Vintage fashion may be fabulous, but old make-up is putting women's health and beauty at risk, according to new research that has found the British tradition of collecting antiques extends to cosmetics and toiletries.
Show us a woman's handbag, say experts from the College of Optometrists and we will show you a 10-year-old lipstick, a five-year-old tube of mascara and a jar of rancid moisturiser, all teeming with harmful bacteria.
'It's ironic that women spend so much time and money on cosmetics to make themselves look beautiful, and yet in using it, they are making themselves vulnerable to infections that are anything but attractive,' said Dr Susan Blakeney, optometric adviser to the college.
The survey found that while women are keen to experiment with new cosmetics, they are less keen on throwing out the old. This morning, one in five women in her late thirties or forties will have put on her make-up using a product over five years old.
'All food has an expiration date and people don't think twice about throwing away milk when that date comes,' said Blakeney. 'The make-up you use should be as fresh as the food you consume. But women keep their make-up for many years, not to mention sharing it with friends and applying it in ways that could lead to serious damage.'
The best test, says Sebastian Parsons, managing director of the cosmetics and toiletry company Dr Hauschka, is to use your eyes and nose. 'I recently found some cleansing cream - the tube had been opened and I'd forgotten about it,' he said. 'The first half inch had gone off, but the rest was absolutely fine. It's always worth opening up the container and having a go.'
Use-by dates
Make-up, once opened, expires at
3-6 months Mascara
6-8 months Liquid foundation, cream foundation, concealer, cleanser, moisturiser
1 year Pressed powder, loose powder, shimmer powder, eye shadow, blush, lip gloss, lipstick, toner
18 months Eye and lip pencils
Source: Makeup Scenes
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