Sarah Densmore

Article / Updated 04-03-2018

Ah, spring. The trees bud, the flowers bloom and the grasses flourish. But for 60 million Americans, our beautiful, burgeoning landscape brings a host of misery, including sneezing, sore throat, and watery eyes. There are a wealth of both over-the-counter and prescription medications available to ease allergy misery. However, these medications may not succeed in getting rid of all your symptoms. Here are ten lifestyle tips to help ensure a clear-eyed and sneeze-free spring is yours to enjoy. Wash and change your clothes: Pollen likes to hang onto our bodies and our clothing. You’ll suffer fewer sniffles if you shower and change into clean clothes at the end of the day or after a long stretch of outdoor activity. Cover up when you work outside: If you’re doing yard work, wear a NIOSH-approved mask (to prevent inhalation of pollen and other allergens that might be floating around. NIOSH stands for National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. These masks, which filter at least 95 percent of airborn particles, can be purchased at most larger home improvement stores. For extra protection, wear garden gloves and long pants and sleeves to protect your skin from allergens. Embrace cloudy skies, still winds: Pollen counts are higher on sunny, breezy days. Scheduling your outdoor time during calm winds and cloud cover can help minimize your pollen exposure. Use a neti pot: Neti pots have been around for centuries. They are a safe and effective way to flush harmful irritants out of your sinuses. A neti pot looks like a small tea pot but it has a longer, more slender spout. Fill the pot with warm salt water. Tilt your head to one side. Put the neti pot spout just inside the opposite nostril and pour. Out comes the pollen, dust, and other microbes that make you sniffle and sneeze. Ask someone else to cut your grass: Ask a friend who doesn’t have allergies to mow in exchange for a meal, or hire a neighborhood kid or lawn service. Whoever ends up cutting your grass, be sure to leave your doors and windows closed for a few hours afterwards to give kicked-up allergens a chance to settle down. Landscape with anti-allergy plants: Plants have different ways of going forth and multiplying. Some plants spread their seeds via air. Others depend on insects to carry their pollen. You want to fill your garden with the latter and avoid the former. This means landscaping with plants such as St. Augustine grass, azaleas, hibiscus, begonias, impatiens, hostas, red maples, dogwoods, and cherry trees. Install HEPA filters: High-efficiency particulate air filters trap very tiny particles, including pollen, so they don’t fly through the air in your home and aggravate your allergies. HEPA filters are available for furnaces, air conditioners, vacuum cleaners and room air filters. Use them in every appliance you can to reduce the allergens you breathe. Keep pets off the furniture: Pollen gets trapped in pet hair. So when your pets lay around the house, they can transfer pollen onto your couch, bed, chairs, etc. Confine them to the floor and and bathe them frequently. Forgo the clothesline: Drying your clothes outside can save lots of money on the electric bill, but . . . Unfortunately, line drying outdoors can also bring lots of pollen into your life. Dry clothes indoors if you want to keep springtime allergy symptoms at bay. Monitor pollen levels daily: Most meteorologists include pollen counts as part of their daily forecasts throughout the spring and summer. When pollen levels are high, keep your windows closed and limit your outdoor activity as much as possible. If you have to go outside for extended periods, wear a mask.

