(ETX Daily Up) – Do you have any idea when you started your mascara? Or at least its shelf life after opening? If not, maybe it’s time to catch up on the subject, because applying expired makeup is far from risk-free. However, it is a habit that concerns no less than two out of five people in the United Kingdom, testifying to the misuse of certain cosmetic products.
Every year, at the same time, the question of the hygiene of make-up brushes and sponges comes up, veritable nests of bacteria that must imperatively be polished on a regular basis to reduce the risk of redness, rashes, or even worse. cases of infections. A problem that could be resolved fairly quickly by cleaning your brushes (at least) once a week, or by swapping those used for foundation for stainless steel spatulas. But this is another problem raised today by the SpaSeekers platform, which is interested in what the British have in their makeup bag and their habits in this area. And the result is surprising since more than four out of ten respondents say they use expired skincare and make-up products. A gesture that is not without consequences, whether in terms of efficiency or health.
Three to six months for a mascara
The study tells us that mascara is the most used make-up product beyond the expiry date, which is between three and six months, depending. More than two in five people (43%) say they even use their mascara for more than six months; which poses a major hygiene problem. Like brushes and sponges, mascara can harbor many bacteria, exposing consumers to potential allergies, irritations and even infections. Something that is not trivial if we consider that the product in question is applied just above the eye. But that’s not all, since sponges come in second place, with nearly a third of respondents (32%) using them beyond the expiry date. As with mascara, it is a breeding ground for bacteria that can cause redness, irritation, infections, and other skin problems that should not be overlooked.
These are not the only products to be applied after the expiry date has passed. This is followed by eye creams (32%), retinol (32%), micellar waters (26%), vitamin C-based creams or serums (26%), lipsticks (20%), hand creams (20%), or glosses (19%). But the most worrying thing is probably the fact that 17% of respondents use sunscreens for the face that have expired, i.e. after a shelf life of twelve months. A major problem if we consider that this product is supposed to protect the skin from the many harmful effects of the sun, and this throughout the year. Faced with this observation, the experts of the SpaSeekers platform recommend that you regularly sort your beauty products and replace those that could prove ineffective or harmful due to their expiry date being exceeded.
From the art of waste
If we often point the finger at fashion in terms of overconsumption and waste, beauty is (very) far from being outdone, as this study conducted in the United Kingdom reveals. We learn that the respondents have 84 beauty and care products on average, ranging from eye shadow to exfoliating care, including moisturizers, lipsticks and even contouring products. And brushes are said to be the beauty tools that British consumers own in the greatest number, namely six on average, ahead of lipsticks, perfumes and eye shadows (five for an average beauty enthusiast).
But while some limit themselves to using certain products beyond their expiry date, others leave (almost) unscrupulous certain essentials at the bottom of their beauty kit. Just over two-thirds (69%) of said average beauty lover’s kit would actually be used every week, knowing that lipstick is considered the “least regularly used” product, ahead of shadow palettes. eyelids. Figures that question the relevance of renewing certain products on a regular basis, while others, such as mascara, should be renewed much more frequently.
*The study was carried out in April 2023 by Censuswide among 763 Britons aged over 16 who use beauty products. Each respondent answered a series of questions covering items in their makeup line, how many items they use per week, where they store those items, and what beauty treatments they perform at the House. To discover the complete study: www.spaseekers.com.