Going shopping for your skin-care products to the mall has now become a thing of the past. Gone are the days of popping into a drugstore to pick an emergency lip balm. While self-isolating is the perfect opportunity to keep your skin make-up free, there are a handful of products you would want to use until the very last drop. Here's how to ensure that your beauty products withstand the test of time and last at least till normalcy returns.

Never Use Your Fingers to Scrape Out any Product

Never dip your fingers into the jars of your lotions, conditioners and moisturisers. No matter how many times you wash your hands, your fingers can transfer bacteria and oil into the formula reduce the shelf life. Be sure that you always use the applicators that come with the pack.

If you do not have those beauty spatulas or brushes, you can use cotton swabs to scrape out the products. A cotton swab will keep your product more sterile, keeping COVID-19 in mind. Don’t Lockdown on Skincare! 10 Tips for Healthy and Glowing Skin While You’re Self-Quarantining.

Keep Your Tools in Proper Shape

Once you use the spatula and brushes, it is essential to keep them fluffy and clean. Using soft, high-quality brushes will pick up less product from the jar. If you notice the powders or formula harden on the brush, you can use a clean butter knife to scrape away the top later of the product gently. Dermatologist-Approved DIY Home Recipes for Your Skin Care & Pampering Session at Home.

Do Not add Any other Agent to Your Dry Products

Your friends must have asked to add glycerine to your moisturising lotion or eye drops to your mascara to make them last longer. Never do that. If the product is dry, it is probably time to toss it. Using old products can lead to a build-up of bacteria which can be frightening. Reviving your favourite product can do more harm than good. Skincare at 30: Beat Wrinkles and Fine Lines With These Must-Have Anti-Ageing Products.

However, there are plenty of DIY formulas that you can use in place of your regular products. They might not replace your shea butter moisturiser, but they will be useful to hold you until it is safe to roam in the beauty aisles again.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 20, 2020 12:08 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).