Spring Clean Your Beauty Arsenal!

by on Tuesday, March 10th, 2015 with

SPRING CLEAN YOUR MAKEUP BAG! WHAT TO KEEP & WHAT TO TOSS…

Do you remember how old your mascara tube is? The reason I’m asking is because IF it’s past three months old, it can harbor tons of bacteria and things you don’t want anywhere near your eyes. Makeup, skin care and nail polish all come complete with expiration dates! But what do you toss and when is it time to do it ? On Monday’s episode of NBC Seattle New Day Northwest I worked with viewers on how to Spring clean our beauty arsenals, and help us play catch up with tips on what to toss and some cool new products to get on your radars!

3 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR BEAUTY ARSENAL!!!

SHARPIES ARE A GIRL’S BESTIE! Keep a black sharpie marker in your bathroom. When you purchase a new cosmetic or skin care product, on the bottom of the tube, jar or compact write either the date you purchased it or better yet calculate the date it will expire…take the thinking out of of the equation for you.

PAO = PERIOD AFTER OPENING The PAO symbol tells you when to throw a product away after opening.The letter M stands for the Latin word for month and the number refers to how many months. So, a “12M” with an open jar symbol means you should throw the product out 12 months after you’ve opened it.

HOW TO SPOT A PRODUCT GONE FUNKY? If a product seems unusually discolored, runny or lumpy, has separated or developed a strange odor, or feels different on the skin than it once did, then throw it away. Packaging that has expanded, warped, or has signs of deterioration is definitely a warning that something is wrong inside. As a rule, products that contain water as one of the first ingredients have the shortest shelf life after opening because water encourages the growth of bacteria and other microbes. Also susceptible to bacterial contamination and breakdown from exposure to air are products that that contain plant extracts. Products made up of almost no water (such as powders) last the longest, because almost nothing can grow in these kinds of products.

TOSS SCHEDULE…
MAKEUP

Mascara Regular or Waterproof & Gel Eyeliners: 4 to 6 months (always toss out dry mascara, never add water to extend life)
Cream, Liquid or Stick Foundations or Concealers: 6 months to 1 year
Powder-based products (including mineral makeup): 2-3 years
Lipsticks, Lip Gloss, & Lip Pencils: 2-3 years

SKINCARE

Cleansers: 1 year
Toners: 6 months to 1 year
BHA or AHA Exfoliants: 1 years
Facial or Body Moisturizers and Serums: 6 months to 1 year
Lip Balms: 1 year
Sample Packets: 1 day (no, really, one day)

4 COMMON SENSE TIPS

DON’T buy products packaged in jars of any kind. Jar packaging carries a 100% risk of bacterial contamination due to the fact your sticking fingers or other objects into them.
DON’T store your products in the refrigerator. Skincare formulas are designed to withstand the average fluctuations in temperature, but not long-term heat or cold storage—that means keeping your products in your fridge reduces their lifespan and stability.
DON’T store products in direct sunlight (for example, don’t keep them on a sunny windowsill)
DON’T add water or saliva to thin out or remoisten product

WHATS BEAUTY TRENDING FOR SPRING? THE TOP 5…
MAKEUP
New Neutrogena Nourishing Long Wear Eye Shadow + Built-In Primer, $9.49 Shop Target!
Combines a built-in primer to help prevent creasing and smudging with long-lasting beautiful color to enhance the eyes. The 6 shades are tested to provide up to 12 hours of rich, nourishing color, the formula is infused with vitamins and skin-nourishing conditioners for the delicate eye area. For beautiful, healthy color that lasts!
New Neutrogena Nourishing Long Wear Makeup, $15.99
in 8 shades gives you smooth, even, long-lasting coverage as it works to actually improve skin’s natural tone. The 12hr long wear makeup instantly erases the look of skin imperfections as it provides natural-looking coverage. It has a Tone Correcting Complex—an exclusive blend of nourishing antioxidants, soy, Vitamins A, C, E, and light diffusing powders—and is clinically proven to provide skin tone & texture improvements in 4 short weeks.

HAIR
L’Oréal Paris Advanced Haircare Smooth Intense Ultimate Straight, $4.99-$6.99, Mass, food and drug retailers nationwide
A staggering 71% of women use a flat iron weekly in hopes of transforming their hair to straight – which of course to them means all style and no frizz. The time-consuming and repetitive use of heat tools and harsh chemical treatments hair to achieve this look can leave hair dry, damaged and over processed. Now, with the revolutionary technology of Smooth Intense Ultimate Straight, straight hair begins in the shower, making achieving silky straight hair both easy and accessible. The line consists of 4 NEW products:

Smooth Intense Ultimate Straight Straightening Shampoo & Conditioner – Ultra-rich Kera-Tourmaline formulas smooth and relax hair, proving a professional straight look in just 1 wash
Smooth Intense Ultimate Straight Straight Boosting Pre Conditioner – Our first intensifying in-shower pre-conditioning treatment that deposits straightening actives to last within each strand through washes for exceptionally prolonged, perfect straight hair. Use 1x weekly after shampooing and before conditioning
Smooth Intense Ultimate Straight Straight Perfecting Balm – A heat-activated straightening cream instantly transforms hair to silky straight, offering up to 450 degree of heat protection.

BODY
Caress Forever Collection Body Wash , $3.99, Find it at Mass Food and Drug Store Retailers Nationwide, www.houseofcaress.com
This is the world’s first body wash with fragrance touch technology!! Translation is it combines fragrance and cleansing all in one. The breakthrough technology consists of Fragrance Release Pearls that release bursts of perfume with every touch of your skin. The collection delivers long lasting, unforgettable fine fragrance for up to 12 hours.

SKIN
L’dara Advanced Anti-Aging Serum $120, www.ldaraserum.com
Get your skin ready for Spring with L’dara. It’s an advanced anti-aging super serum derived from the Goji Berry which has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries! This little red wrinkled berry is a health food phenomenon, but also a beauty packed powerhouse…the perfect way to add a glow back into your complexion! It’s the first product to utilize LBP-5 Complex which is their exclusive, age-defying compound giving skin a more radiant appearance, with clinically proven improvements in tone, texture and moisturization. L’dara works on all skin types is intensely moisturizing and fast acting. All it takes is two pumps, twice a day to see remarkable results.

CUSTOM BLEND YOUR BATHROOM
NEW Life Scents By Air Wick, $4.99 at Wal-Mart
The first of its kind, featuring new scent technology with constantly changing fragrances crafted to mimic real life experiences in the home. They just launched this new Spring Collection, and one of my favorite scents is the Turquoise Oasis! It has a mixture of sea spray, warm breeze, and driftwood notes. The Air Wick Life Scents Spring Collection, available in scented oils and Freshmatic Room spray refills. I love how it instantly adds signature and style to the room in your home you create your distinct look in everyday.