I feel like doing a tips post right NOW 😀 . Random, I know.

This is another episode on getting to know your beauty products, understand them and getting the best out of them. When I said “getting the best out of them” I do mean the product shelf life after opening. You know how most of us will just crack open a brand new jar of moisturiser and then forget about it until it went bad? So yeah, that one.

Previously I shared with you on how to identify the colored square box at the back of your skin care tube and how to know your beauty products Period After Opening (PAO). If you missed these informative post, do click on the link. I’ve hyperlinked it for you 😀

So today I’m going to share with you Beauty Products Shelf Life After Opening in general. Generally you should used up these products within the below recommended shelf life or toss it away after the shelf life. Please take note that there are some that I’ve amended because I find that 3 to 5 years is too absurd. You wouldn’t want to still use something that has been kept that long right?

Skin Care

• Moisturizer and Serum – 6 months to 1 year.
• Hydrating, wrinkle, eye care with pump bottle – About a year.
• Hydrating, wrinkle, eye care in a jar – Within 6 to 10 months.
• Anti-Aging – Within 3 months to 1 year. Antioxidant is prone to oxidization. Look out for change of color and scent.
• Acne Treatment – Not exceeding 1 year. Antioxidant is prone to oxidization. Look out for change of color and scent.
• Sunscreen –  This type of product is monitored by FDA. It’s a regulation toprint expiration dates on the packing. Just follow the date.

Makeup

• Mascara, Liquid Eyeliner, Gel Eyeliner – 3 months. The shortest shelf life of all. It’s liquid, it’s for your eyes and if you double dip the brush into the tube, that makes it easier for bacteria to grow. Replace frequently to prevent eye infection.
• Foundation – 1 to 2 years. Most bottles are designed to last long. However bacteria will start to grow within months. So the best is to replace within 6 months to 1 year.
• Lip Pencil, Lipstick and Lip Gloss – 2 to 3 years. If it smells bad, throw it.
• Eye Pencil – 2 years. Sharpening keeps the lead fresh.
• Face Powder, Blush & Bronzer – 2 years.
• Nail Polish – 2 years.

Bath, Body & Hair

• Shower Gel, Shampoo and Conditioner – 2 years.
• Body Lotion – 2 to 3 years. Throw away if it starts to separate or there’s any discolouration and change of scent.
• Bath Oil – 1 year.
• Soap – 1 to 2 years.
• Deodorant – 1 to 2 years. But I recommend tossing it away after 6 months especially if it’s the roll-on type. Ewwww!
• Hair Styling Products – 3 to 5 years. The alcohol-based ingredient in it helps to preserve.
• Perfume – 2 years. Some will last longer. If the scent changes, time to throw it away.

Now…before you go on a panic mode, always remember that each product comes with a PAO symbol on the bottle/jar/tube. If the product comes with expiry date, just follow the date. Otherwise you can rely on the PAO symbol. Here’s a few simple tip on how you can prolong your product shelf life. I don’t mean prolong it from 1 year to 5 years. I mean making sure the content doesn’t go bad before the expiry.

Tip #1 – DO NOT share your intimate products with other people. Intimate here do mean products like mascara, eyeliner, gel eyeliner, makeup brush, deodorant, soap and so on. Basically things you apply directly using the product onto yourself. Remember germs and bacterias do transfer.

Tip #2 – Take extra notice and precaution with organic and all-natural products or products labeled as “preservative-free”. Without a single bit of preservative means bacteria will flourish very easily.

Tip #3 – Keep your beauty products away from direct sun light. UV rays can destroy preservatives, which will make your products spoil faster.

Tip #4 – Write down date of purchase / date of manufacture / date of expiry / date of opening with a marker on the product or onto a sticker label if you plan to throw the outer box away.

Tip #5 – Make sure all caps and lid are closed properly and tightly.

Tip #6 – Store perfumes in cool dark places because light causes perfumes to oxidize by changing their chemicals to smell musty.

Tip #7 – DO NOT add water of any kind too thin out or remoisten products such as mascara or clay mask.

Always remember…if it smells bad, throw it away. If the texture changed, throw it away. Keep a habit of cleaning your beauty products after each use to prevent bacteria from growing.