Expired cosmetics – are your beauty products making you sick?

My bathroom cabinet’s overflowing. In my defence, half of the care products belong to the gentleman who, in addition to sharing my bed and home, also shares the storage space above the sink with me. Many of the creams, deodorants, perfumes, shampoos as well shaving and shower gels clearly say «For Men» or «Pour homme» – that’s provided the lettering is still legible. Some of our cosmetic products are dang old. Away with them!

Expired cosmetics: organisation is half the battle, err, health

This has nothing to do with a Marie Kondo-style obsession. «Rather, old beauty items can become a health hazard. This is because bacteria, fungi and the like could have multiplied to alarming numbers in the products,» says Dr. Amreen Bashir, a microbiologist at Aston University’s School of Life and Health Sciences in Birmingham, England.

Blemishes, styes, conjunctivitis, itching, rashes and irritations as well as eyelash and hair loss are the lesser evils that may result. Severe inflammation, infection and allergic reactions can also occur, the expert warns.

So far, research has focused primarily on make-up; while shampoo and creams are usually used up quickly, make-up often takes longer to empty and may sit unused in a drawer for years. What’s more, it’s typically applied to the lips and eyes. These are sensitive areas, as not only can they react to any contamination, they also offer an entry point into the body for bacteria.

Old make-up can be seriously harmful

Contact with germs doesn’t automatically mean you’ll get sick. Your immune system usually successfully fights off pathogens that enter through mucous membranes or tiny skin lesions. «How many illnesses and infections are actually caused by old cosmetics is unclear. This is because most incidents go undiagnosed, and even if they are, they’re rarely reported. But the risk – including for serious illness – is definitely there, especially in immunocompromised people,» Bashir stresses.

In a study, Dr. Amreen Bashir examined used and expired lipstick, eyeliner, mascara and beauty blenders. The result? Nine out of ten of the products tested were contaminated with bacteria and fungi. These include both E. coli (found in the intestines of healthy individuals), which can lead to bleeding from ulcerative colitis, as well as staphylococci, which can lead to pus-filled skin infections.

In a study carried out by the London Metropolitan University, Dr. Paul Matewele examined foundations, lipsticks and glosses that were close to or just past their expiration dates. He found bacteria that can cause gastroenteritis, urinary and respiratory tract infections, bacterial vaginosis and, less surprisingly, acne. The old cosmetics even tested positive for a strain of bacteria that can cause meningitis, a potentially fatal brain disease.

Pretty and healthy, or how to use cosmetics right

«A lack of hygiene along with consumers’ careless handling of products are to blame for the germ load. Germs, dust and mould spores reach the product through the fingers, air as well as unclean beauty blenders and brushes,» says study leader Amreen Bashir. «The warm, humid climate of the bathroom allows germs to multiply particularly well.»

Not very appetising, is it? But there are some tips you can follow to minimise the health risk:

• Keep it clean: Avoid impurities; don’t mix and dilute products. Always apply the product with clean hands. It’s good practice to use a metal spatula to grab cream from jars, for example. You should also clean and replace sponges, brushes and any other application tools regularly.
• Flap down, lid on: Don’t open the product until you’re really ready to use it, and be sure to always store any tubes, jars and bottles sealed in between uses. When shopping, you can opt for products that minimise contact with your fingers and the air – think pump dispensers.
• Cool is cool: You don’t have to store your cosmetics in the refrigerator, but you should protect them from light and avoid excessive heat. The car, for one, is certainly not a good storage place in the summer. Certain products may list the correct storage temperature, which you should follow.
• Drying time: Germs can also get into the product through water. Be sure to store items that are used in wet areas, such as shampoo, in a dry place.

Best before ...

But the most important thing, according to Bashir, is to use up skincare and beauty products quickly instead of hoarding them. And to stop using them once they’ve expired. «After all, preservatives can only keep germs at bay for a limited time. Unfortunately, our studies show 70 per cent of our subjects had at least one product in use that was no longer good,» says Dr. Bashir.

How do you know when it’s time to say goodbye? This depends on the mixing ratio of ingredients, such as oil, water, care ingredients, fragrance and preservatives. Dry products like powder eyeshadows, for example, last longer than your mascara. And sprays in pressurised gas packs can be used virtually indefinitely.

As a general rule, cosmetics and care products with a shelf life of less than 30 months must be labelled with a best-before date which may be denoted with an hourglass. Products that have a shelf life of more than two and a half years will contain the so-called period after opening (PAO) on the packaging. It’s often marked by a symbol of an open jar. It tells you how long you can use the product after opening. In other words, the clock only starts ticking after the product comes into contact with air and, with it, germs.

A tip from Amreen Bashir: if you find you struggle to remember when you opened which product, you can label them with a permanent marker. That way, you’ll know when it’s time to throw it out.

Still good to use, or good to bin?

In short, the expiration date and PAO help you identify expired cosmetics. «Both labels, however, are only a guideline,» emphasises Dr. Amreen Bashir. Exceeding these limits doesn’t automatically mean you can’t use the product anymore. The manufacturer’s guarantee may have expired, but the product may still be perfectly safe to use. On the flip side, just because a product is still good based on the manufacturer’s indications doesn’t mean it is, in fact, still good. This is because improper storage (see above) can result in more bacteria and the like getting into the product than its chemicals can combat.

Signs of a high microbial load include changes in the odour, colour and consistency of the product. Spoiled foundation or concealer, for example, will turn more orange. Old mascara will get clumpy and smell like gasoline. Creams and lotions that have gone bad will hit you with a rancid smell or separate into their water and oil components.

All this to say: rely on your senses. And if you notice any changes, the German Cosmetic, Toiletry, Perfumery and Detergent Association (IKW) advises you to throw out the product – even if it’s not past the expiration date on the package. The same applies, of course, if your skin or hair suddenly react atypically to a product.

Change in result, or when beauty products get old

Not only germs can have unpleasant consequences for health. Sometimes it’s the product itself; anything meant to boost your beauty, fragrance, youth or cleanliness contains specific ingredients that are supposed to do this. Due to external influences or the passage of time, these ingredients may decompose or change. They then no longer work (as well) or even do the opposite of what they’re supposed to. «It’s roughly comparable to the effect of medications, which you’re not supposed to take once they’ve expired,» Dr. Bashir says.

For example, a shampoo that’s too old to use may no longer nourish, but irritate the scalp and leave your hair dull and dry. «Acne products containing salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide also decrease in efficiency or change in a way that irritates the skin. The same applies to retinoid creams containing vitamin A. They should therefore be used up quickly.»

Don’t use last year’s sunscreen

Another example is sunscreen. «Anything that contains a UV filter shouldn’t be used after the expiration or POA date. The filters lose their protective function over time,» says Dr. Bashir.

If you want to know exactly why expired sunscreen belongs in the trash instead of on your skin, check out the following article:

Dubious ingredients

Despite being a critical shopper, my bathroom cabinet certainly also harbours some products that are questionable in terms of their impact on health and the environment. However, the topic is so complex, from aluminium to triclosan, that I’m deferring it to the next round of clearing out my bathroom stash. My garbage can’s full enough as it is. And yes, I do have to admit that it’s not so easy to part ways with some of the more expensive products. Replacing them isn’t painless either. Then again, health is priceless.