Most women use expired eye make-up products

A research conducted on the occasion of National Eye Health Week has revealed that women tend to use eye make-up products beyond their expiry dates. The research, which was carried by eye hospital group Optegra, reveals that 70 percent of British women use over a year old mascara, while the use-by date is just four months. It also said that and one-in-five don’t even realise there is a recommended use-by date on make-up products.

Out of date eyeshadow, eyeliner and especially mascara, which is a dark, wet product, can be breeding grounds for bacteria and, as one apply them so close to the surface of the eye, they may cause painful infections, reports femalefirst.co.uk. Anna Maino, consultant ophthalmic surgeon at Optegra, says: ‘We are urging women to check their make-up bags this week – out with the old and in with the new! Do your eyes a favour – get rid of anything out of date and especially if it has developed a strange smell.’

‘Women rely on make-up day in day out and it is worrying that so many of us are using old eye products, well past the use-by date, sometimes even 10 years out of date! Look out for the small open jar symbol with a number next to it which signifies how many months it should be used for once opened.

‘Wear your eye make-up proudly but remember to thoroughly remove it in the evening. Leftover make-up may cause chronic eye irritation. Use National Eye Health Week as a great reason to treat yourself, and your eyes, to some fresh make-up with no risk of infection,’ added Maino.

To avoid any infections, get into good make-up hygiene habits by sharpening eye pencils between applications, washing brushes regularly and turning out old make-up. The Cosmetic, Toiletry & Perfumery Association (CTPA) — one of the Britain’s cosmetic trade association — states that cosmetic products must show a ‘period after opening’ time, capturing the amount of time that the product will remain in good condition after it has been used for the first time. 

A symbol of an open cream jar is usually used instead of words, and the time in months can be inside the symbol or alongside it. Time period after which some of the make-up products should be discarded is as follows:

• Mascara and liquid eyeliner: Discard after four months


• Liquid foundation and creamy eye shadow: Discard after six months


• Powder eye shadow: 12 months


• Pencil eyeliner, lip liner, powder blusher/bronzer: Can last up to two years, but don’t share!

Dermatologist Dr Kiran Lohia explains the dangers of not following expiry dates on products and using them, irrespective, ‘Expiry dates are there to help protect you from the side effects of using old products. Once an item is past its expiry date, the preservative can stop working, giving you the risk of infections. Also, some actives can actually become stronger, possibly causing skin irritation. Some ingredients can degenerate, putting your skin at risk of rashes and other skin problems.’

It is not advisable to use expired products as these could cause serious skin problems. Dr Kiran says, ‘Serious skin problems that can occur include allergic rashes, irritations, boils and infection. Eye infections are another possible issue, so eye related products need to be carefully maintained and thrown out after 1 year.’ 

To avoid any make-up menace, it is best to ensure and maintain your make-up well. Dr Kiran suggests, Nearly all products are sensitive to heat, and should always be kept in a temperature-controlled environment. Heat accelerates the degeneration process, reducing the shelf life of your skincare or make-up items. Light exposure affects vitamin A derivatives such as retinol, vitamin C and most oils, causing oxidative damage. This makes the ingredients ultimately inactive. So, keep your skin care and make-up in a dark and cool room to prevent these possible problems. So, storing in a fridge where it is cool and dark will help preserve your products, allowing you to keep them for a longer time.’

If your eyes become itchy, red, painful, watery or swollen, you may have an infection so do visit your optician.

With inputs from IANS

Photo source: Getty images

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