Be honest with yourself — when was the last time you cleaned out your makeup brushes and beauty supplies?

If it’s been awhile, here’s a guideline for when you should throw out your makeup and makeup brushes.

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When to throw out your makeup?

Today reported that Cosmopolitan Beauty Editor Julee Wilson said that letting go of any products you have had for over a year is a general rule to follow.

There are different timelines for when to replace different types of makeup products, according to Elle Australia.

Here’s when you should throw out your makeup products:

  • Foundation and concealer: Health reported that liquid foundations and concealers can be kept up to a year until the product begins to separate, starts smelling rubbery or thickens in texture. Powder-based foundations should be kept for about a year.
  • Blush and bronzer: Powder forms of blush and bronzer should be good for about a year before needing to be thrown out, while liquid forms should last from six months to a year, according to Byrdie.
  • Eye makeup: Eye makeup — including mascara, eyeliner and eyeshadow — is reported to last only around three months, due to the germs that could be distributed or picked up from the eye.
  • Lips and nails: MasterClass reported that lip products can last anywhere between six months to a year, while nail polish can last two years once opened and indefinitely if unopened.
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When to throw out your makeup brushes and sponges?

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Makeup brushes tend to last longer the better you take care of them, but since different brushes have different levels of quality, they should be replaced every three to five years, according to It Cosmetics.

Elle Australia reported that the best way to maintain your makeup brushes is to do a regular cleanse of your brushes and sponges every week.

According to Allure, to clean your makeup brushes and sponges, you should:

  • Get the bristles of the brush wet with lukewarm water.
  • Drop a pea size amount of cleanser (of your choice) into the palm of your hand or makeup cleaning silicone surface.
  • Massage the bristles gently into your palm or the silicone surface to clean makeup off.
  • Rinse the bristles through and squeeze out the excess water gently with a clean towel.
  • Set the brushes out to dry by hanging them off the edge of the counter so the bristles dry in the right direction.

“I recommend washing makeup brushes at least every two weeks or more if you start to see that there is any makeup visible on the brush,” board-certified dermatologist Loretta Ciraldo said.

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