What is the expiration date of cosmetics?

The eternal doubt

Surely at some point you have wondered how long you can use your cream without spoiling or how many months does the intact mascara last. The PAO ( period after opening ) indicates the time in which a cosmetic can be used safely after being opened. It appears on the packaging with the drawing of a jar, in which the number of months is indicated. Find out if you should save or throw away your eye contour, sunscreen, toner …

Eye contour: 6 months

Once opened, 6 months later, if the color has darkened or faded and the smell has changed, throw it away.

Mascara: 6 months

If your mascara dries, clumps, or solidifies, it's time to replace it.

Makeup base: 12 months

If your favorite foundation changes color and the smell also varies, you should throw it away. Do you want to change your makeup base and you don't know which one to decide on? Discover these for less than 20 euros .

Powder makeup: 12/24 months

If the blush or shadows crumble, crystallize, or mold appears, renew them.

Face cream: 6/36 months

Does the texture change? Does the oil and water separate and has it lost viscosity? Smells bad? Then the time has come to change it. Is it intact but you don't know if your usual moisturizer works well for your skin? Find out!

Toners and lotions: 12 months

If they change color or part of the formulation has settled on the bottom, altering the texture, dispense with the product.

Sunscreen: 12 months

The sunscreen is in bad condition if, in addition to changing color, it smells bad and has even changed its texture. Remember that you should not reuse the protector from last year.

Hygiene products: 12 months

Shampoo, gel, conditioner … When they get darker or yellow and smell different, get rid of them.

Baby cosmetics: 6 months

If they get darker or lighter, smell different, or in some cases dry out and crystallize, don't use them.

One product will expire before another depending on the active ingredients and preservatives in its formulation. But its presentation also counts: a jar of cream, in which we put our fingers, is not the same as a tube or spray, which preserve the contact of the product with the outside.

PAO, the guideline date

There is still no law that requires cosmetic firms to indicate the expiration date of a product. However, there is a guideline that can be very useful, the PAO. E l PAO ( period after opening ) indicates the time in which a cosmetic can be used safely after being opened. It appears on the packaging with the drawing of a jar, in which the number of months is indicated (6M, 12M).

The expiration date, on the other hand, refers to the time limit that the consumer has to use the product from the date of manufacture (not its opening).

The countdown to the life of a cosmetic starts right when you open it. We recommend that you do not use several at the same time, even if you want to try the latest novelty, finish the product you have started first. If in doubt, dispense with it. The texture, smell and color of the cosmetic will give us many clues about its condition (see the box).

A cosmetic will last longer if …

You close the container well since the air pollutes and dries out. If you can, choose creams in air-less containers (tubes, dispensers).
Avoid exposure to light . It does not matter if it is natural or artificial. Heat, in addition to humidity, are the great enemies of cosmetics.
You don't touch with your hands . Hygiene is essential. If you use jars, it is better to use a spatula so as not to contaminate the cream.
You don't share it. And not only because you spend them yourself, but because there are products, such as lipsticks, that are more prone to the spread of bacteria. If you share them, they may spoil sooner and need to be thrown away
You keep the lots in a toiletry bag. Sand, sun or water alter their protective effectiveness, protect them!

I have used it expired!

Depending on the sensitivity of the skin, the most common reactions are suffering from itching, burning, redness … and, in extreme cases, burns, if it is a sunscreen that is expired. Even so, many reactions may not be due to the expiration of the product. For example, an eye condition may appear not because the eye contour is expired, but by touching the eyes with painted nails. The problem would be in some preservatives of the enamels.

Cosmetics for sensitive skin

Like babies, cosmetics for sensitive skin have a lower expiration date than other cosmetics. They are formulated with very mild active ingredients and their preservatives and excipients are the most tolerable, but they tend to last less. In these cases, it is recommended to take the PAO into account so as not to run the risk of adverse reactions.

Preservatives, yes or no?

We have heard a lot about how harmful preservatives like parabens can be. But it depends on the amount used and the type of skin that receives them. Manuel López, from Pierre Fabre, clarifies that “parabens are good preservatives, like geraniol or limoniol, but not for very sensitive skin. In these cases, you have to look for formulas with less preservatives ”.

And what about perfume?

Rather than expire, there is a recommended date for use, says Gregorio Solà, perfumer from Puig. "When pressing the vaporizer or opening the perfume, we introduce air inside the container and the oxidation of the fragrance ingredients begins," explains the expert. The approximate duration is 5 years, "as long as it is kept for a few years. normal ambient temperature and light conditions, and that the ingredients are not particularly delicate ”.

Fragrances can keep their qualities intact for a long time if they are stored at a low temperature (4-8 ºC) and away from light. In fact, in many cases an ODP is not indicated because, by carrying alcohol, they do not have a risk of microbiological contamination.