When To Get Rid Of Your Obscure Beauty Supplies

My fellow product hoarders! There's a pretty good chance that you have oodles of beauty products and supplies stocked up in your bathroom that probably haven't seen the light of day in months. Spring cleaning might technically be over, but there's no time like the present to figure out when to throw away your beauty products in order to give your cabinet a solid clean out.

Tossing mascara after three months is pretty much second nature at this point, but what about all the other stuff in there? There are plenty of products and supplies that we hardly ever use or the obscure things that we do use often but that we wouldn't necessarily think about when is actually the best time to be getting rid of them.

Sure, most of the time our common sense slash eyeballs can pretty much tell us when it's time to throw out things like our razors and loofahs. Still, it's great to actually know what experts say so we can get the most use out of them.

In the end, you certainly still have a little wiggle room. I'll admit that sometimes I'll use my razor for months on end before caving in to get a new one. Call it lazy or just saving a bit of money, I haven't died yet, so I'm probably OK.

If you're guilty of keeping products for years at a time, here are seven beauty items you might want to think about throwing out before you use it again.

1. Eye Drops

It's always important to follow expiration guidelines listen on the bottle, especially if they are prescription eye drops. In addition, eye drops with a preservative can be kept for up to a month after opening, but those without should be thrown out a week after opening. Some sources say that you can make them last up to three months after opening, but the important thing to remember is that after opening a bottle of eye drops, the bottle is exposed to bacteria that can grow in the bottle which could cause an eye infection. So those eyedrops that have been sitting there for a year? Definitely time to them throw out and get a new bottle.

2. Loofah

The length of time you can use your loofah depends on the type you are using. A natural loofah can be used for up to four weeks, and a plastic one can be used for up to eight weeks. Think about it, loofahs are extremely porous, so they have all kind of places where bacteria can begin to grow. They may not truly dry out being hung up in your shower after use, and the bathroom can be a moist, warm place — perfect for breeding bacteria. Not to mention, your loofah is going to be hosting all those dead skin particles that you love it for exfoliating off your body, but they aren't all going to be washed down the drain, so they too offer a great place for bacteria to grow.

3. Disposable Razor

It's actually best to dispose of that razor blade after two weeks, though that of course depends on how often you shave as well. If you're getting use out of about every other day, it ideally needs to go after two weeks. Still, you can prolong the life of your razor if you take it out of the shower to dry after you're done. It's especially important to get rid of it if you can see rust on the blades as that can cause skin irritation and/or infections.

4. Nail Files & Clippers

Most nail products can be used for up to a year, but it's important to wash and sterilize your nail clippers periodically during this time. Wash with hot water and sterilize with rubbing alcohol to keep them clean. As always, if they start to rust, it's definitely time to throw them out. Nail files are safe to use a few times if they were only used by yourself, but it's important not to share them with others.

5. Hair Brushes

There doesn't seem to be a set guideline for hair brushes, but beware that when prongs start falling off or pieces have broken off of your brush, you can damage both your scalp and/or hair by continuing to use it. Cleaning your hair brush regularly, like once a week, is important though, as letting dead hair sit in your brush allows dust and dust mites a place to accumulate. Cleaning out your brush also makes for better hairstyling as the brush can properly do what it's supposed to with all that dead hair out of the way.

6. Face Masks

You can keep face masks for one to two years, but if the color or texture has changed, it needs to be thrown out immediately. Otherwise, the product can do the opposite of what you want it to and actually irritate your face because the ingredients and/or chemicals break down over time. If you're using natural masks, like the ones you can get at Lush, it's going to be a lot less of time that you can use them, and the consultant wear you buy the natural mask can tell you when it expires.

7. Cuticle Cream & Oils

These products have a shelf life of one to two years, and they should be kept in a cool, dark place. If the product begins to have a rancid smell, it's time to throw it away though.