How long do paints last?

How long do paints last--or--how many faces can you paint with your cakes? I know it will depend on what you are painting and what size cake you have, but on average how often do you need to purchase replacement paints? I assume some colors go quickly (black, white) while others last longer, but i am looking for general information at this time.

AND

in my SMALL town I can only see a few times a year when I would actually use my paints and if I leave them for months at a time will they be unusable? What is the best way to store them for long term?

I still paint only with classic colors, not with rainbow cake.
Black, white, red and pink was first out. So I have more pieces of these.
And of some which I prefer (electric blue, perlglanz/metallic smaragd).

I would suggest you invest in the mehron 30 color sample pallette.
It comes with three whites, three blacks and 24 other colors that lasted me several years when I was starting out.

Over time I bought larger versions of my favorite colors and added rainbow cakes and one strokes to my kit. I still use the case that the paints came in to hold my other paints and I still have some of the colors from the original kit that I made into my own split cakes.

While I use up most of my paints within a year... I still have some colors that I have had for three years. I spray them off with a disinfectant and gently wipe them off. I keep them stored in my pallet case and they still work fine for me.

As far as shelf live goes... as long as it doesn't smell and still works I still use it. I have some cakes of pancake make-up that are almost 20 years old.

Snaz says to use within 18 months of opening... but I have some colours that are 10 years old. Those ones you don't use ... like pastel sparkle green and burgundy.

I do not spray with anything, I allow my paints to airdry completely before putting away each time.

I go through white, black and red fast. 3-4 white 30g cakes per season, and 2-3 blacks, and a whole red.

Other colours that get used fast are sparkle orange, grass green, and pink.

If you are just purchasing get a standard palette of the base colours - red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, white, black and brown. You can build from there.

Great info Shannon. I was dreading pitching my less used colors at some point simply because of expiration dates.

SO you don't suggest getting a Rainbow cake if I am just starting out?
they are so pretty!

Make a rainbow cake out of your solid color ones..I did.