Make up is a (relatively) expensive non-essential. (At least you won't
die if you don't have it, although some would rather die than be
without it.) I do wear makeup but not on a daily basis. I wish it
would come in smaller sizes so that I wouldn't feel like I wasted
money when I throw out an expired dated product. About the only thing
I don't have that problem with is foundation and powder. Eye makeup,
including mascara, and nail polish are my 2 biggest concerns.

Don't worry about it, girls, it's NOT food. They just want you to go buy new and even more expensive stuff with less product in the package.

65% admit it and the other 35% probably do it without admitting to it. Perfectly understandable. You spend that kind of money on something in this economy, you're going to use it as long as it does the job.

What a racket! What a scam!! Most of the CHEMICALS used in makeup are inorganic and non-perishable. Therefore the only reason for having expiration dates on makeup...is to get you to go out and buy new makeup more frequently!

even bee's honey has an expiration date and we all know that bee's honey never goes bad,do the math.

Make up has gotten too expensive. Now at a time when at 63 I need a 'little' it's gotten way too spendy. If it's kept cool and dry what the heck. But do the math ladies. We are spearing some pretty expensive stuff on our eyes and mouth.

Okay, ladies. Throw it out when it is expired, which has nothing to do with an expiration date printed on the box. Strictly following expiration dates only serves to make money for the cosmetic companies because you throw out and then replace perfectly good makeup! Now, if your uber-expensive Dior foundation is working, fluid and gives even coverage, and you throw it out because the box says it's time, you're an idiot. On the other hand, if you have a quarter-ounce of liquid Dior foundation in Brown Biscuit Suntan that is stubbornly clinging to one side of the bottle, it's time to lay it to rest.

Go through your makeup. If it's clunky and chunky, but was meant to be fluid and smooth, toss it. Like, um, mascaras, foundations, lip glosses, concealers, liquid rouges, etc. If the eye shadow, eye liner or lip pencil has dried up on the end. leave the dry tip on it. You might use the color again in 6 months, and if you trim off the dead end, the rest of the pencil should still be applicable. Old powders? If they look fine and are still powdery, then keep them. If they are dark and rock hard on top from your body oils on the applicators, toss it. Test your lipsticks on the back of your hand. Good color, goes on smoothly, shape of stick intact? It's a keeper, I don't care what the stupid box says. Besides, you can always throw it out later!

If you are careful to avoid your eyes and keep your facial skin intact, makeup borne bacteria shouldn't be a problem. But old makeup that just don't work no more but you keep indulging in self-inflicted stress by trying to get one more friggin' drop out of that empty ass tube? Well. That speaks for itself. The printed expiration date on the bottom of the box has nothing to do with a cosmetic's true expiration date.

I totally agree with EVERY comment saying these guys are trying to sell MORE makeup. With the exception of being careful with what goes near our eyes, who cares (If it hasn't turned orange)! We cleanse our faces twice a day, so what's the big deal? think of all the filthy things we have to touch every day, such as escalator and stair hand rails? for pete's sake. We'll ruin our immune systems if we continue to use so much "antibacterial" stuff.

Have been told several times that make-up does get old and to throw it out, but where exactly is there an expiration date? Wasn't aware of expiration dates on make-up. Please tell me where to find the dates! Thanks!!!

Nonsense. It's not perishable. I don't wear makeup very often, and I have eyeshadows, lipsticks and mascara that are old enough to vote. I use this stuff, "expired" a decade or two ago, with no ill effects whatsoever. Throwing it out is a waste. Makeup doesn't expire; it's just a marketing ploy. The only exception would be nail polish hardened in the jar.

It's all just to make them more money. When Cindy Crawford was in her hey day I watched a show (Oprah) years ago with Cindy Crawford telling women for Revlon to always use a kleennex to wipe off any extra mascara on the "brush" before applying so you wouldn't get too much on your lashes. If you did that your mascara would be like cement in a few days from paper fibers getting mixed in the liquid which of course is just what Revlon wanted so you'd have to buy more every couple weeks. I have never bought a Revlon product since seeing that because it shows how stupid Revlon thinks we women are. Evan Oprah looked shocked when Cindy Crawford said that but let the comment go by without saying anything other than "REALLY?".

Prescriptions also have expiration dates. Tests have shown that almost all of the medicines have 95% effectiveness 5 years after that date. This is because they would have to test it lonnger, at a cost, and they would sell less if people didn't throw them out.

Am I cynical if I attribute the same motives to makeup manufacturers?

You women have worse bad habits than just using expired makeup. Which brings up another questions: Is using expired cosmetics the reason most of you look so bad most of the time?

After what expiration date ? 66% of the women expired or their makeup expired.....you get the same look...!

Doc

Your epidermis and dermis layer of your skin protects you from external bacteria , your only worry would be if you had a cut ir scrape and applied make up over it then your body's immune system takes over.....They are just trying to increase sales by publishing such a scare tactic .....Nice try

Just sniff it. If it smells bad, it is.

Cosmetics are EXPENSIVE!! I always feel guilty buying products when I absolutely need them. I would never throw it out just because of the date.

It's just like the shampoo trick: "Rinse, Wash, REPEAT"

It has been said over and over that that was just a ploy to sell more shampoo.

I read all the comments, i don't see one comment that said someone got an infection or a rash or anything of the sort from using expired makeup. Just greedy coporate fat cats trying to make their wallets fatter with scare tatics. Even the article doesn't give one example of someone being affected by "expired" makeup.