How long is too long to keep a lipstick?

My current favourite make up range - Inika.
I promise I have no financial affiliation with Inika -
I just like the way it makes my skin look.

Tears on my pillow, petroleum on my cheeks

I'm in the process of changing my cosmetics and skin care from 'I have no idea what's in this stuff, there's a chance it could have been a by-product from the Exxon Valdez oil spill' to 'organic and natural and not tested on animals and ingredients your grandma would recognise from her garden'.

Aging grace-lessly

I'm swapping over my cosmetics and skin care because it no longer makes sense for me to slather chemicals on my face. And I am starting to see lines and wrinkles that aren't just laugh lines, no matter how often I 'fake laugh' into the mirror to see which ones are laugh lines and which ones are just me ageing less gracefully than I would like.

Doing it for the rabbits

I also feel a sense of environmental responsibility - not just to the ecology around me, but also to the animals who are used for cosmetic testing. If I can vote for change with my cosmetic dollars, why not find out what I can and choose products that are good for me? And good for the rabbits? And the carrots that both the rabbits and I like to eat?

One tube at a time

But the scale of the job can seem overwhelming. I've spend hundreds of dollars on these products and I feel guilty throwing them away. Also - I like to think that if one day I want to wear khaki eyeshadow, it will be there for me. But not at the expense of my health.

How long is too long to keep a lipstick?

I stumbled across the following list of how long to keep make up for, in this great article '25 things to throw out today'. I am assuming as well that the timespan refers to those products that have already had a finger, brush or make-up sponge put into them (not unopened ones) as this is where the bacteria gets in.

Lifespan of cosmetics:

Mascara: Every three months

Foundation: One year

Concealer: 12-18 months

Powder: 18 months

Blush/Bronzer: 18 months

Cream blush: 12-18 months

Eye shadow: 18 months

Eyeliner: 18 months

Liquid eyeliner: 6 months

Lipstick/lip gloss: 18 months

Lip liner: One year

Nail polish: One year

Makeup sponges: Wash after each use, then throw away after a month.

I know I have some stuff older than this! At least this list will make culling the old and rounding up a smaller selection of new products a bit easier.