There’s no immediate need to toss a product that seems off - sometimes you can simply stir it or shake it up. In other cases, it’s best to discard it and open a new tube or bottle.

Beading: if moisture beads are clinging to your cream eye shadow or blush, lipstick, or concealing cream, it’s been exposed to heat. If your favourite lipstick, concealer, blush or eye shadow looks and goes on fine, then keep it. But if you bought the make-up years before and it has been exposed to heat, it could contain bacteria and should rather be thrown away.

Separation: a layer of oil or some other liquid is visible on your nail polish, foundation, scrub, lotion or sunscreen because you’ve had it for such a long time. Scrubs and nail polishes with beads can be shaken or mixed back together. Throw our foundations, lotions and sunscreens that have separated; they have lost their efficacy and could cause irritation.

Change in colour: a liquid, serum, perfume, cream or gel has taken on a new shade and the cause varies considerable. A cream may turn yellow because the fragrance in it is sensitive to light or an added colour fades, which doesn’t necessarily mean the products has gone bad. But when it comes to products with active ingredients (anti-aging or anti-acne), discoloration means that those ingredients won’t work anymore. Vitamin C will turn brown and retinols will turn darker yellow.

As much as you love all your favourite products, it’s best not to stockpile them as they all have a limited shelf life. Here’s when to say when.

ANTI-AGING OR ACNE TREATMENTS: 3 months to a year.
BODY LOTION: 2 to 3 years, particularly if in a pump container.
SHAMPOO, CONDITIONER AND SHOWER GEL: about 3 years.
SUNSCREEN: check the package for the expiry date.
MASCARA AND LIQUID EYELINER: 3 to 4 months.
LIPSTICK AND LIP GLOSS: 2 to 3 years.
FOUNDATION: about 2 years.
PERFUME: about 2 years.
NAIL POLISH: about a year.