We attach so much emotion to our makeup, partly because it’s a luxury but also because we buy makeup with our feelings, says Kate O’Reilly for Rimmel London. The truth we need to get our heads around is that makeup products are perishable items, like a slightly longer lasting (and more expensive) tub of hummus.

In fairness, she’s quite right. Hands up who has held onto an expensive piece of make-up, that must-have lipstick or palette, simply because it was pricy?

Now most of us are at home, it’s time to channel your inner Marie Kondo and embrace some spring cleaning for your cosmetics.

Kate suggests using Kondo’s method to organise your make-up:

● Put all of your remaining makeup in one big pile.

● Pick up one item at a time and decide if it sparks joy. Not “Will I ever wear this colour?” but “Do I feel happy when I look at this item”

● The items that pass are put aside to be organised separately, the ones that do not are thanked for their service and released into the world of bins

Don’t forget #1

Make-up has sell by dates too. There is a little symbol of an open jar printed on every item of make-up to say how long you can use it before it starts to grow its own community of bacteria. Separated liquid can be shaken back to life but if your product has a strange smell, changes colour or develops a hard surface then it will need to be thrown out. As painful as it is, nothing should stay with you for longer than two years, besides your brushes and tools.

Here’s a general guide to sell- by dates for make-up:

Mascara and Lipgloss: 3-6 months

Closed tubes and pumps: 1-2 years

Beauty Blender: 3-6 months

Blush, eye shadow and other powder cosmetics: 1-2 years

Pots: 6 months

Lipstick: 2 years

Open bottles: 1 year

Natural products: 3-6 months

Closed tubes and pumps: 1-2 years

Don’t forget #2

Even if your products are within their “use by” period they will need to be cleaned. Seventy per cent alcohol such as surgical spirits is the best concentration for cleaning plastic packaging and brush handles as it penetrates the surface more deeply and evaporates slowly. Just don’t let any surgical spirits get onto your powder products as it will turn them hard and to a plastic consistency. I wash my personal makeup bag in the washing machine when I can see foundation smudged on the inside and makeup brushes and handles should be cleaned every week or two. Store brushes in that makeup bag you just washed or on your dressing table, not in the bottom of your handbag with crumbs and loose chewing gum!

Kate works the international Fashion Week circuit and assists the biggest names in the makeup industry on shoots for Vogue and Elle magazine. She works on editorials and advertising campaigns for fashion and lifestyle brands. More here

Time to let go