A woman’s unexpected secondhand find has gone viral on Reddit after she discovered her newly purchased red purse wasn’t empty at all.
The photos, captioned: “[I] thought I was buying a purse, found a time capsule inside,” has earned more than 16,000 upvotes since January 24.
Inside, she found a collection of old cosmetics—mostly nail varnishes, including some Christian Dior bottles, along with compact makeup containers that appear to be powders and an eye shadow.
Barbara, who goes by user LegNo9469, explained: “The pieces were in bad shape, I cleaned them one by one the best I could and I think she knew no one nearby would see the value in them.”
thought i was buying a purse, found a time capsule inside :’)
by u/LegNo9469 in ThriftStoreHauls
She added in another comment: “[It is] really rare to find cosmetics cause most of people throw them away. Glad she kept this.”
Barbara told users she bought the purse in a local store in Coruna, Spain. In the comments, one person wrote: “This so cool! I wonder how old most of it is. ‘70s?” Barbara replied: “From what I know from the 1940s to 1970s.”
Others chimed in with their own memories and excitement. “My grandma had that exact brown powder container,” said one user.
Another added: “The purse alone is such a great find. This is definitely one of the coolest thrifts I’ve seen posted.”
The viral discovery comes as thrifting continues to grow in popularity. A 2025 survey by Talker Research, commissioned by online marketplace Mercari, found that 66 percent of 2,000 Americans now thrift regularly to help balance their budgets. Nearly one in six (17 percent) shop secondhand as often as once a week, with Gen Z doing so more than other generations (28 percent).
But the appeal extends beyond saving money—51 percent say they love the thrill of getting a great deal, 42 percent enjoy hunting for one‑of‑a‑kind items, 28 percent are searching for collectibles, and 30 percent simply enjoy the vibe of thrift stores.
While Barbara hasn’t said what she plans to do with the vintage cosmetics—and there’s no mention of her using them—experts caution against applying old makeup.
According to the Mayo Clinic Health System, most cosmetics expire within a year of manufacture, though guidelines vary: mascara and liquid eyeliner last about three months; pencil liners and lip pencils up to a year; water‑based foundations a year and oil‑based up to 18 months; cream products six months to a year; powders up to two years; and lipsticks one to two years.
Old makeup can clog pores, harbor bacteria and trigger redness, irritation or breakouts. Moisture buildup can lead to mold, and foundation can oxidize over time, changing color.
A strange smell, altered texture, separation or dried‑out mascara are all signs a product should be thrown away, and experts warn never to add water to dried mascara, as it encourages bacterial growth. To reduce contamination, people are advised to wash makeup brushes every seven to 10 days.
Newsweek reached out to u/LegNo9469 for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.