Your makeup may be responsible for miracles in the mirror but it’s also home to millions of menacing microorganisms just waiting to get in your face. So we’re cleaning out our cosmetics bag in an effort to shake up our make up.

Some women have a hard time letting go…of their cosmetics that is! In fact, one study showed that women were known to hang on to their eye shadow an average of seven YEARS!! And it’s the very same story for things like foundation, mascara and lipstick which all have a shelf life.

So the first step in our cosmetics clear out is learning how to say goodbye…

Start by pitching any items that are dried up, smell funny or have started to separate. These are tell-tale signs that items are past their prime or have been contaminated…

Contamination happens easily with makeup as it’s in contact with your eyes, mouth and fingers, which are chock full of all kinds menacing microbes like E.coli and staphylococcus aureus. Leave these bugs multiply and we put ourselves at risk for nasty breakouts and ugly eye infections.

Now that we’ve got that sorted it out, it’s time to get sorting.

Mascara has the shortest shelf-life of all cosmetics because the risk of transferring bacteria back and forth from the eye to the tube is so great. Three months is the general rule of thumb.

Eye pencils can be kept for up to two years but before you sharpen them before use to ensure a clean tip.

Because powder products contain little water, they are a less likely place for bacteria to breed. Eye shadow will keep for up to two years as will powder blush.

Lipstick can last for one or two years but remember that while sharing is caring, cold sores suck so keep your tube to yourself.

Concealers that are applied directly to the skin or that have applicator wands should be tossed within one year because they come into direct contact with your skin.

Liquid foundations can last between six months and a year. Keep your fingers away from the opening and apply them with a disposable sponge or brush that you wash regularly.

And just think, now that you’re all done your detox, you have an excuse to buy lots of new makeup…Not that you needed an excuse.