Step by Step / Updated 03-27-2016

If you’ve ever tried to locate the Facebook passageway that takes you through the steps to permanently delete your account, you know it’s not easy to find. That’s because the popular social networking Web site doesn't present an obvious “delete my account” button. Deactivating your Facebook account is not the same thing as deleting it. While deactivating your profile makes it unavailable for searches or public viewing, Facebook still keeps all of your information in the hopes that you’ll reactivate — a process that’s instantaneous when you log back on. If this seems a bit confusing, don’t despair. There is a fairly simple way to secede from the Facebook nation. Just follow these few steps.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Choosing a therapist can seem like a daunting task. You’re already overwhelmed by life’s challenges. How do you find a therapist with the right temperament, training, and therapeutic focus to help you figure out healthy ways to overcome your particular problems? Luckily, there are plenty of referral sources you can turn to and common sense questions you can ask that will make it easier to choose the right mental health professional for you. Before seeking referral for mental health help Ask yourself what kind of problem you need help with. Are you or a family member abusing drugs, food, or alcohol? Are you having trouble communicating with your mate, parents, or children? Are you being physically, emotionally, or sexually abused? Are you having difficulty coping with changes at work? Do you feel depressed and that your life lacks meaning? Being able to describe the issues you’re facing will help you find an appropriate therapist. Many therapists focus their practice on a particular problem, such as substance abuse, eating disorders, sexual or domestic violence, family dynamics, mood disorders, and so on. Some target their practice to certain populations, including adolescents, the elderly, gays, or lesbians. Also, think about whether you would be more comfortable talking with a man or woman, or a therapist who shares your ethnic, racial or religious background. When you're ready to find a therapist Generally, there are two ways you can be referred to a therapist: By person: If you feel comfortable reaching out to your family doctor or a religious leader at your church, you can briefly explain the challenges you’re facing and ask the person to refer you to someone who has experience in helping people with your type of problem. Or, if you know someone who has been helped by counseling, ask for the therapist’s phone number and set up an appointment. By organization: If you have insurance through your employer, you may have mental health coverage either as part of your health insurance or through an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). If so, you can contact the coverage provider for a referral to an approved therapist. If obtaining a referral through employer coverage isn’t an option, there are many organizations which provide state-by-state mental health provider listings, including: American Psychological Association National Mental Health Information Center Centers for Disease Control You should get the names and phone numbers of three therapists so you can interview and compare. When you call to set-up a screening appointment, find out if the therapist will charge for the meeting. Many of them won’t. Initial questions to ask a potential therapist Your first meeting with a mental health therapist is both a fact check and a gut check. Depending on what information you obtained during the referral search, you’ll want to ask the following questions: What mental health licenses and degrees do you hold? What kinds of mental health issues does your practice focus on? How long have you been practicing? What type of therapy to you think will be of most help to me in my particular situation and why? About how long do you think I’ll be in treatment? What are your fees? What types of payment do you accept and when is payment expected? If you accept insurance, what kind? Will you bill my insurance company or do I pay up front? As the meeting is ending, ask yourself if you and the therapist have a comfortable, natural rapport. Do you feel you can confide your most personal problems and they will be handled professionally and respectfully? If not, move on to the next referral.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Every year, millions of people enroll in thousands of clinical trials conducted around the world. These research studies are crucial to evaluating the effectiveness and safety of new medical procedures and medications. Maybe you’ve heard the results of various clinical trials in the news and wondered how people are recruited for these studies — or even how you can enroll in one yourself. Understanding your clinical trial options Clinical trials aren’t just for people hoping to find a cure for their particular illness or medical malady. Whether you’re young or old, sick or well, male or female, if you’d like to advance the cause of healthier living, one of these five kinds of clinical trials might be right for you: Diagnostic: Enroll in this type of trial and you’ll help researchers create more effective ways of identifying a certain type of disease. Prevention: Perhaps you’ve watched a close friend or family member struggle with a particular illness and you want to do what you can to find more effective ways to stop disease development in the future. Participate in this kind of study and you’ll help researchers identify preventative lifestyle changes, vitamins, vaccines, or drugs. Quality of life: If you struggle with a