The first step of caring for your makeup is storing it right. We asked experts how to

Each week the Filter newsletter cuts through the noise to bring you smart, practical recommendations on how to live better – from what is worth buying to the tools, habits and ideas that actually last.

I hate throwing away my makeup. My beloved 2010s Naked eyeshadow palette and liquid matte lipsticks hung out in my white Ikea drawers well past their expiration dates.

So, while this week we recommended a plethora of beauty products – from Korean skincare to buzzy advent calendars – we want to help you actually use these items before they inevitably expire.

I asked threeexperts for their best advice on preserving the life of these items and reducing the chance that they end up in a landfill.

Read the stories:

• The best beauty advent calendars in the US in 2026 – tested and vetted
• Inside Seoul’s K-beauty ‘mecca’: I hunted for the best skincare at the world’s biggest Korean beauty store

How to make your makeup last longer

Keep a Sharpie in your makeup drawer
Multiple experts I spoke to suggested labeling your items after opening, so that you know how long you have to use them before they expire.

Kim Chang, an aesthetician at Baylor University suggested storing a few permanent markers in your makeup drawer so that you can write the date you opened the item.

To keep track of how long you should be using your new lip gloss, check its PAO (period after opening). This is commonly found on the back of a product’s packaging. Look for a little icon of an open jar with a number next to it. That’s the number of months the product is good for after opening, said Dr Leyte Winfield, a chemist and director of Spelman’s Cosmetic Science Program.

Don’t store items in your bathroom
“Many, like myself, store products in the bathroom for ease of access. Storing the item in a room other than the bathroom is recommended, while others may need to be refrigerated,” Winfield advised. You don’t need a fancy skincare fridge for your lotions and potions, but a decorative (and functional) basket or two would be a good place to start.

Avoid contamination
Bacteria can decrease the longevity of your cosmetics, especially if you’re dipping into your moisturizer or lip gloss with your bare hands (or fingers).

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“Contaminants enter the product due to repeated application, even if an application tool is used,” said Winfield. Chang said you can opt for packaging that reduces the times you have to put your fingers into an item, like push-top moisturizers. (Also, wash your makeup brushes!)

Think before you buy
With new beauty products entering the market every day, I am often tempted to grab the newest Rhode launch or viral skincare product. However, you can (and should) be intentional with your purchasing power. “I think it’s useful to consider shelf life at the point of purchase. If someone only uses a product occasionally, buying a very large size or opening several similar products at once may make it harder to use them within their recommended period,” said Yujiao Wang, who researched consumer attitudes on expired cosmetics.

And, if you need makeup for a special event, Chang advised getting it done professionally, rather than purchasing new items.

Tell us: a purchase you’re putting off

We have all had that one annoying purchase we’ve dragged our feet on for months – whether it’s a new set of bedsheets or a pan that doesn’t leave your eggs stuck to the bottom.

Have a current product you’re struggling to find or one you keep considering but can’t quite pull the trigger on? Email us at thefilter.us@theguardian.com. (While all responses will remain anonymous, we may use them in a future newsletter or story.)

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