All beauty products have a shelf life, but how do you know when it’s time to throw them away? European products must be stamped with a Period After Opening date, but in the USA cosmetic products are not required to have expiration dates. However, some companies are starting to label dates on their products. Predicting the shelf life of a product is not easy as it depends in part on how it is stored. If products aren’t kept away from light and heat they may go bad long before the expiration date.
Here’s a guide on the shelf lives of beauty products:
Anti-aging and acne treatments: Three months to a year.
Bath oil: one year.
Blush: one year.
Body lotion: two to three years.
Concealer: it can last up to 12 months.
Deodorant: up to two years.
Eye pencils: up to 3 years.
Eyeshadow: 3 years.
Facial toner: one year, may last less if it contains Vitamin C.
Foundation: a water-based foundation will last for up to 12 months, while an oil-based one for up to 18 months.
Hairstyling products: three to five years.
Lip balm: one to two years.
Lip pencils: up to 3 years.
Lipstick/lipgloss: two to three years.
Mascara and liquid eyeliner: three to four months.
Moisturizers and facial cleansers: about 6 months unless they contain acids like glycolic acid, salicylic acid, and beta hydroxyl acid. Then, they’ll last longer.
Nail polish: one year.
Perfume: two to three years.
Powder: 2 years.
Shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel: three years.
Sunscreen: two years.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Your post is so useful and so true, but I felt so sad looking at it coz I hate it that the expensive cosmetics we spent our money on will be expiring at a certain time
sadness lol ..but that’s life, i have to deal with 
Nikki, that’s sad indeed. I wish they lasted forever too, but unfortunately that’s not possible and it’s best to throw them away before they cause problems for our skin.
i do have one concern though, is this applicable form the day you open the beauty products or from the day it is manufactured?
some beauty products in our country have expiration dates, some hav manufacturing date and most of them have no information about it…
help pls….
Mariel, as far as I know this is applicable from the day you open them, but there are several things to take into consideration. Most products contain preservatives that make them last longer and it is possible that, if you don’t share them with others, they could last even longer than the periods mentioned here. This is especially true for powder products, while creams and liquid ones tend to expire sooner. Also, it depends on how the product is stores. Moisturizers that come in see-through containers and are exposed to light on the shelf for months for instance may go bad before you buy them. Products without preservatives instead go bad a lot sooner, so you have to be more careful. In general though, if the color, texture or smell has changed, it’s time to toss it. I’m sorry I can’t be more precise, but I’m afraid there really is no definitive answer to how long a product lasts.