A survey by the UK College of Optometrists reveals the 92 percent of women are putting their health and appearance at risk by using old makeup.

It’s not generally known that makeup has a sell-by date in most advanced countries. For example :

* Mascara has an expiry date of 3–6 months.
* Liquid and cream foundations, concealer, cleanser, moisturiser, 6–8 months.
* Pressed, loose and compressed powders, eye shadow, blusher, lip gloss, lipstick, toner, 1 year.
* Eye and lip liner, 18 months.

The problem is that these products can be a “hot house” for bacteria which can cause infections when the makeup is applied. The bacteria builds up over time until it becomes dangerous to use. Mascara is a particular problem because the stick used to apply it can scratch the soft tissue surrounding the eye.

The worst offenders, says the study, are women in their 30s and early 40s.

Dr Susan Blakeney, optometric adviser to the college, said, “Mascara can be a breeding ground for bacteria, so it’s not surprising we’ve found nearly half of women suffer from itchy, watery and red eyes when they are holding onto their eye makeup for so long and sharing it among their friends.”

Unfortunately my Avon daring Defifinition gel eye liner arrived without the brush to apply it so I have had to wait several days to try it. Now that I have tried it, I must say I like it very well.

I have never been one for painting eyeliner on, simply because I lack a steady hand at times. But using the correct brush, this gel formula glides on easily and smoothly. The color is as rich as they claim, with high-intensity pigments and a slight hint of pearlescence that gives it depth. The look is definitely dramatic but you can do thin, subtle lines - it’s all in how you apply it. Getting the exact look you want is much easier than with a pencil and the rich depth of the color is definitely worth it.

I wish the brush came with the product but Avon does sell a specifically designed brush for application. The amount of product is generous and the consistency is very nice, a gel formula that is easy to apply and yet thick enough to give you great definition.

The shade I used was Black/Brown Pearl but Daring Definition comes in Black Pearl, Brown Pearl and Navy Pearl.

Colored eyeliner is back in style and when you choose the right color for yourself it can be very effective. Light pastels and metallics are fine for evening when you want a dramatic look, but other colors can be employed for a subtle daytime look.

Choose rich, muted colors. If you have brown or hazel eyes, green is a wonderful choice but go for an olive shade. If your eyes are blue or grey, try navy rather than a bright blue. A dazzling cobalt blue may draw your attention but will drab out your eyecolor instead of enhancing it. Purple comes in several deep, muted shades - just avoid anything too pinky.

They key to color is subtlety. Use a soft pencil and smudge slightly, choose a color that brings out your eye color. Add to your color collection as you find the right shades and free yourself from the basic black and brown.

When I find a product I like, I tend to stick with it. Usually it’s because the product is easy to apply, produces a good effect and stays where I put it for a good portion of the day so I don’t have to reapply or fix it later.

My Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner is one of those products. For a while I was a fan of liquid eyeliners because they flow so nicely - but it’s too easy to make a sweeping mistake and then it’s hard to remove that black line trailing up over your eyebrow. The Revlon pencil works well and is easier than liquid for several reasons.

It’s soft. Pencils are often hard and can’t be applied dry without being too rough on delicate eyelids. My Colorstay eyeliner pencil makes it easy to draw a line or just dot in between lashes for a more subtle effect.

The tip is always sharp. You just have to twist the wand to advance the eyeliner color so that you always have a new supply. There’s no looking for the right sized sharpener or scratching your lid with the pencil wood.

Colorstay does stay all day and doesn’t end up all smudged making me look like I have a black eye. That’s the main thing, it does what you expect it to, what the name promises.

Colorstay comes in 8 shades. My two favorites are the brown, which is very rich and straight black, which has a deep, velvety color.