Permanently Beautiful

If you haven’t used a product or a tool in a month, toss it, says celebrity makeup artist Mally Roncal.  Ditto for multiples of similar colors. Instead of carrying around two, three or 10 pink glosses, keep only the one you reach for most.

There are no expiration dates on makeup, but experts advise to estimate the age of a product from the date it was opened. Toss any makeup that has developed a funny smell, because that indicates bacteria, dermatologists say.

Bacteria can set in as makeup deteriorates and cause an infection. If the bacteria enters the eye, conjunctivitis, also known as pink-eye can develop.

While throwing out unused makeup may seem wasteful, ending up in the doctor’s office with an infection can be very time consuming and possibly painful. Yet a survey by the American College of Optometrists found that two-thirds of all women used eye makeup that was more than two years old.

If you want to make a fresh start, experts recommend packing these essentials:  a double-duty cheek and lip stain, black eyeliner to transition from day to night, mascara, concealer and an eyelash curler.

You can really de-clutter your make-up bag by getting yourself inked with permanent make-up.  No more need to carry around eye-liner, brow pencil, lip liner pencil and lip gloss. Talk about lightening up.  And you’ll no longer have to possibly risk car accidents by swiveling car side mirrors and rearview mirrors to the angle you need to reapply your make-up. With permanent make-up you’re always good to go.