Best Before

Alpha-H Liquid Gold Smoothing & Perfecting Mask / Origins GinZing Moisturiser / Caudalie Vinosource SOS Thirst Quenching Serum
REN Invisible Pores Detox Mask / Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner

I've seen a lot of talk lately about product expiry dates and a shift towards decluttering & streamlining your makeup and beauty stash, or maybe that's just what I've been looking for in the blogging and YouTube community. It's got a lot to do with being away from all my products and belongings for the last five months because I realised I can live with so much less (since getting home at the end of October I immediately decluttered my whole wardrobe, shoes, makeup, skincare, perfume, books, etc). As a natural hoarder, I tend to build up collections of everything I become interested in, the only problem is things like makeup and skincare can expire.

If you look on the back or the bottom of every item it should have a little symbol of an open container with a number in it which indicates how many months the product will remain "in date" once it's been opened. Now I don't take this number as gospel, particularly with makeup as it's just a guideline and lipstick is hardly as perishable as a carton of milk, I think what it comes down to is common sense - has the scent, colour or texture changed since you bought it, or has the product separated? Then it's time to go. Skincare, on the other hand, is a bit more tricky.

This is because although you can still notice obvious physical changes to your skincare, what you can't see are the active ingredients losing their efficacy. Hoarding blush isn't nearly as much of a waste as having ten expensive serums open with the ingredients degrading before they can even be used. Not only is it a waste of money, but if your products last you a few years because you've been stretching them out, then it's also a waste of time because they won't be anywhere near as effective as if you were using fresh products within the intended amount of time.

So if you're a hoarder like me and maybe your stash is getting a bit out of hand, I've put together a few tips to keep in mind:

• Your skin will benefit from the consistency of having fewer products on rotation - not only will you see better results with the regular use of a targeted product/treatment, but having too many options can overload your skin and cause reactions/break outs
• Remember that the expiration date starts from when you open the product, so if you want to stock up on your favourite cleanser or try out a new mask when it's on sale, try not to open it until you finish up something you already have
• Stop saving your best/most expensive/most effective skincare for special occasions, it's a use it or lose it type of product so enjoy what you've spent your hard-earned money on (#treatyoself)
• It's fine to have a couple of cleansers or serums on rotation - remember your skin's needs can change day-to-day, so don't limit yourself too much
• It'd be ideal to have one product of each type with its own function open at a time, i.e. a hydrating/repairing serum and a brightening serum, a moisturiser for the day time and the night, etc so you can always try to give your skin what it needs
• Don't dedicate yourself to finishing up products you don't really like - life is too short to use ineffective skincare and even though you don't want to feel like you've wasted your money, you're not doing your skin any favours by using up products that don't give it what it needs. pass them on to a friend or family member.