A British study by Escentual found that some women kept their make-up for up to six years after their expiry date, and 70% of women never cleaned their makeup brushes. Yep, gross. While we all have at one point refused to throw out that beautiful cream eyeshadow (which has never been touched, but it's too pretty to throw away), are you aware of exactly how germy your make-up is? We give you the low-down on when it's time to say buh-bye to your beauty favourites.

FOUNDATION/CONCEALER

Verdict: Quite germy!

When to toss: For liquid foundations and concealers, it's best to throw them out after a year. Mathew Nigara, renowned celebrity makeup artist, explains that they should be replaced when the oils rise to the top and the consistency thickens, which means that your foundation will create an uneven, streaky and inconsistent finish. Powder foundations can be kept for up to two years. Bacteria won’t grow where there’s no water. However the ... Read more »