chronic, incurable illness, you can assist scientists in finding ways to ease the discomfort caused by your condition. Screening: Advances in early detection have saved countless lives. When you participate in a screening trial, you help doctors figure out faster, more accurate ways to find disease. Treatment: If you suffer from an illness or condition that isn’t being helped by established medical procedures, you may be eligible to participate in a treatment trial. These studies focus on finding new drugs, treatments or surgical procedures. Most clinical trials, no matter what type, focus on a specific medical condition. Once you’ve identified the type of study that’s right for you, you may want to further narrow your options by choosing a specific health problem that you’re affected by or interests you. (This choice will is predetermined if you’re trying to find relief from a particular ailment through a treatment study.) Finding the right research fit Now that you’ve identified a clinical trial type and medical condition, you’re ready to begin searching for a particular trial. One place to begin is your doctor’s office. Tell your doctor the type of trial you’d like to participate in and ask if she knows of any trials seeking participants. If she does, your doctor can contact the study’s participant coordinator on your behalf, or give you the contact information. Whether or not your doctor refers you to a clinical trial, be sure and tell her if you participate in one. She needs to make sure any new drugs you take or medical procedures you undergo as part of your trial enrollment don’t interfere with your current medical treatments. A second resource is the Internet. Both CenterWatch, a private clearinghouse for clinical trials information, and the U.S. National Institutes of Health provide detailed listings of research studies seeking participants. As you search through the descriptions of the various trials, you’ll notice they have specific criteria and guidelines for participation — known as inclusion/exclusion criteria. You must match these criteria exactly to participate in the study. For instance, a clinical trial may be searching for males, between ages 35 and 50 who are non-smokers and have no history of urinary or prostate problems to participate in a prostate cancer prevention study. If you don’t meet these criteria exactly, you won’t be considered for enrollment. Once you’ve found a trial for which you think you’re eligible, you can contact the study organizers via phone or, in most cases, e-mail. If the study organizers think you might meet the criteria, they’ll set up an appointment to meet with you. They will need to make sure your health matches the study criteria, so you may need to undergo a physical exam and perhaps even undergo some tests. They should also explain and provide you with the study’s informed consent document. This document includes all the details of the trial, including How the study will be conducted Specific participant requirements Participation risks and benefits Study duration Cost to you, if any Payment to you, if any Names and phone numbers of key contacts Come to the meeting prepared. Write down any questions you have. Ask a friend or relative to come along and be a second set of ears. Bring a tape recorder so you can replay parts of the conversation you may not remember clearly.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

While the “colon prep,” as it is commonly called, involves an inconvenient 1- or 2-day liquid diet and a bathroom camp out, it's a necessary step toward ensuring your continued colon health. Properly flushing out your large intestine before undergoing a colonoscopy allows your doctor to see your colon clearly and identify any abnormalities, including cancerous polyps. Your doctor will give you detailed prep instructions when you make your colonoscopy appointment but, generally, there are a couple procedures you should expect to follow. Stick to a liquid diet before a colonoscopy Because solid waste material will interfere with the colonoscopy image, you’ll have to confine your diet to liquids for 1 to 3 days before the test. Blue, purple and red beverages aren’t allowed, because they can be confused with blood in your colon. However, you can have Broth Plain tea or coffee (no cream or milk) Popsicles Pulp-free fruit juice Sports drinks Water The closest thing to solid food you’ll be permitted to eat is lemon-, lime-, or orange-flavored gelatin. Some drugs such as aspirin, blood thinners, vitamins containing iron, glucose, and anti-inflammatories can interfere with colonoscopy results. Be sure to tell your doctor about all the medications you’re taking. He may ask you to temporarily adjust your dosage. Flush with a enema or laxative Either the night before or the morning of your test you’ll need to flush out your large intestine to make sure no waste material remains. Your doctor will tell you whether he wants you to use an enema or laxative. He will probably tell you which specific product to buy since some are made for colonoscopy prep. An enema will allow you to flush out your colon by squeezing water up into your large intestine via your anus. You’ll use a special enema bag with a pre-lubricated tip to inject the water. If you’re using a laxative, you’ll either take pills followed by lots of water or you’ll drink a liquid. If you use a liquid laxative, plan on drinking several cups at specific intervals. It doesn’t taste good, but you can make it more palatable by using ice cold water and adding some flavored drink powder. You’re going to swallow large amounts of laxative and it’s going to move through you fairly quickly. Make sure you wear pants you can easily take on and off. Stay very close to, or in, the bathroom. Make yourself at home with some magazines or a portable television. Have some petroleum jelly or some adult wet wipes containing lotion handy to soothe any skin irritation. You’ll be given a mild sedative and pain medication before your colonoscopy begins, which means you won’t be able to drive yourself home after the procedure. Make sure you have a friend or family member with you who will drive you home and plan on taking the day off from work.