me show you how…

1. Any great make-up look starts with a flawless base. Start off with a thin layer of Maybelline Perfect Primer Base £8.99. This will help to hide any redness and ensure your foundation glides on and, more importantly, stays on. I love L'Oreal True Match Foundation in the shade Ivory Rose £11.50. I apply a small amount to the back of my hand, and then blend into my face with small circular motions using a Kibuki brush. Remember to blend, blend, blend your foundation to achieve that flawless look. A touch of liquid foundation under the eyes and over any blemishes blended with the same brush will complete the look.

2. Line your lower lids with a Kohl eyeliner in the waterline and line the top lid with L’Oreal Paris Infallible Eye Liner in the shade 301 Black £5.10, creating a feline flick at the edges.

3. Now for the clever bit. My hero product of the month has got to be L’Oreal Paris’ Riche Smokey Eye Palette in Noir £7.19. The compact palette is shaped like your eyelid, giving you a ready-made guide to smokey eyes. Start with the second lightest shade, applying it to your whole lid and inner corner. Then apply the darkest shade to the crease and a little into the outer corner. You’ll also want to bring this down to the lower lash line. Then take a clean blending brush and blend that out until you start to see the smokey eye come together. Once you’ve blended, apply the lightest shade to your brow bone as a highlight.

4. If you feel that any excess powder has found its way under your eye, go back in with a dab of concealer.

5. Apply a black mascara to add drama to the lashes. Silk Fibre Lash Mascara £29.95 is great as it builds volume as well as length.

6. Now for the eyebrows. Brush your brows upwards and fill in any gaps with an eyebrow pencil using quick flicks in the direction of hair growth.

7. Sweep a baked bronzer along your cheekbones to define and add a warm glow for summer.

8. Finish with a slick of Maybelline Lip Balm in Pink Punch £8.07 to keep the focus on your eyes.

Tweet me a picture of your completed smokey eye look to @salonlookgirl. I’d love to see them!

xoxo

It can’t just be me who’s been confused by the new era of tinted moisturisers that have hit the beauty scene in recent years. From BB to CC and even DD creams (‘daily defence cream’ in case you wanted to know), beauty is racing through the alphabet and leaving a bit of confusion in its wake. Allow me to simplify things and help you determine which option is best for you and, more importantly, let you know once and for all the benefits of each product type to your skin. I’ve put together a quick guide to the world of BB and CC creams. Here’s the lowdown:

BB Cream
Focusing on skincare benefits, BB cream (short for blemish balm) is an all-in-one serum, moisturiser, primer, SPF and foundation that offers daily sun protection, extra hydration, and a touch more coverage than a tinted moisturiser. You’ve probably seen this item in the shops for a while now, and it tends to be the most popular option due to its ‘one size fits all’ nature. BB creams are convenient, plus they give you natural-looking coverage and skin-boosting benefits. BB creams tend to be more suitable for more sensitive skin types and their lightweight, non-greasy formulas are the better option for acne prone skin. If you’re after a natural finish with a bit of coverage and a lightweight feel, this is the product for you. Try Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector Oil-Free BB Cream £10.99.

CC Cream
CC Creams are BB Cream’s big sister. Short for colour corrector, CC creams contain all of the BB benefits, plus colour correcting ingredients like Vitamin C, to brighten dark spots and light diffusing particles to improve your overall skin tone. They contain a super dose of antioxidants and a higher SPF to protect and beautify your skin. CC Creams are a better option for more mature skin types as they are packed full of free radical fighters like green tea and vitamin E to keep your skin sunspot and wrinkle-free. Some also have coloured undertones to help counteract redness in skin, so are a great option for any sufferers of rosacea. These creams tend to offer more coverage, and they’re especially great for people who are looking for a matt finish. Give L'Oréal Nude Magique CC Cream Anti-Redness (£11.60) a try.

When it comes time to make your choice, bear in mind that every BB and CC cream has unique benefits, but in general, reach for a CC Cream over a BB Cream if you want fuller, more foundation-like coverage. Either option is a great multi-tasking product that will fast become an everyday staple in your makeup bag. Trust me, you’ll never look back…plus you’ll have extra room in your makeup bag for those new Summer lip colours you’ve been coveting. Winner.

xoxo