Make-up over expiry date puts health at risk

Women who use make-up products beyond its expiry date are putting their health at risk, a poll suggests.

Carried out by Debenhams, the poll discovered that 57.7 percent of women make-up bags consist of expired cosmetics and they don't throw it away as they think it to be a waste.

But what they don't know is that it causes health risks that can lead to problems like breakouts, eye infections and skin rashes.

"It's worrying to find that so many women are putting their health at risk by keeping hold of make-up for too long," femalefirst.co.uk quoted Lisa Brett, spokesperson for Debenhams, as saying.

"It's important to check the recommended use-by date on a product, and don't be tempted to hang onto it even if it's been discontinued! An out-of-date product will not give you the results it once could, and it may leave you with problems," she added.

The poll revealed that 73 percent of women are not even aware of the expiry date of their make-up products.

One-third were found to use eyeliner that is over an year old, which could lead to serious eye infections, 22 percent were said to keep foundation well over a year - leading to a bad skin complexion and breakouts - and seven percent of women admitted to keep eye shadows for over six years, which is way over its one-year recommendation.

Brett said: "If your makeup is past its best, it's a false economy to keep using it until it's all gone - it's not worth the issues it could cause. Now spring's here, what better opportunity to give your makeup bag a good clear out?"

"Aside from health benefits of replacing your old cosmetics with new, the work of makeup will have moved on leaps and bounds if it's been a few years since you explored it! With new formulations and colours hitting the shelves all the time, there's really no need to hang on to old makeup," she added.