Expiration date of cosmetics: all the most important and interesting

The expiration date of cosmetics is a mystery, shrouded in darkness, if only because the product has two of them — for unopened and open products. And it is also necessary to take into account the brand, composition, type and type of product, its packaging. How to understand all these intricacies and understand when it’s time to throw a cream, mascara or blush in the trash?

Shelf life expiration date

This is a date relating to an unopened medium. This is the period of time from the date of manufacture, during which the purchased eye cream or eye shadow can be used for its intended purpose. The world standard has tacitly set this period at 3 years, but here everything will depend on the policy of the state and the manufacturer. So, Asian brands give a five-year warranty on their products, while others reduce it to 2 years. Organic cosmetics do “live” for six months or less.

One of the main reasons for all this confusion with shelf life is that the state does not control these processes in any way. In Russia, this is stricter. According to the law of the Russian Federation «On the Protection of Consumer Rights», the creator is obliged to indicate the expiration date of the goods on the packaging. In other countries, not everything is so serious. For example, in the EU, the manufacturer indicates the expiration date only if the shelf life is less than 2.5 years. In the US, there is no such requirement at all. That is, the entire responsibility falls on the shoulders of the manufacturer. He independently regulates the disputes that arise, and therefore is often reinsured, indicating the minimum period in order to avoid problems.

Expiry date of the opened product

The expiration date of cosmetics after the violation of the tightness of the tube is indicated by an icon that looks like a jar with a raised lid. For some time now, he was obliged to indicate all brands selling their goods in America, the EU and some other states. From the point of view of the buyer, this sign is more important, because after opening a tube with a product, processes are activated in it that do not add freshness to it, reduce its effectiveness and in the long run can cause a variety of health problems, from allergies to others, more serious consequences.

Use or play it safe?

Of course, everyone decides this question for himself, but if there are doubts, it is better to play it safe and dispose of the product in the trash. This is especially true for those who are prone to allergies, have sensitive skin or eyes. Of course, you need to carefully monitor how the consistency and smell of the product change, suspicious lumps appear, areas of delamination, a sticky feeling when used — these are all signs that indicate the expiration date of cosmetics.

Glass jars with a screw cap are most susceptible to such negative processes, and all because their contents oxidize faster under the influence of air, deteriorate from sunlight and acquire microbes that have got inside from the fingers. The safest in this regard are opaque tubes with a pump. The composition also matters: the more natural it is, the less time a woman has to use it. Well, the decisive factor is the destination area. Clearly, expired nail or hair polish is safer to use than eye serum.