When you shop for skin care products, check the label near the bottom. There should be a graphic of a small jar with an open lid. Inside the jar is a number with the letter M next to it, for example 6M, 12M, 24M. This number tells you the number of months the product will last from the time you open the container.
If you are at a self-service store like a pharmacy, Target, Walmart, Kmart, etc., make sure you purchase products in sealed boxes or containers. If the products on the shelf are unsealed jars, how will you know if someone hasn’t already opened them?
Keep it Fresh and Safe. Products packaged in tubes and pumps are less likely to build bacteria, because you deliver the product to your fingers, you don’t need to scoop it out with your fingers. If your products are in jars, and you use your fingers to get them out, you have a greater chance that your product will build up bacteria. If your products are in jars, then use a clean spatula or cotton swab to remove the product. Inexpensive wooden sticks that you can buy at a craft store also work well as spatulas.
If you are buying high quality products from a department store or even online at my store, your products will be handled by individuals who understand the need for precautions, and you, the customer, will be the first to open your product. Then you can have confidence that your shelf life code is accurate.
Do you have products on your shelf but are not sure when you bought them? Here are some ideas for handling your inventory:
- Consider discarding products if they have developed an odor, changed color or separated.
- If you are not sure how long you have had the product, try to estimate if it has been more or less than one year. If it has been more than one year, then, using a permanent marker, label it yourself with an expiration date not to exceed six months. If it has been less than one year, mark your expiration date no more than one year from the date you did your inventory.
- Exercise extra caution on all products that are used in your eye area. If it is an eye cream or gel that you have had more than six months, and if you put your fingers in the container, then you should discard it, get a new product and start using it more safely.
- Mascara is one product that we like to stretch as long as possible, and it is the one product that must be replaced every three months. If you don’t keep track of anything else, make sure you use the three-month rule with your mascara. When you discard your mascara, keep the brush, clean it with makeup remover, and you can use it as a brow brush.
If you have questions on product shelf life, be sure to leave a comment, and I will reply to you with an answer.
