Skin Care Shelf Life: Unopened and Opened Products

The changing of the seasons is a great time to take inventory of your skincare products and get rid of the items that are either expired or no longer using. Just like expired food, old skincare products can be harmful to your skin and is also ineffective. Expiration dates and shelf life of opened products are two things you must consider while examining your skin care products.

Where Can I Find the Expiration Date on My Skin Care Product?

our skincare products' expiration date signifies the manufacturer's guarantee that the container's ingredients will be effective until a specific date. 

You can locate this information on the bottom of the container, box, or along the rim of the container. In some cases, the manufacturer will provide the manufacture date instead of the expiration. That is fine; to be on the safe side, I would add one to two years to determine the expiration date. If there is no expiration or manufacture date, I would recommend tossing the product after six months.

Does Shelf Life Decrease After I Open a Product?

Yes! The expiration date applies to unopened products; however, you need to refer to directions on the container's back for opened products' shelf life. 

How do you determine the shelf life of an opened product? Look for the small icon that resembles an open jar with a number inside. The number indicates how many months you have to use an opened product. You can use that number as a guide; however, you must keep track of when you open a product. In this example, the sign shows, "12M," which tells us this product is suitable for use 12 months after the open date. 

Using the example in the photos, if I opened the product today, I would have to toss it next September even though the expiration date is 2022. I know you think that is a waste of money, but using products beyond their shelf life can result in irritation and breakouts or, even worse, a loss of potency, which can put you at risk. You are especially at risk when using expired products that are designed to protect the skin; sunscreen is a great example. 

If you don't remember when you opened the product, I suggest paying close attention to the smell, texture (lumpy, watery etc.,) and color of the product. A change in any one of the three is a sign the product has gone bad.

Challenge you to set aside some time in the next week to go through all your skincare and make-up and get rid of all expired items. 

Ready, Set, Go!!!