It is always fun to buy makeup and makeup accessories to add to your vanity. And with millions of products available, it gets tempting to resist, right! But it is crucial that you understand which product will suit your skin, and which won’t.

Do you know that storing your makeup products in the right manner can actually extend their shelf-life? And while some of you might buy products out of temptation, the others might buy when they have completely used their existing makeup products. All the more reason for storing beauty makeup products properly, because you want to make sure you are not using expired or damaged makeup.

But there is not much knowledge about how to store makeup products properly- it is a road less travelled and you might be doing the don’ts unknowingly. Therefore, we have curated these quick and easy tips for storing your makeup products safely.

1. Store your products away from moisture

It is definitely easy and accessible to store products near shower area but the steam and moisture will damage certain products including face wash, eye makeup like eyeshadow palette, eyeliners, and makeup accessories like brushes and sponges. Also don’t store near the shower area because the air is filled with moisture. For instance, when you keep your facewash near your shower area, it is convenient, yes, but the quality will start to deteriorate quickly as it will be exposed to a lot of moisture filled air. It is safe to store in clean dry places.

Bonus Tip: Keep your everyday products like face wash and cleansers in an air tight pouch/bag near the shower area. That way they won’t be constantly in contact with moisture filled air and you’ll still have the same convenience! Alternatively, store them in a desk organizer for stationary, away from the shower area. That way they will look neat also.

2.Keep your products away from direct sunlight

If you use serums, this is a life-saving tip for you. Serums tend to have an opaque packaging for a reason- to protect it from damage from exposure to sunlight. But if you’ve been keeping your serums or face creams in a place that is in contact with direct sunlight, you need to stop right now! Because sunlight would break down the ingredients and cause the formulation to split. So, make a vanity box and store all these products in a drawer or somewhere where there is no contact with sunlight.

3. Don’t leave your lipsticks in the car

Tell us about it! Do you also carry lipsticks, or maybe your favourite mascara, in the car for that last minute touch-up, and leave it on the dashboard?

Well, if you do, you need to stop! Because the heat will melt it, and even worse, it will destroy its chemical composition and make it unfit for further use. Therefore, storing your lipsticks in a clean, dry and cool place is the key for their long life. If stored properly, you can use your mascara for about 7-8 months and your lipsticks for about 2 years!

4.Close the lid tightly

How often did you leave your kajal, lipsticks, concealers and creams open because you were in a hurry and let it be that way overnight because you were either too tired or simply forgot to close the lid?

Quite a few times, right? Well, that wouldn’t have happened if you would have known that if you leave your products open for a while, the germs and bacteria present in the air tend to settle on these products. Now think of it like this- the next time when you apply these makeup products on your face, you also apply the bacteria and germs, which is not good for the skin. Therefore, the key is to close the lids right at the moment, even if it means running an extra 5 or 10 minutes late.

5.Change your products after some time and clean your brushes regularly

Every beauty product has a shelf-life once opened. Moisturizers, for instance, should be used for a maximum period of 1 year after opening, even if the label says more. Lipsticks however, are good to go even for 2 years.

And it is equally important that you clean your makeup brushes and makeup accessories on a regular basis. If you use makeup daily, clean your sponges and applicators weekly, because bacteria develop on these quickly, in particular the cream-based products like foundation, mascara etc.

The tips are about storing the makeup properly, so that you don’t apply damaged face makeup products. Another very important aspect is to buy clean and safe products first-hand. Therefore, Miyabi recommends that you buy safe products that are fit for the skin and follow these storage tips to increase the shelf life of the products.