Last updated on July 16th, 2022 at 01:30 pm

It’s finally here!  We are (hopefully) almost done with wearing masks and it’s time to showcase our lips again, after over a year.  But as you go back into your makeup bag and pull out that lipstick from March 2020, you might want to stop and reconsider. Should you be wearing that pre-pandemic lipstick a year later?  Spoiler alert:  Probably not!

Does Lipstick Really Expire?

Here’s how I got started looking into this topic. I was going to a wedding a few weeks back and finally needed to find a lipstick to wear.  (I will admit that I was a little overly excited!).  But when I put on the shade I selected, I noticed it was really dry and barely covered my lips.  It even smelled a little funny. 

I had heard that lipstick can go bad, but was this really what was happening?  And that’s when I realized I haven’t picked up lipstick more than a handful of times in over a year and that might be the problem.  So, off to Google I went to find out about lipstick expiration dates and found out that they do have one, and I was probably past it.

How Long is Lipstick Good For?

If you’re like me, you probably haven’t worried about this too much in the past.  Either you have a lipstick that you love that you wear all the time or it was a mistake and it goes to the back of your makeup drawer until you finally throw it out.  But this is different.  There are shades that I love that have just been sitting around – now what?

Once opened, lipstick is really only good for about a year.  So doing the math, if the last time you wore lipstick on a regular basis was pre-pandemic, then it’s been about 15 months — and that’s over the recommended time limit. Unopened lipstick is good for two to five years, depending on the brand and ingredients. 

Lipsticks expire when the components that hold it together start to break down, such as parabens and oils. Expired lipstick can grow mold (as you’ll see below). It can cause extreme swelling, skin irritations, or even infections. Even without mold, expired lipstick can become hard, crumble, and difficult to apply properly.

How to Test Your Lipstick to See If It’s Still Good

So, how do you know if your pre-pandemic lipstick is bad and whether or not you should keep or toss?  I decided to go through the process to weed out my good and bad lipsticks.

The first thing I did was divide them into three piles: 

1. Keep – I know I purchased them within the last year
   
2. Pitch – I could either remember when I purchased the shade (like for Jen’s wedding five years ago)  or had absolutely NO IDEA when I purchased it.
   
3. Test – These are the lipsticks that had a 50/50 chance of still being good, but I had to put them to the test.

There’s a great article in WikiHow on how to check for bad lipstick.  I will highlight the steps I went through, but if you want to read the entire article, you can do so here. I went through most of these steps for the “test” pile.

1. Simply look at it 

Check to see If it has white spots or the color has changed.  As lipstick ages, it tends to fade or darken. This looks like mold to me!

One look at my lipstick on the left would tell you this one needs to be thrown away.  Those white specs are a really bad sign. If you see something that looks like this, don’t keep it.

2. Look for moisture beads on the surface of the lipstick 

The ingredients may separate as the lipstick ages. You may see moisture inside the tube. I didn’t find any of my lipsticks with this issue.

3. Smell test

As lipstick goes bad, the odor changes.  It can smell rancid but also one of easiest tests is if it starts to smell like a crayon on Play-Doh.  If you get that crayon smell, it’s time to toss it! I did find several with this issue.

4. Check for dryness and texture

After the visual and smell test, anything that was left I put through this test. When lipstick is still good, it’ll spread easily and in an even layer. Swipe the lipstick on your hand or wrist to check its quality. If it slides across your skin, it’s probably still good. However, it’s time to throw it out if it’s hard to apply or provides patchy coverage. Keep in mind that your skin may have germs on it. Wash your skin before you test the lipstick. You might also remove the tip of your lipstick afterwards or sanitize it with a spritz of alcohol.

This is my arm after testing! (Tip: Micellar Water worked really great in getting this off!)

5. Feel the texture to see if it feels different  

I actually didn’t do this – if I thought it was “iffy” after the above three steps,  I just tossed it. 

If you decide your lipstick is good, but it seems dry or flaky while you’re wearing it, it’s probably gone bad. Stop wearing your lipstick and throw it away if it leaves your lips dry or gritty, even if it otherwise looks and smells fine.

What were my end-results?

So, in the end, I ended up throwing away almost 100 lipsticks.  Yes, I said 100.  Not all were purchased – some were from “gifts with purchase” and some, like the one to the right, should have been thrown away a long time ago!

It did inspire me to reorganize my lipsticks. I found this acrylic organizer at Home Goods and turned it into my lipstick case – it’s organized by color (reds, pinks, nudes, etc.) and by glosses, lip pencils and lip balms.  You don’t have to be as obsessive as me, but I do feel like this will help me stay on top of what I own and what shades I actually wear going forward.

As mentioned, I bought this acrylic make up storage case at Home Goods, but it is also available on amazon.com for $23.99 (as of 7/4/21).
(Please note: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases)

Tips for Keeping Your Lipstick Safe

Tip #1: Check the “PAO” icon on your makeup. 

PAO stands for “Period After Opening”. I will admit it, I didn’t know this existed. However, after I learned about it, I realized it’s on almost everything.  The image below includes my cleanser, makeup primer and eyeshadow – and they all have the icon. 

Tip #2: Keep your lipstick in a cool dry place. 

Especially this time of year, don’t leave lipstick in your car.  A few years back I purchased a small cooler bag like the one below to carry my makeup in if I had to carry it outside, like at a golf outing.  This really works for me. 

Tip #3: Learn more about the MAC Trade-In Program

I also recently learned that MAC cosmetics has a take-back program. If you return six empty MAC makeup containers to a participating MAC counter, you can choose a standard MAC lipstick of your choice. 

Tip #4 Keep Your Makeup Brushes Clean

As with all products you’re dipping makeup brushes or your fingers into, you’ll want to make sure that you regularly sanitize products (and clean your brushes) to prevent spreading bacteria. 

I did a “how-to” on cleaning your makeup brushes that you can read here. In that article I recommend having some disposable makeup products on hand like the ones below. I do use the eye shadow applicators every day because my eye area can be extremely sensitive.

If you need to start over with your lipstick collection, the images below are from two previous blog posts – and the lipsticks I am wearing in each picture are under $9.  Affordable lipsticks have come a long way – and if you’re not ready to invest just yet in some more expensive brands, I recommend starting with these two:

Want More Lipstick Inspiration? Check out Jen’s Instagram Reel with these three great shades. Click HERE.

Here are the colors she showcases in her Reel:

e.l.f. Cosmetics SRSLY Satin Lipstick
(Nutmeg is sold out, but there are still great colors on sale for only $2.10

Pat McGrath Labs Luxetrance Lipstick in Beauty Junkie
$34 on amazon.com (as of 7/29/21)

Rare Beauty Lip Souffle Matte Cream in Courage
$22 on amazon.com (as of 7/29/21)

Expiration Dates for Other Types of Makeup:

Just like pre-pandemic lipstick, other makeup products have expiration dates.  Here is a quick reference guide, but you can also check the PAO icon on your specific item.

• Products for the face, like foundation and primer:  2 years
• Blush: 2 years
• Eyeshadow: 2 years
• Pencil eyeliners: 1 year (because they can be sharpened)
• Liquid eyeliner: 3 months
• Gel eyeliner: 2 months 
• Mascara:  3 months
• Nail Polish: 1-2 years
• Fragrance: 8 – 10 years

If you want more information on how to take care of your lips, check out our post, “Pucker Up: The Best Ways to Care for Your Lips”.

So, tell the truth….did you have a pre-pandemic lipstick or two did you needed to throw away?  Let me know in the comments below!

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