How often do you buy a new tube of mascara or a new loofah? You may want to rethink how often you refresh your beauty products, according to dermatologist Dr. Cameron Rokhsar. “Beauty products have shelf lives and there’s a few issues associated with it,” he says. “One is that the active ingredients in these things actually break down, so the effectiveness of the products actually goes down.” Second, Dr. Rokhsar explains that products can become contaminated through continued contact with the bacteria on our skin. “These products can actually serve as a reservoir for the bacteria to grow there and recontaminate your skin which can cause all kinds of issues,” he says. Currently the FDA doesn’t require companies to put expiration dates on their products, so it’s important to use good judgment and get rid of beauty products after a certain amount of time – advice that three of Rachael’s viewers learn firsthand when their products are tested at the lab!

Loofah - Brandie has had her loofah for over a year and says it still looks and smells fine. But, lab results found that the loofah contained two different organisms: acinetobacter, which can cause wound infections, boils and conjunctivitis; and yeast, the most common form of which is Candida. Dr. Rokhsar explains that Candida can cause rashes around the mouth called perleche, as well as other various rashes and infections. He recommends replacing a loofah about every three weeks and sponges every six to eight weeks.

Mascara - Sandra loves the mascara that she’s used for about a year thanks to her trick of adding water droplets when the product starts to dry up. Dr. Rokhsar warns that mascara is one of the more germ-filled beauty products because it comes in contact with fluids from around the eye and bacteria thrive in watery environments. When tested, Sandra’s mascara brush was housing the bacteria Bacillus, which has been shown to cause food poisoning in rare instances. And though it’s not a major form of a human disease, Dr. Rokhsar suggests replacing mascara every three months, and other beauty products, such as powder-based makeup, can stay for up to two years but not longer.

Powder Brush – At 25 years old, Ellen’s powder brush is older than most college students – and she’s only washed it once! When the brush was tested, the results revealed staph epidermidis, which Dr. Rokhsar explains lives on our skin as normal flora but also can be pathogenic. “It’s implicated in soft tissue infections, cellulite, folliculitis, conjunctivitis, blepharitis and it can cause exacerbation of acne,” he says. For brushes, he says that it isn’t necessary to throw the brush away, but you should wash it once a week with soap and water. If it’s a liquid-based makeup, the brush should be washed once a day.

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