Shelf life

No matter how expensive they were when you bought them, continuing to use out of date products is not a good idea - as well as performing badly they could be a source of bacteria - and no one wants to glossing their lips with that!

Ruby Hammer, esteemed make up artist and one half of the dynamic Ruby & Millie team, says different products have different shelf lives.

Lipgloss and lipstick:

"You will know if a lipgloss is out of date as it will begin to smell. A lipstick however, if you take good care of it and don’t leave it in the sunshine or humid locations can last a long time. I’ve still got lipsticks which are 20 years old, but because I’ve taken very good care of them - they are still ok to use", Ruby says.

Mascara:

"My rule with mascara is - when you find one that you love - stick to it! Mascara is one of the products that tends to have the shortest shelf life. You will know when it needs to be replaced as it wil begin to smell and start to get very dry and clumpy."

To keep your products fresh and to maximise their shelf life, you have to take good care of them, Ruby Hammer says: "Keep them out of extreme sunlight and extreme temperatures and avoid keeping your products near a window or in a bathroom where the air will vary between damp and dry."

Foundation:

"I really take good care of my foundation. Ensuring I keep it out of the sun and use it sparingly too. Foundations usually last a year but if you keep it clean and look after it, as well as being careful not to use too much - it should last much longer.

If you have the correct tools such as a foundation brush or sponge, you will find that you don’t use too much and this will also help to make it last a long time."

• Make up bag detox
• Shelf life
• Keep the basics
• Multi purpose make up
• Know when to throw
• Capsule make up
• Keep it clean