Bad news for those who use expired makeup products: The worst thing you can do to your skin!

Experts warn that old cosmetic products can harbor bacteria that are invisible to the naked eye, which can settle on the skin and cause damage.

Disturbing images also show how such bacterial infections can enter the bloodstream and potentially lead to life-threatening complications.

PRESERVATIVES TURN INTO POISON OVER TIME!

Dr. Anthony Youn, a plastic surgeon in Michigan, said the reason for this is that the preservatives used to keep products fresh break down over time, leaving the products vulnerable to bacterial and fungal contamination.

Similarly, skincare products that have not been used for months can become more concentrated over time; this means users are applying formulas to their skin that are much stronger than what is stated in the advertisements.

BEWARE OF PRODUCTS WITH CHANGED TEXTURES!

Dr. Youn stated: "If you have an active ingredient like an acid, and that ingredient is buffered by other types of ingredients like water and oils, their structures can change or they can start to evaporate.

Then this acid can become even stronger, and you end up applying something to your skin that is much more potent than before. You should not use expired products on your skin."

HOW OFTEN SHOULD THEY BE REPLACED?

According to industry recommendations, mascara and liquid eyeliner should be replaced at least every three months, eyebrow pencils every 18 months, and lipsticks, eyeshadows, and blushes at the very latest every two years.

Sponges should be washed weekly and discarded every two months. Furthermore, leaving makeup sponges wet causes bacteria to form and spread within them.

BACTERIA THAT CAUSE MENINGITIS FORM

However, this is not the first time experts have warned about the health risks posed by outdated makeup materials.

In 2015, laboratory tests conducted by scientists at London Metropolitan University on outdated makeup materials revealed that they contained potentially deadly bacteria, including a bacterium that causes meningitis.

Researchers tested five products, including blush, foundation, and lip gloss, and found that old cosmetics contained potentially deadly bacteria at unsafe levels.

One of the microbes, enterococcus faecalis, is a leading cause of meningitis, which leads to more deaths in children under five in the UK than other infectious diseases.

CAN CAUSE IRRITATION AND CLOGGED PORES

Consultant dermatologist and British Skin Foundation spokesperson Dr. Emma Wedgeworth had also previously stated that applying expired products to your face could "cause damage to the skin structure, irritation, or clogged pores."

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, you should throw away products that start to clump, such as mascara and eyeliner.

Makeup materials that come into direct contact with the eyes constitute the most dangerous group. This is because eye infections both carry great danger and are much harder to treat.

Changes in consistency, such as powder eyeshadows or blushes, or foundations separating, crumbling, or breaking down, are other important signs.

Products that smell bad, have changed color, or leave a different feeling on your skin are also among the reasons you should throw them in the trash.