Most products we buy on store shelves have expired dates. It should have one, after all. For one, you will know when the products are manufactured and when it should be used. If you use any product beyond its expiration date, it can lead to dire consequences especially if it’s food.

Like food, beauty products including those for hair and skin have expiration dates. Even the hair products used in a Brazilian keratin salon may have printed expiration dates. On the one hand, non-perishables such as beauty products have longer expiration dates than food and drinks. However, you should also consider the potential consequences of using expired hair and other beauty products.

The truth about beauty products’ expiration dates

For one thing, we need to deal with expiration dates seriously. Eating foods way beyond their expiration dates can cause stomach aches and other sorts of uncomfortable consequences.

The same goes for beauty products. The FDA doesn’t usually need expiration dates on beauty products including those used by a Brazilian blowout salon. A permanent hair straightening salon also uses its own products. While it may seem harmless to use expired beauty products, it may cause dire consequences as well.

Meanwhile, there are other beauty products that do not have expiry dates printed on their packaging. Instead, beauty products including those used by a keratin treatment salon use a Period After Opening (PAO) mark on the label. This indicates how long the beauty product will be fresh after opening it.

However, there are also beauty products that have neither. In such cases, it can be challenging to determine whether to continue using it or just ditch it. There are ways to distinguish beauty products that can still be used from those that should be disposed of right away or else risk-averse consequences.

So, are expired beauty products safe to use?

As mentioned, most beauty products including those used in a Brazilian keratin straightening salon either have an expiration date or the PAO mark. For the latter, it will determine until when you can use the product in good quality.

However, you should know that there are no actual expirations on beauty products including Japanese hair straightening salon products. The PAO aims to guide users until when they can use the products starting from when it is opened. “Expired” hair serum can still be used after the expiration date. However, it might not be as effective unlike when used before it reached its expiration date.

Also, some expired beauty products may develop mold that can be potentially harmful to the user. The bottom line: it is still best to check the product of its expiration or PAO date. You should still check the products and see whether it is sensible to use such – or else risk side effects.

How to keep your beauty products fresh

For one thing, beauty products often have a longer shelf life. Usually, beauty products have a shelf life of about three years when left unopened. However, those with natural or organic ingredients may have a shorter shelf life than those that are not.

Once opened, beauty products may last up to two years depending on their storage conditions. Those without lids or left out in the open may risk being contaminated, grow bacteria, and shorten their shelf life further. That is why you should make sure to keep your beauty products properly closed and stored.

Also, you would also have to look beyond the packaging. Just looking and smelling the product will give you a clue on your beauty product’s current situation.

Does it smell rather funky or weird? Does it look clumpy, syrupy, cloudy, or anything that is unusual to the product? Better yet, you should already have second thoughts of using it if it has been sitting on your drawer for more than a year. If you are not using it anyway, avoid having it reach its first anniversary by giving it to someone else who might love it.

Better yet, you can store your beauty products in the refrigerator. Or if you want, you can buy a separate small refrigerator where you can store your beauty products. Try putting on lotion or your favorite eye cream straight from the fridge – it’s soothing, really.

Check your beauty products now

This may not be the perfect time to have a keratin treatment by hairstylist in Potomac due to the ongoing quarantine. Since most of us are in quarantine at home, it is a great opportunity to do some beauty product spring cleaning. Check your beauty products to see whether they are still okay to use or it’s time to ditch it.