We all look at the expiration dates of drugs, both when we buy them and when we already have them in the home medicine cabinet; We do the same with the foods that we are going to consume, thinking above all about whether we will have time to consume them before the date that they put on their paper or packaging. Or at least, in theory, it should be.
But do we do the same with our productos cosméticos? Do you know the expiration date of your beauty products? It is not about being the "maniac" of dates, far from it, but you have to be careful with these things because it can cause adverse reactions depending on what expired beauty product we are using at that time.
Today we want to give you a series of recommendations to avoid that cosmetic products accumulate and expire due to lack of use and also to know if it is possible to continue using a cosmetic even if it is expired.
Very attentive to what follows in the article! We recommend that after reading it, you review your inventory of beauty products to know what to do with them if they have expired.
Expiration date of the products
Specifically, since March 11, 2005 cosmetics bear on their labeling the period of time during which they can be used without risk after opening. That is, a number will appear on its packaging along with the letter M", this indicates the number of months that you can use this product without risk once you have opened it. Knowing this information, you will only have to remember the time it has been since you bought one product or another and thus approximately calculate its expiration date.
Why is the PAO (Period After Opening) established once the cream or cosmetic in question is opened?
When a product is opened, it comes into contact with certain external agents that can deteriorate it. This deterioration may be due, in addition to the passage of time, to the effect of microorganisms or to a physical-chemical degradation. The PAO may also vary depending on the type of packaging used, the type of cosmetic formula, its composition, whether or not it contains preservatives, whether it is a product for sensitive skin such as babies or children, or the area of the body where the product is to be applied. A product for the care of the eye contour, normally with an ODP of 6 months, is not the same as another for the care of the rest of the body, which will normally be 12 months. Neither is a product intended for babies, normally with an ODP of 6 months, the same as one for adults. There are also products such as a lipstick or nail lacquer, which are not susceptible to being contaminated by microorganisms as they do not contain water in their composition, which will have an ODP of 24 months or even will not indicate it, since over time and a once opened they will not lose their properties.
Approximately how long does each type of cream or cosmetic last?
Each type of cosmetic product has an expiration date. Approximately, and depending on whether or not they are natural cosmetic products, the duration dates, once opened, that we are going to find will be, from less to more: from 6 to 24 months for sunscreen creams, between 6 and 12 months for creams, make-up removers, masks, contours, shadows or pencils that are applied around the eyes, 12 months for facial toners, roll-on or cream deodorants, facial makeup products and for skin care for both the face and the body, among 3 and 12 months for infant hygiene products, between 12 and 18 months for body cleansing products such as shampoos, gels or liquid soaps, among 18 and 24 months for cream blushes and 24 months for concealers, makeup and powder blushes.
Products with natural ingredients are the ones that we can keep open for the least time, since they expire earlier. Its durability is approximately 3 or 4 months.
Signs that your product may have expired
What if we don't remember when we bought a product? First of all, I will tell you that if that happens, the product in question has probably been bought a long time ago, at least long enough so that you do not remember it. If so, you have to pay special attention to the following details:
- El odor: Observing if the smell of a cosmetic product has changed is one of the indicators that your cosmetic product has passed away. Lipsticks tend to smell like wax over time, creams and emulsions tend to smell more "acidic" or lose their odor completely, and so on.
- La texture: In the texture you can also see if a product is expired. In expired nail lacquers, it is usually seen how its components or colors that make it up have separated; moisturizers tend to appear thicker and granular; and finally, cream eyeshadows and blushes tend to break, forming creases and cracks. They also tend to get tough.
Better preserve your creams
A good way to keep your creams longer is to put them in the refrigerator, especially those that contain natural ingredients. Also, they will have a better effect on the skin.
You must keep them away from humid places with high sun exposure. Heat can cause the product to spoil more easily.
We hope that after this information and advice you can now discard those products that you have already expired and that you did not know whether to throw away or not and that you will be much more careful when buying new cosmetic products.
Happy week!