Makeup gone bad

Just like a carton of milk or a loaf of bread, beauty products have their own best-before date. It's important to replace them consistently, says Toronto makeup artist Sheri Stroh, "because bacteria can build up causing breakouts, skin irritation or even infection." But if you've got a drawer full of makeup that you bought who-knows-when, it can be tricky to know what's gone bad. Here are tips for keeping your kit clean and your makeup safe to use.

A version of this article was published in our December 2012 issue, p. 34.