Skin Care Products and Shelf Life

I was surfing the net and came across an article about expiration dates on cosmetics such as mascara, eye shadow, etc., and skin care products. The article automatically prompted me to look at my skin care products and cosmetics. My eye shadow I could not see an expiration date or my blush or mascara, but it could have been on the packaging. I also checked my night time moisturizers and neither of those had an expiration date but it could have been on packaging too. My daytime moisturizer by Olay however had an expiration date.

Did you know that in the United States, there are no regulations or guidelines from the FDA about the expiration date for skin-care or makeup products? The only exceptions to this are for over-the-counter drugs sold as skin-care products, such as sunscreens and anti-acne medicines, but even those can have inconsistencies.

Typically expiration dates are generally a rule of thumb on the products safety after its expiration date. However this can be ambiguous too, because Cosmetics that have been improperly stored - for example, exposed to high temperatures or sunlight, or opened and examined by consumers prior to final sale - may deteriorate substantially before the expiration date. On the other hand, products stored under ideal conditions may be acceptable long after the expiration date has been reached.

Other cosmetics that might have a short shelf life are "all natural" products that may contain a preponderance of plant-derived substances conducive to all kinds of unhealthy microbial growth. It is also important for consumers to consider the increased risk of contamination in some "natural" products that contain nontraditional preservatives or no preservatives at all.

Additionally, sharing mascara and other cosmetics puts your products at risk for contamination thus reducing its shelf life. It is well advised to not borrow or share your cosmetics. Another point is to just use common sense: any changes in texture or color are a sure sign it's time to replace a product, and if you can't remember when you bought a product (or the last time you used it), it's probably a good idea to throw it out!

Below are basic shelf life guidelines for your cosmetics and skin care product:

Liquid foundation, 6 months to 1 year
Mascara, 3 to 4 months
Lip gloss and lipstick, 1 to 2 years
Eye/lip pencils, at least 1 year and up to 3
Facial cleansers and moisturizers, 6 months to 1 year
Anti-aging and acne treatments, 3 months to 1 year
Body lotion, 2 to 3 years
Hair styling products, 3+ years

So after researching the shelf life of cosmetics I have concluded that it all comes down to plain old common sense!

Did you know that cosmetics have a shelf life? Using a product after the expiration date can cause skin irritation and the active ingredients may not be active any more. Here are some guidelines for understanding the shelf life of skin care products.

Carol Belanger, author of 300+ Skin Care Recipes
For wonderful homemade skin care recipes, including body scrubs, toners, facial peels, clay masks, etc., visit Complete Skin Care Therapy

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