Industry FAQs
1. Do cosmetics expire?
2. What are production date, expiration date and PAO?
What are production date, expiration date and PAO?
Production date (or manufacture date) is the date when your product was manufactured. More precisely, it is the date when the batch of cosmetics (also called lot) was produced. This date can be printed on the package, but also can be omitted. Expiration date is the date after which your cosmetic product will expire and should not be used anymore. Usually, this date must be specified only for the cosmetics whose shelf life period is 30 months or less. If this date is present, it should be printed directly on product package in the form month/year or day/month/year, for example:
💄Exp. 09/10 means that you can use the makeup only till September, 2010.
💄Exp. 15/06/2010 means that makeup can be used only before 15 of June 2010.
Such way, if the shelf life of the cosmetic product is more than 30 months (e.g., 3 years), the expiry date probably will not be printed. But this doesn’t mean that you can use the product for a whole 3 years or more. To clarify how long you can use your product once you open it, the Period after opening (PAO) sign is used. Try finding an “open jar” sign with a number followed by the letter M, where the number indicates how many months the product can be safely used for after opening. For instance, 6M means that a product can be used during six months after opening; 12M means that product can be used during twelve months after you opened it etc.
3. How can I determine the exact expiration date for my cosmetics?
How can I determine the exact expiration date for my cosmetics?
Your makeup will expire as soon as the expiration date is reached OR the end of PAO is reached. You should maintain two terms:
- Expiration date. If it’s not specified, you can contact the customer care department of the company who produced the cosmetics and ask for it.
- Period after opening (PAO).
To easily find out when you opened the makeup, just apply any appropriate sticker to it, and write the current date when you opened it. As an option, you can write the date with a marker directly on the packaging
- Expiration date will be reached first:
- PAO will be reached first:
Example: Expiration date is printed on a package, e.g. Exp.:05/12, and PAO is also printed: 18M. In any case you should stop using these cosmetics after 05/12 or in other words, May 2012. But if PAO will be reached before the expiration date, this also can mean your product has been expired; for example, if you opened this cosmetic product on 16.02.2011, PAO will be reached after 6 months (6M), i.e. 16.02.2011 + 6 months = 16.08.2011; on 16.08.2011 your product will be expired and you should not wait for expiration date. Other example: you opened this makeup on 25.02.2012; PAO will be reached on 25.08.2012, but expiration date (05/12, May of 2012) will be reached first, and you should throw out this cosmetics after May 2012.
4. Expiration date is not printed. How can I find it?
Expiration date is not printed. How can I find it?
Contact the customer care department of the company who produced the product and ask for it. Please notice: provided shelf life information is common. Please visit the official web site or contact customer care for exact shelf life period information for your product.
5. Why do they print batch code on cosmetics and perfume, what is it?
Why do they print batch code on cosmetics and perfume, what is it?
It’s a code which allows the manufacturer or supplier to identify the batch in which the product was produced. Usually it should be printed on both the primary container and outer packaging. If the product was not made in a batch, then the code should enable the date and place of manufacture to be identified. Often manufacturers can omit the printing expiration date for the cosmetics whose shelf life exceeds 30 months, but the batch code must be specified.
6. How long can I keep my cosmetics and be safe?
How long can I keep my cosmetics and be safe?
Generally speaking, you can keep your cosmetics unopened for up to 3 years. This is quite a general term, and can depend on the product and company produced it. Please note: as soon as you open it, you should also maintain the PAO.
7. What is the average PAO for my mascara (lipstick, gloss etc)?
What is the average PAO for my mascara (lipstick, gloss etc)?
General period after opening is:
💄Perfumes, perfume, edp – up to 3 years;
💄Powders (including blush, eyeshadows powdery texture) – 1 to 3 years;
💄Foundation in a jar or a cream powder – 1 to 3 years;
💄Liquid tone means (in tubes or jars with dispenser) – 1 year;
💄Nail polish – 1 year;
💄Sun cosmetics – 1 year (but no more than one season);
💄Lipstick, lip gloss – 1 year;
💄Pencil (Eye, Lip) – about 1 year;
💄Skin care products (hydrating cosmetics, wrinkle, eye contour) in a sealed packet with the pump – about a year, in a jar – from 6 to 10 months;
💄Solid eyeliner and eyebrow pencil – from 6 to 8 months;
💄Bronzing – 6 months;
💄Mascara – 3-6 months;
💄Liquid eyeliner – from 3 to 4 months;
💄Natural/Organic products – up to 6 months. Please note that natural and organic cosmetics, which do not include preservatives, can be stored up to 6 months after opening. Reason: absence of preservatives leads to a proliferation of bacteria.
8. How can I determine that cosmetics have expired / not
fresh?
The general rule is simple: as soon as you notice changes in your cosmetics – this means that the shelf life comes to the end. First of all, the smell: as soon as you feel any nasty notes, sharpness or rancidity, trash it. Pay attention to appearance (sheen appears), texture (formed pellets, liquid consistency becomes heterogeneous), or gases have been formed in a tube – the shelf life is out! Even if the recently purchased cosmetics were in the heat for quite a long time – do not use it anymore. In conclusion, if you have any suspicion about the appearance or odor of the product, it is better not use it anymore. The French National Institute for Consumer INC recommends not using cosmetics after any visible changes in color, texture, or odor.
9. What are possible consequences of using expired cosmetics?
What are possible consequences of using expired cosmetics? In the worst case, expired cosmetics just stop doing what they should do; it can change its appearance, smell and color, or become sticky or oily. In the worst case, expired cosmetics can result in skin irritation, dermatitis, allergic