what are the life time of different makeup products such as lipstick, eyeliner, eyeshadow, lip gloss, and powder? i just realized that i had a stash of makeup hidden somewhere that were purchased about 4 years ago and were barely used. i don't want to waste my money, but at the same time im afraid to use it in case of a nasty reaction. would it be advisable to use it or to toss it?

makeup is usually good for a year, or 2 at max. in your case, the only thing i would reconsider using is the eyeliner, only if it's the pencil and not liquid.

lipstick, eyeshadow, and powder is definitely a no-no. the texture has probably already changed and might cause skin irritations.

I agree with the post above. If the eyeliner is pencil, sharpen it and you can use it. I would probably try using any unopened items but if everything has already been opened and used, then it would be a good idea to send them all off to makeup-heaven.

Agree with the above posts. Chances are after 4 years there could be bacteria growing on your makeup and such, so you definitely don't want to use that!

You should toss your makeup because of all the bacteria that has been growing. Usually there is an indication somewhere on your makeup products of the shelf life of each individual product.