Do you know the expiry date of the skincare products you use? Most of us are guilty of holding on to expensive serums or eye creams for years. Skincare does expire, after a period of time its ingredients start to lose their efficacy and break down. It is important to take note of this as expired skincare products do no good for the skin. Expired skin care can create or worsen existing skin conditions.
HOW DO YOU FIGURE OUT THE EXPIRY DATE OF A COSMETIC?
Expiration dates are typically printed on the packaging of certain cosmetics. This includes sun protection products and anti-acne products. This date tells the user when a cosmetic will expire even if it is not opened.
With other cosmetics, what usually appears is a period after opening (PAO) instruction which usually appears on the product’s packaging or on the product itself. It states the number of months in which the products will be fit for use after opening. This is usually indicated by an open jar symbol with a number followed by the letter M.
HOW TO TELL WHEN A PRODUCT HAS GONE BAD
The PAO and expiry date are important without a doubt. However, it is important to be able to spot a cosmetic that has gone bad. This is because cosmetics may degrade faster than intended due to various factors such as humidity, and bacterial introduction amongst other factors.
The first thing to note is the smell. A product that smells significantly different from its original odor at purchase is most likely not fit for use. Color and texture are other things to note. If a product’s changes color or its ingredients seem to have separated from each other, it is not fit for use on your skin.
As a broad rule, most skin care products have 9- 12 months of shelf life once they are open.
TIPS FOR MAKING YOUR PRODUCTS LAST
To give your cosmetic a chance to last till its Period After the Opening Date, it is important to follow these guidelines.
- Keep your cosmetics in a cool dry place and out of the sunlight. Heat and direct sunlight often harm cosmetic formulae.
- Don't touch product applicators on your skin as this will introduce bacteria into your skin.
- If you must purchase skin care in a jar, avoid using your fingers to collect the product. We suggest purchasing a cosmetic spatula which should be cleaned regularly.
- Ensure that caps and covers are screwed on tightly after each use.
HOW TO RECYCLE OR DISPOSE OF EXPIRED COSMETICS
What do you do with the products you no longer want or need?
There are many ways to recycle and dispose of old beauty products, such as selling them back to retailers, donating them for a cause, or recycling them for their packaging.