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Chemotherapy can be a life-saving cancer destroyer. Unfortunately, the drugs don’t take aim solely at cancer. They can also kill hair, skin, and reproductive tract cells. This collateral damage leaves some chemotherapy patients with thinning hair, nail loss, uncomfortably dry skin, and permanent reproductive damage. If your chemotherapy (commonly called chemo) is causing you to suffer from embarrassing and uncomfortable hair and skin changes, or changes in sexuality, there are coping mechanisms you can try to help you get through your time in treatment. Everyone responds to chemo differently and not all chemotherapy side effects are the same. You may experience some of the symptoms listed here, but not all of them. To help you prepare for the road ahead, be sure and ask your doctor which side effects are common to the particular chemotherapy you’ll be undergoing. Thinning hair: Hair loss can occur anywhere on the body during chemo, but the hair usually grows back when treatment ends. In the interim, you can wear wigs, hats, and turbans to hide your hair loss. Carefully applied make up can fill in lost eyebrows. Some cancer patients decide to forego the cosmetics and proudly display their bald pates as a show of survivorship. Skin irritation: You can soothe dry, itchy, rash-prone skin by taking quick, warm (not hot) baths. Use mild soaps and apply lotion right after you bathe to help seal in moisture. Pat, don’t rub, your skin dry. Avoid perfumes, colognes, and aftershaves. Stay out of direct sunlight unless you’re wearing protective clothing and a high SPF sunscreen. Some people can have an allergic reaction to their chemotherapy. If your skin begins to itch severely or if you notice any rashes or hives, tell your doctor right away. Nail changes: If your treatments have left you with fewer nails, or nails that are yellow and brittle, you can protect them by wearing gloves when you’re doing housework or gardening. Applying nail strengtheners might also help. If your nail bed becomes red and starts to hurt, be sure and tell your doctor. It may be a sign of infection. Reproductive damage: Chemotherapy can alter eggs and sperm and cause birth defects; you shouldn’t reproduce while you’re being treated. Some types of chemo can also cause permanent infertility. If you hope to have children after your cancer treatment is through, but you’re about to undergo a chemo which is likely to leave you sterile, you should talk with your doctor about harvesting your eggs or sperm. Decreased sexual desire: Whether you’re male or female, waning libido is a common chemotherapy side effect. Additionally, if you’re a man, you may experience impotence. If you’re a woman, you may develop symptoms that mimic peri-menopause. These include hot flashes, vaginal dryness, mood swings, and irregular periods. Other than vaginal moisturizers to help women combat dryness, there isn’t much on the medication front that can help couples during treatment. Patience, open communication, and lots of love may be the best medicine. If you’d like some hands-on advice on how to overcome chemotherapy’s cosmetic side effects, consider attending a Look Good. . .Feel Better workshop. These sessions are held throughout the country and are a joint venture of The American Cancer Society and the Personal Care Products Council Foundation.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

The same properties that make chemotherapy drugs effective cancer killers also cause them to damage healthy cells in your bone marrow, blood and nervous system. The damage, although often temporary, can make cancer patients vulnerable to a series of side effects and secondary conditions, including bleeding, anemia, infections, numbness in the extremities, and memory loss. If you’re experiencing blood or nervous system problems as a result of undergoing chemotherapy (commonly called chemo), there are steps you and your doctor can take to weather the negative aspects of cancer treatment. Everyone responds to chemo differently and not all chemotherapy will cause the side effects listed here. Each drug interacts with normal cells in its own unique way. To help you prepare for your treatment, be sure and ask your doctor which side effects are common to the chemotherapy you’ll be undergoing. Bleeding: The cells that make sure you stop bleeding when you’ve been cut or bruised are called platelets. Chemotherapy can lower the number of platelets you have, making you more susceptible to bruising, nose bleeds, and clotting failure. If your platelet count becomes dangerously low, your doctor may prescribe a drug that will help your body produce new platelets. While you’re undergoing chemo, you should avoid contact sports or other physical activity that greatly increases your risk of cuts and bruises. Bleeding gums are common, so use a very soft-bristle toothbrush and stay away from floss and toothpicks. Opt for an electric razor instead of a manual. When using knives or scissors, wear gloves to protect your hands from sharp blades. Because internal tissue can be especially prone to injury, avoid using tampons, suppositories, rectal thermometers, and