Spring Clean your Makeup: All About Makeup Shelf Life (+ what’s in my makeup bag!)

I’m working at my kitchen table with the windows open and birds singing – spring has sprung, and life is good. Early this morning, I was compelled to start playing with makeup for kicks and giggles, and I ended up having a field day swatching new products up to my elbows. Perfect timing for today’s topic: your makeup shelf life. You guys loveloveloved the comprehensive spring cleaning guide from a few weeks ago with more non-traditional tips for making spring cleaning a fun process, so I figured I’d follow up with a juicy spring cleaning goody: tackling the makeup bag.

PIN ME!

How to Spring Clean your Makeup: When to throw what away (+ what's in my makeup bag now!) - Coming Up Roses - Makeup Shelf Life by popular Philadelphia beauty blogger Coming Up Roses

I don’t know about you, but sometimes my makeup gets downright gross. It might not look it, but if we only abided by the golden rules of makeup shelf life – it’d be a whole ‘nother story. I’m SO guilty of this. I like the products I like, and I don’t necessarily want to throw something away if it’s got a bit left…especially if it cost a pretty penny. I’ve got this weird OCD tendency where I’ve gotta hit pan or bottom of the bottle on almost any products – unless I truly dislike it. That might seem silly, but I think it’s the little girl in me who never wanted to waste anything! Growing up, my mom would put even the tiniest bit of leftovers into the fridge for later, even if it was two bites of meatball. So I think that has carried over to me and my makeup crazes! Either way, I made a handy dandy graphic for your pinning pleasure to keep alongside your makeup bag as a rule of thumb. Ladies, get your trash cans ready…it’s time to spring clean your makeup and find out about your makeup shelf life!

ALL ABOUT YOUR MAKEUP SHELF LIFE

How to Spring Clean your Makeup: When to throw what away (+ what's in my makeup bag now!) - Coming Up Roses - Makeup Shelf Life by popular Philadelphia beauty blogger Coming Up Roses

Can we call out mascaras and gel/liquid eyeliners for their 3 MONTH SHELF LIFE?!?! This is important to stick with, too, because they become a little breeding ground for bacteria in those dark little tight quarters. I’ve probably got four or five open mascaras currently, so it’s about time to start pitching some. Ain’t nobody got time for nasty eye infections, amiright??? Time to spring clean your makeup and KEEP it clean.

As for my own current makeup bag status, I dumped out some of my current go-to’s and favorites to share with y’all.

FACE

How to Spring Clean your Makeup: When to throw what away (+ what's in my makeup bag now!) - Coming Up Roses - Makeup Shelf Life by popular Philadelphia beauty blogger Coming Up Roses

Makeup Forever Ultra HD Foundation – A buildable coverage foundation with easy application. I’m not the biggest fan of buildable foundations, though, just because I don’t like feeling like I’ve got a lot of makeup on my face – and any cakeyness is a no-go in my book. Not the best for summer when you’re trying to lighten up face makeup – better for fall and winter wear.

PUR HydraFluid Water Serum Foundation – A great lighter foundation for my oily-skin girls! *raises hand* I’m much pickier with foundations since I have a naturally oily complexion myself, so anything water-based just feels better on my skin.

Milani Cream-to-Powder Makeup – I originally bought this as an attempted contour, but I totally bought too light of a color…and it was basically my face color with a tan. So I’ve been applying this as full-face makeup, and it’s the *easiest* thing to use because it applies so smoothly. Like, I’m talkin’ my whole face is covered and ready to go in T-minus 30-seconds. For makeup on a fly, this stuff is gold. (literally) 😉

Almay Clear Complexion Concealer – This is tube #4 of this stuff, at least. I swear by it as the perfect concealer for covering any blemishes or pimples as they pop up. It’s got salycylic acid in the formula, so I feel much better dabbing this on a zit than a general concealer; it feels like it’s actually working to banish the blemish while covering it, instead of just covering it and potentially making it worse.

Rimmel Match Perfection 1-in-1 Concealer – This is also either tube #3 or 4! My favorite undereye concealer thus far. I just think everything from application to coverage is easy and spot on, so I dab 3 spots to my undereye area every morning and dab it in…no more dark circles!

MUA Professional Highlighter brush 022 – A new brush that I bought originally with the Milani cream-to-powder for contour purposes, but now just use with the Milani to quick cover my face. #whoops. But it’s a dense brush from the drugstore, so I dig it.

FACE/CHEEKS

How to Spring Clean your Makeup: When to throw what away (+ what's in my makeup bag now!) - Coming Up Roses - Makeup Shelf Life by popular Philadelphia beauty blogger Coming Up Roses

Laura Geller Blush-n-Brighten in Roseberry – The perfect light blush for everyday wear. The look of the actual blush reminds me of Milani baked blushes, but it’s not very shimmery. It’s literally just a light rose color for a more natural flush.

City Color Timeless Beauty Palette – This gem of a palette has four blushes on top and three highlighters on the bottom. I’m not as into the brighter lilac or burnt orange shades, but the two pinks float my boat. I’m a bigger fan, though, of these highlighters. I just started getting into addicted to highlighting, and these are fun. The leftmost is my fave – it lasts the longest. Use code cominguprosestheblog for 10% off the palette!

BECCA x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Pop Skin Perfector – Compressed crack powder, I swear. This. stuff. is. addicting. I already can’t wait for the launch of Jaclyn’s full Champagne Glow collection online tomorrow…my credit card is ready. My bank account is not. #cantstopwontstop. This highlighter was created by the highlight queen herself, and it literally makes your face RADIATE.

