Skincare is essential for healthy and radiant skin, and using good products is essential, however many women (and men) wonder about skincare products’ expiration, their safety, and effectivity.
Can skincare expire? How to know if a product is expired? Is there any risk of using expired skincare products?
Here is everything to know!
Can skincare expire?
As a general answer, yes, skincare products do expire! The length of their shelf life depends on active ingredients, formats, type of packaging, and preservatives. High-quality skincare products with very few preservatives may have a significantly shorter shelf life than less natural products.
Products type is not an essential factor in its longevity. Environmental parameters, such as humidity, physical stress, temperature, or time, impact skincare products’ longevity. Heat and bacteria contamination also shorten the products’ life.
Bacteria tend to develop in a water-based formula more quickly, either liquid, creamy, or as lotions. The risk is even more significant when the product is in direct and repeated contact with the user, such as by putting fingers in the jar.
Bacteria do not develop in oil-based products. However, those formulas may oxide over time, causing odor or color change.
Products’ packaging may help to lengthen their shelf life. The products become prone to bacteria contamination and oxidation once they have been opened.
Natural products expire faster than their chemical counterparts, mostly because they contain fewer preservatives. Better paying attention to the aspect and smell of natural oil and butter (think coconut oil, shea butter, etc) as they often go bad faster than more refined and processed skincare products.
Preservatives do not last forever, and even the best lose effectiveness over time, causing the product to go bad.
How to know when skincare expires? Is it safe to use it after the expiration date?
Can skincare expire: how long skincare products last?
It is not always easy to know when skincare products expire. Unlike food products, most do not have an explicit expiration date. Legally, skincare companies are required to display the product’s manufacturing date. Nothing more.
Generally, most products are stable for two to three years unopened. Once opened, the PAO (period after opening) symbol helps determine how long the product remains safe and effective after opening.
Most PAO symbols include an opened jar and a number, either 3, 6, 12, 24, or up to 36. It is the number of months the product is safe to use after opening.
PAO symbols are prevalent among skincare products, but they are not legally required, and some products may not display them.
So, how to know if they have expired? The best clue is noticeable changes in odor, color, or texture. Discoloration or separation is the best sign to know it is time to discard a skincare product.
Can skincare expire: what about using expired skincare products?
We can consume some foods days or even months after their expiration date. Is it the same with skincare products? Are they safe and effective to use after they officially expire?
Generally, it is better to toss a skincare product after its expiration date, as the active ingredients become less effective. Even if some products may remain safe and efficient after their expiration date, some changes in smell or texture may make them less enjoyable to use.
People with sensitive skin should be extra careful about skincare products’ expiration dates as altered chemicals may cause allergic reactions.
All sun protection products, aka sunscreens, must be discarded after their expiration date as using expired sun protection expose the user to a risk of sunburn and skin cancer. The FDA requires all sunscreen and acne medication containing active ingredients, such as salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to display an expiration date on the packaging. All those products are not safe to use past this date.
Ampoules of single-use skincare products should not be reused, even if there are leftovers as they do not contain preservatives to stay safe and efficient after opening.
On the contrary, the safest product to use after their expiration date is Vaseline and all the petroleum jelly-based skincare. As soon as there is no separation in the components, clumping, thickening, or thinning, we may use that product.
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