Hey Huetiful,
Last time, I promised we'd get honest about your bathroom counter. So pour something. This might sting a little.
Every one of us has a counter full of exes: the serum you couldn't live without two years ago, the cleanser that was perfect in July, the jar you're keeping "for when." And as a formulator, I'll tell you what nobody says out loud. Some of them quit on you a while ago.
1. The one who changed.
Products don't last forever, even when they look fine. Preservatives break down over time, and every finger dip, hot car and steamy shower speeds that up.
Before you judge a product on looks alone, check the bottle for three things. The expiration date is the date it's guaranteed to work until. The open-jar symbol, that tiny jar marked 6M or 12M, tells you how many months it's good for once you open it. And best before shows up on products with a shorter life.
The catch? Most skincare in the U.S. isn't required to have a date at all. So use your senses. A new color, smell or texture, or oil and water pulling apart, means she changed. Vitamin C is the classic: it's sensitive to air and light and loses strength over time, so if yours went from pale to pumpkin spice, let her go.
As a formulator, I watch the water. Creams and lotions give bacteria the most room to grow, so they go first. Oils hold up better there, but they oxidize and turn rancid, especially in heat and sun. If your face oil smells stale, trust your nose.
Honestly, I've thrown away more unused skincare than I want to admit. So every spring and fall, I go through my stash. Expired goes. Close to its date moves up front, so I grab it first.
2. The one you outgrew.
This one's personal. It's not the season. It's you.
The spot treatment that saved you in your 30s. The scrub that left you squeaky. The toner that left your face tight, so you knew it was clean. But your skin isn't 32 anymore, and some of your old faithfuls never got the memo.
As we head toward menopause, skin holds on to water less easily, so it gets drier and more sensitive. The oil slows down too. By our 50s, women make about 40% less oil than before. So products built to strip oil are working on skin that doesn't have it to spare.
Plot twist: hormones can bring adult acne back. But dermatologists say skip acne products that dry your skin out, because dryness can make breakouts worse. Fight the breakout, not your face.
3. The situationship.
Half a jar. Opened two winters ago. You're keeping it "for when." Girl, for when what?
We all have them. The serum we bought because everybody was talking about it. The cream we're saving for a special occasion, like our face needs an invitation. The one we used twice a week, when we remembered, then wondered why she wasn't working.
And check for twins. A hydrating toner and a BHA toner for that time of the month? Two jobs, that's fine. But three or four hydrating toners? Sis. What are we doing? (And how would you even know which one worked? But I digress. That's a whole other blog.)
Don't get me wrong. I own the same shoes in different colors. But shoes don't expire. Skincare does. So buy it, use it, repeat. Body care's the exception. You'll actually get through that. And if you won't get through the rest in time, pass the unopened ones to a girlfriend or a shelter. Bless somebody.
4. The one your girl swore by.
Your best friend swore by her new cream. Or maybe it was the latest TikTok skincare trend. Either way, you ran right out and got it. On you? Nothing. Or worse, a breakout.
That doesn't make her a liar. Her skin just isn't your skin. Maybe she's oily and you're dry, short on oil, and that light gel was never going to be enough. Maybe you're dehydrated, short on water, and she's not. Same cream, two different faces.
And for us, a miss can cost more than the price tag. On melanin-rich skin, irritation can leave dark spots that hang around for months. A souvenir you didn't ask for.
Now, girlfriend recs are still the best recs. Just ask one more question first: "What's your skin like?" Then test it before your whole face commits. Dermatologists suggest a quarter-sized spot on your inner arm, twice a day for 7 to 10 days. No redness, itching or swelling? She's in.
And if it didn't work? Keep the friend. Lose the cream.
5. The ones who stay.
Who gets to stay? The ones that earn their spot. Every product on your counter should have a job, and she should be doing it.
Here's who's on mine right now. My Turmeric Honey Cleanser is creamy, with just a slight lather, and my face never feels stripped after. My Dragonfruit + Ceramide Bi-Phase Veil Mist does double duty: two layers in one bottle, water with hyaluronic acid and glycerin, oil with ceramides and squalane. Shake, spritz, and it works like a light moisturizer. And when my skin needs more cushion, Age Rebirth goes on last, with squalane, camellia and kukui oils.
Three products, every job covered. No twins.
Clearing the counter isn't about starting over. It's making room for the ones who actually show up.
Now tell me in the comments: who's getting dumped from your counter this week?
xo, Marla
Sources: FDA: Shelf Life and Expiration Dating of Cosmetics · European Commission: Q&A on the Period After Opening symbol · Journal of Skin and Stem Cell (2025): topical vitamin C stability · Journal of Cosmetic Science (2005): water activity and preservation · Journal of Cosmetic Science (2014): oxidation of cosmetic oils · American Academy of Dermatology: Skin Care During Menopause · Acta Dermato-Venereologica: sebum decline in menopausal women · American Academy of Dermatology: Skin of Color · American Academy of Dermatology: How to Test Skin Care Products
For information only, not medical advice.