enemas. Fatigue and anemia: Chemotherapy can lower the number of red blood cells, pushing you into anemia and the extreme fatigue that is characteristic of the condition. Listen to your body. Rest and limit your activities. If you are also experiencing shortness of breath, dizziness, fainting, leg pain or swelling, or rapid heartbeat, call your doctor right away. She may prescribe iron-rich vitamins or medication to promote red blood cell growth. You may need to undergo a blood transfusion to replace your lost red blood cells. Increased infections: Some chemotherapies destroy the white blood cells that help your body fight infection, leaving you vulnerable to illness. While you’re in treatment, it’s important that you wash your hands and use hand sanitizer throughout the day. Keep your hands away from your nose and mouth. Avoid crowds and keep your distance from people suffering from colds and flu. Your doctor will keep an eye on your white blood count, but developing an infection during chemo is serious business. If you have a fever of more than 100 degrees, chills, sweats, or any other sign of infection such as cough, headache, or sinus pain, call your doctor right away. Loss of sensation: You may be experiencing tingling, numbness or pain in your feet or hands that is affecting your mobility and agility. Most of these nerve problems disappear within a year of completing chemo or when the dose of chemo is lowered. In the meantime, wear flat, comfortable shoes with rubber soles for traction. Use a cane to steady your stance. Wear gripper gloves when working with kitchen utensils or gardening tools. Install rubber bath mats or shower hand rails to make getting in and out of the tub easier. If your sense of hot and cold has been compromised, be sure and use a thermometer to measure water temperature in the bath before you get in. Cognitive difficulties: Confusion and recall problems are common enough that cancer patients have nicknamed the experience “chemobrain.” Although chemobrain usually clears when treatment ends, you may find that you have to change your behaviors a bit in the interim to help you manage your day-to-day life. Keep a notebook handy and write down as many appointments, tasks, names, and numbers as you need to for easy reference later on. When you need to focus on a task, eliminate as many distractions as you can. Retire to a quiet room. Turn off the TV and mute the phone. Give your brain the fuel it needs by eating healthy foods and getting enough sleep. The effects of chemo therapy on your blood and nervous system not only can have detrimental effects on your quality of life, but can also be dangerous. Getting emotional support and practical advice from fellow cancer patients and cancer professionals can help you cope with these challenges. The National Cancer Institute has a directory of organizations that provide assistance to cancer patients.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

The same properties that make chemotherapy drugs effective cancer killers also cause them to wreak havoc on normal cells, including those that make up your digestive system. The damage, although usually temporary, can cause cancer patients to experience a host of problems, including aversions to certain foods, constipation, incontinence, nausea and vomiting. If you’re experiencing problems at the dinner table and in the bathroom as a result of undergoing chemotherapy (commonly called chemo), there are steps you and your doctor can take to lessen the side effects of your treatment. Everyone responds to chemo differently and not all chemotherapy will cause the digestive problems listed here. Each drug interacts with normal cells in its own, unique way. To help you prepare for your treatment, be sure and ask your doctor which side effects are common to your chemotherapy. Appetite changes: Most chemo will cause you to lose your appetite to some degree and certain medications will cause changes in the way food tastes. You might develop an aversion to beef and pork, sweets, or tomato products. You may also have a constant metallic taste in your mouth. Eating several smaller meals each day might be easier than eating the customary big three. Liquid foods such as soup, juice, smoothies, and milkshakes are often more palatable than solid foods. Using plastic utensils can reduce the metal taste. It’s important to keep up your weight, so concentrate on eating high calorie foods, such as protein shakes. Your doctor may recommend that you take extra vitamins and nutritional supplements. Constipation: If constipation is a problem, drinking coffee, tea, or prune juice may kick your system into gear. You should also make sure you drink at least eight cups of water a day and incorporate high fiber foods into your diet if your appetite allows it. Diarrhea: Diarrhea calls for a different dietary approach. Seek out foods that will help you retain or regain fluids, such as those low in fiber and high in salt, sodium, and potassium. Stay away from alcohol, diary, and anything greasy, spicy, or high in fiber. If your diarrhea isn’t being helped by careful dieting, your doctor may be able to prescribe medication that will help. Urination: Your doctor will probably carefully monitor your kidney and bladder function during your treatment, but you may experience frequent or uncontrollable urination, or an inability to urinate. Eliminating the chemotherapy drugs from your kidneys and bladder is the best defense against urinary side effects. Drink lots of water and other clear liquids to flush out your system. Stay away from caffeine. Nausea and vomiting: There is a long list of chemotherapy drugs which are known to prompt nausea and vomiting. Heavy alcohol use, anxiety and being a woman of menstrual age are also known to exacerbate the problem. There are medications that can help lessen the severity and occurrence of these symptoms. If your type of chemo is known to induce stomach upset, your doctor will prescribe an anti-nausea and vomiting drug (called an anti-emetic) before your therapy begins. Getting emotional support and practical advice from fellow cancer patients and cancer professionals can help you cope with chemotherapy’s digestive difficulties. The National Cancer Institute has a directory of organizations that provide assistance to cancer patients.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