NARS Blush/Bronzer Duo in Orgasm and Laguna – I bought the mini duo on a whim in the Sephora queue, where all bad impulse decisions are made, because I’d heard so much about both products and just had to try ’em on for size myself. I’m a big fan of Orgasm because I lovelovelove the underlying, subtle gold shimmer in the blush, but so far Laguna hasn’t done it for me. I honestly don’t think it’s a dark enough bronzer for my skin tone when it comes to contouring, but we shall see how it holds up as a full-on bronzer come June-July!

EYES

How to Spring Clean your Makeup: When to throw what away (+ what's in my makeup bag now!) - Coming Up Roses

Borghese Eclissare Color Eclipse eye palette – I’m a wickedly huge fan of the rightmost shadow in this palette, called All That. I swatched it on Snapchat this morning (@ erica_lig) – it’s got the most gorgeous subtle shimmer to it. Particularly pretty when light hits it, making it a perfect shadow to throw on as the sun starts to shine more.

Lancôme Hypnose Drama mascara – Mascara gold for everyday wear. Doesn’t clump, and lifts your lashes without curling them first. I never (never) not curl my lashes before mascara, because my mom just taught me to curl them from the time she was teaching me how to play with makeup in the first place. But I’ll admit – this gem doesn’t actually need the curling first. Which is craycray in my book!

Lancôme Drama Liqui-Pencils in Embrasé, Parisian Night, and Paradís (clockwise) – I looooove this entire line of liners. They might be the creamiest eyeliner sticks I’ve ever seen, and the staying power is out of this world. Seriously, I swatched these on le Snap some time ago now and I was able to run my hand over my arm of swatches immediately after application and *not a single smudge*. That being said, they do remove nicely with makeup remover, so it’s not like you have to scrub your poor little eyes to death to get it off after a long day. One downside though: they’re fragile. I wouldn’t recommend applying when in a rush, because if you break the tip of a $23 eyeliner, that’s a good way to have a bad day.

Lancôme ArtLiners in Black, Violet, and Amethyst – This liner crew is also *stellar*. I’ve been more into eyeliner pens and liquid eyeliners lately because of the more defined, dramatic line, so these don’t disappoint. The black isn’t my favorite black liquid liner (I love the 2B colors black eyeliner pen, which is discontinued I think and makes me so sad). But both the Violet and Amethyst are stand-out purples. My mom is stealing one for my wedding in September – we both are hooked. They’re just great for a flawless line of color that doesn’t bleed or smudge, and that lasts all day (or night) long.

E.l.f. sheer eyelid primer – Tube #5, I think? I actually think I prefer this primer over Urban Decay’s sacred primer potion. I always thought that potion was a bit too sticky for my taste, and this primer feels lighter, but still holds shadow on all day. And like I said…I’ve got oily skin. One of my biggest beauty pet peeves is creasing eyeshadow, so for $3 this primer can’t be beat.

Starlooks cream eyeshadow in Rose Gold –  I got this in a recent Ipsy bag. Application is a bit heavy, making it a more than wipe-on-and-go kinda thing. Too much can make it cake up and crack, and ain’t nobody got time for that. But if you put on a little and then smear it onto your eyelid with your finger, it’s a gorgeous rose gold champagne-y color that reminds me of gold foil or gold leaf.

LIPS

How to Spring Clean your Makeup: When to throw what away (+ what's in my makeup bag now!) - Coming Up Roses - Makeup Shelf Life by popular Philadelphia beauty blogger Coming Up Roses

Laura Geller Luscious Lips Lipstick in Fuschia Fever – I’m a big fan of bold lips, in case ya couldn’t tell. 😉 Bright fuschia lips are my jam, and this one doesn’t disappoint. It’s longlasting color, which I like, and definitely applies like a liquid lipstick and not a gloss. Two swipes of it and I’m good to go – it’s super pigmented right outta the tube and doesn’t require a lot of blotting (I don’t blot at all, ssssshhhhh) or monkeying around after application.

City Color Lip Gloss with Argan Oil in Class Flirt and Girl Next Door – I’m always down to play with lip products, and I think these babies are basically bringing glosses back in style. The Argan Oil makes them hydrating and they’re not sticky or goopy-feeling. I like Class Flirt because of the brighter color, and Girl Next Door is a nice nude. It’s not my favorite nude lippy out of all nude lippies I’ve tried, because I think I like a more matte nude over a glossed nude, but it’s what’s in my bag now. Ha! Use code cominguprosestheblog for 10% off the palette!

Too Faced Melted Longwear Lipstick in Melted Melon – Alright alright alriiiiiiiight, I’ll admit it: I’m a total sucker for Too Faced Melted lippies. I only have two of ’em, but man oh man – I’m hooked. I think they’re a bit dried in comparison to other liquid lipsticks I’ve tried, but the staying power rocks and the pigmentation is out of this world so I’m not complaining one bit. I like having these on repeat all year!

AND VOILA. Remember to save this sucker (or print it out and tape to your bathroom wall, nbd) so that you don’t end up with some weird disease from expired products. Yuck and gross.

How do you spring clean your makeup, and keep up with your makeup shelf life?

Two Q’s for you – let me know your A’s in the comments below! And if you’ve got any great must-have product recommendations for right about now, I’m all ears… 😉signature blog