Hints From Heloise

Dear Heloise: I read in a women’s magazine that if your mascara is dry, you can put it in warm water and use it a few more times. My girlfriend said she read in your column a while back not to do this for some reason. I’m confused. - M.S.C., San Antonio

Well, this is a perfect case of an old hint no longer being true, and why my office rechecks hints before printing them. Twenty years ago I wrote in my mother’s newspaper column about doing this, but today it’s definitely a no-no.

I took the question of “Do we or don’t we?” to the Good Housekeeping Institute beauty lab for an update, and here is what they said: “Don’t try to prolong the life of mascara in any way! It’s wise to throw out your mascara after three months’ use. Never add anything to it or heat it, as this will compromise the product’s safety and effectiveness.

Mascara is vulnerable to contamination due to frequent exposure to microorganisms (found on eyelids, lashes, hands, etc.). If your mascara at any time has an off-odor or becomes thick, toss it!”

So, there you have it. Don’t put mascara in warm water to get more use out of it. I don’t think that it is worth taking a chance of getting an eye infection just to save a few pennies. - Heloise