If you want to join a Zumba class, leave your aerobic step, exercise ball, and 1-2-3-count at home. Bring your dancing feet, gyrating hips, and a desire to move like you’re in a Miami discotheque. Zumba sessions combine Latin music with popular Latin dances such as salsa, mambo, merengue, and samba. Don’t worry if you’re not a Latin ballroom trophy holder. Just keep kicking your legs and swaying your arms. Unlike a traditional aerobics class, you don’t have to worry about stepping or clapping in perfect time. Zumba movements are more free flowing. After a Zumba class, you’ll feel less like you marched in a boot camp drill and more like you let yourself go at a party. Expect to spend about an hour in your Zumba workout. Your instructor, who should be certified through the Zumba Fitness Academy, will take you through a warm up, routine, and cool down. There are thousands of Zumba workout video clips online. Wear clothes you can easily stretch in but that aren’t so baggy they end up getting in your way. You’re going to work up a sweat, so don’t forget your towel and a generous bottle of water. There are several different Zumba workouts to choose from, depending on your tastes and fitness level. Aqua: Combine the easy-on-the-joints benefits of water aerobics with the exhilaration of Latin dance. Basic 1 or 2: You’ll combine the steps of merengue, salsa, cumbia, and reggaeton into your Basic 1 workout. In Basic 2, you’ll exercise using belly dance, flamenco, tango, and samba movements. Gold: This class is for older folks or people who want to ease back into shape. Toning: You’ll incorporate weighted Zumba sticks into your workout. Zumbatonic: Your whole family can get in on the action if you enroll your kids in these classes for 4 to 12 year olds. With instructors leading classes in 50,000 locations across the globe, it shouldn’t be too hard to find some type of Zumba class in your area. You can search available classes at Zumba Fitness.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

How many months or years you should hold on to your eye shadows, blushes, lipsticks, and other cosmetics depends on several factors. Among important considerations when deciding time to toss and replace beauty products: type of make up, how it’s been stored, and whether you’ve had an eye infection. Some make up shouldn’t be kept longer than 3 months, but you can hang on to other paints and varnishes for a couple years. The United States doesn’t have any laws that require cosmetic manufacturers to include expiration dates on their packaging. Guidelines for when to discard make up are usually doled out by people who work within the cosmetics industry. The Food and Drug Administration keeps an eye on cosmetics manufacturers, and they provide some general advice for consumers. To get maximum longevity from your make up, buy only cosmetics that haven’t been opened. When you get your goodies home, store them in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight. Always close the lids tightly after use. Here are some common cosmetics and the recommended shelf life for each after it has been opened for the first time. Mascara: Toss your mascara after 3 months. Mascara has the shortest life span of all make up because the risk of transferring bacteria back and forth from your eye into the mascara tube is so great. If your mascara starts to dry out before its 90 days is up, throw it away. Don’t add water or saliva to your mascara to rewet it. Doing so will only increase your chances of getting an eye infection. Eye pencils: Eye pencils can be kept up to 2 years. To make sure you’re using a clean tip, sharpen before each application. Eye shadows: Keep your applicators clean and your liquid shadows should last 12 months. Powder shadows will keep 2 years. If you’ve had an eye infection, you’ll need to throw out all the eye make up and applicators you used from the time you developed symptoms. The virus or bacteria that caused the infection has probably taken up residence in your make up, so using those cosmetics again could cause you to develop another infection. Lipsticks: You can stow your tube lipsticks and your lip pencils for 2 years. As with eye pencils, sharpen your lip pencils before each use. Blushes and powders: Discard your cream blushes after a year, powder blushes and powders after 2 years. Think of your make up a bit like you do your food. If it smells weird, develops a film, or has a mold-green tint to it, it’s gone bad and needs to be tossed out. Foundations and concealers: Moisturizing foundations and stick concealers can hang around for 18 months. A 12-month shelf life applies to both oil-free foundations, which can dry out quickly, and liquid concealers. Using clean brushes and sponges will help lengthen the life of your cosmetics. Be sure and wash or replace your applicators frequently. When you open a cosmetic for the first time, write the date on the product. It will help you keep track of how long you’ve had the make up so you’ll know when it’s time to throw it away.