You've probably experienced this before: As a beauty lover, you'd love to place a new order every week with the hottest products of the season. After all, it's incredibly fun to pamper yourself with new skincare products or try out trendy make-up products. But how long do our beauty favorites last? You can find the answer to this question and other useful tips on storage here!
Unopened shelf life of cosmetics
Unopened cosmetic products usually have a shelf life of 30 months. This is also a best-before date. This means that manufacturers must guarantee the function and texture over a period of 30 months - but many beauty products can still be used beyond this.
The unopened shelf life is indicated by a small hourglass symbol. Next to it you will often find an exact best-before date.
It is important to take a close look at your products and see for yourself whether you can still use them. If it smells bad, the texture has a different color or has dissolved into individual components - it is time to throw the product away.
Opened shelf life of cosmetics
According to EU standards, products that have an unopened shelf life longer than 30 months must indicate the opened shelf life. You will find this marking on the packaging as a small cream jar symbol (called the PAO symbol; PAO = Period after opening).
This is what the symbols on your products look like:
For example, the information “6 M” etc. stands for the number of months that you can safely use the product unopened. It is usually very easy to forget when you opened a product. It is therefore important to check your cosmetics regularly and, above all, to sort them out.
Practical overview of the shelf life of cosmetics
How long do the most important cosmetic products last?
- Facial care / body care: Cleansers and creams usually have a shelf life of 12 months. Body lotion often lasts even longer. Creams and serums for the eye area, on the other hand, should be used up within three to four months.
- Make-up products: Make-up comes in different textures. Dry powder products last for around 24 months if stored properly. Liquid textures such as foundations should be used up within 12 months.
- Mascara: Unfortunately, mascara only lasts three to six months. You should also definitely replace it if you have had conjunctivitis or similar eye diseases.
- Kajal & Eyeliner: Dry eyeliner pencils last up to two years. Liquid textures, on the other hand, should only be used for six months.
- Lipstick and lip gloss: The popular lip products have a shelf life of up to 12 months.
- Nail polish: Nail polish usually lasts for one to two years. When it becomes very sticky and thick, you should stop using it.
- Sunscreen: Once opened, sunscreen has a shelf life of six to twelve months. You should therefore not necessarily continue to use creams from last year.
- Self-tanner: It is best to store self-tanner in the refrigerator – then the tanning formulas will last for six months after opening.
- Special formulations and active ingredients: Certain formulas, such as Geek & Gorgeous C-Glow, have a shortened shelf life because they contain highly effective active ingredients that are best used fresh. C-Glow is best stored in the refrigerator and will then last for at least three months.
Find out more in our article: How long does sunscreen last? 10 tips for proper storage and application!
Product recommendations for your ultimate beauty routine
Have you really cleaned out your closet and are now looking for new products? Here you will find great products for a great beauty upgrade:
Transparent Lab – Niacinamide Glow Cream
15,90 €
15,90 €
with the code
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Latest lowest price: 13,51 €
(Prices incl. VAT, plus shipping)
Paula's Choice – Skin Perfecting 2% BHA
NABLA Cosmetics – Vicious Mascara
with the code
-0%
Latest lowest price: 26,90 €
(Prices incl. VAT, plus shipping)
26,90 €
26,90 €
Loving Tan – Bronzing Mousse
Danessa Myricks Beauty – Groundwork Palette - Defining Neutrals
with the code
-0%
Latest lowest price: 88,90 €
(Prices incl. VAT, plus shipping)
88,90 €
88,90 €
NABLA Cosmetics – Skin Realist
with the code
-0%
Latest lowest price: 22,33 €
(Prices incl. VAT, plus shipping)
31,90 €
31,90 €
NABLA Cosmetics – Beyond Jelly Lipstick
with the code
-0%
(Prices incl. VAT, plus shipping)
24,90 €
24,90 €
Bondi Sands – SPF 50+ Face Lotion Fragrance Free
with the code
-35%
Latest lowest price: 9,02 €
(Prices incl. VAT, plus shipping)
12,90 €
8,39 €
5 mistakes you should avoid with cosmetics
- Incorrect storage: Some cosmetic products, such as make-up, sunscreen and perfume, should not be stored in the bathroom. Humidity can lead to mold or change the formulation because the ingredients react to it.
- Unhygienic handling: Clean your make-up brushes and sponges regularly and always wash your hands before applying products such as creams with your hands. You should always use the pipette to pour serums into your hands first and never touch the skin with the pipette, as this can also introduce bacteria into the bottle. When using mascara, do not "pump" it with the brush, otherwise you will only introduce air into the bottle, causing the texture to dry out more quickly.
- Leaving products open: The following applies to all types of products – store them in a dry place and protected from light and air. You should also always remove any product residue from the lid.
- Pouring cosmetics down the drain: Please never pour product residues down the drain or toilet. The active ingredients of cosmetic products should not end up in the wastewater, as they are very difficult for sewage treatment plants to filter out.
- Not clearing out: An important tip with regard to the shelf life of cosmetics is to regularly check the products and radically clear out old cosmetic products. You should no longer use expired cosmetics because they can cause skin irritation.
We hope you enjoyed this blog post about the shelf life of cosmetics and that you learned something new!
