How to Find Skincare Expiry Date

Why Do Skincare Products Expire?

Skincare and makeup products expire because the active ingredients break down over time. Exposure to air, light, and changes in temperature speeds up this breakdown, making the products less effective. Once opened, skincare products can also harbour bacteria, which can make them unsafe to use and less effective.

Is It Still Safe to Use Expired Products?

We do not recommend using expired products on your skin as they can be less effective and may contain bacteria, which can cause skin irritation, breakouts, or infections. Stick to fresh, unexpired products to keep your skin happy and healthy.

Where to Find Expiry Date

In general, the shelf life for unopened products is usually set at around 2 years. The easiest way of checking the expiry date for a product is by checking the product packaging. Look for a symbol that resembles an open jar or container—it typically contains a number followed by the letter "M." This indicates the number of months the product is good for after opening.

Product packaging often has a printed expiry date. This information is in the form of "EXP," followed by the date (e.g., "EXP 12/2025").

Budge Code 

The batch code on skincare products is like a secret message that tells us important information about when the product was made. It's usually a combination of letters and numbers printed on the packaging. By decoding the batch code, we can find out the manufacturing date and sometimes even the expiration date of the product. This helps us understand how fresh the product is and whether it's still safe to use.

If You Cannot Find It On the Packaging

Even if you can't find expiration date information on the packaging, you can still tell when it's time to toss something out by looking for signs. The most obvious one is if it looks different - if you see black, grey, or green stuff like mould on bread, it's definitely expired and needs to be thrown away. Other things to watch out for are if it smells different, if liquids separate (like oil floating on top), or if the colours are changed.

How to Store Skincare and Makeup Products Correctly

Keep your products in a cool, dry spot, far from the steamy bathroom scene where humidity reigns supreme (it's like a spa for bacteria, not your skincare!). And remember, after each use, seal those lids tight to prevent air exposure and contamination.