When Does My Skincare Expire?
You’ve just found out that your favorite moisturizer and your age defying serum has an expiry date. If you’re like a lot of women, you may even use it sparingly so that you make it last longer. (It’s sometimes referred to as the “plastic on the lampshade” syndrome. If you leave the plastic on, the lampshade can stay new indefinitely). It never ceases to amaze us to hear this from customers. Declaring that you still have some serum left in the bottle a year later is not reason to celebrate. If you’re guilty of this, we have two words for you. USE IT! It can’t help you sitting pretty on your bathroom shelf. 
A few guidelines for how long you should keep skincare products.
Facial Moisturizers and Serums = 6 months to 1 year (for fragile skincare with a high degree of Actives… we recommend using up the product in 2 months, once you’ve opened the product). Most product is packaged in quantities that is best suited for specialized ingredients and based on its directions for its use (i.e. daily) it will run out in a few weeks from normal use.
Toners, Hydrating Mists = up to 1 year
Facial cleansers = up to 1 year
Facial exfoliants = up to 1 year
If you have products that you’ve been using past their prime… don’t put it on your face! In fact, you may be causing some skin issues that you are trying to rid yourself to begin with. Expired beauty products can put your skin at risk for contamination
How can you tell if there is no expire date on the packaging?
The product has changed color
It’s separated or feels different
Use your nose… does it smell bad?
Is your product labeled “preservative-free”… ( without a preservative, contamination can happen quickly).
These days a lot of “Clean” skincare products use paraben/formaldehyde free preservatives at the lowest level possible for safety and your peace of mind. This way you are able to get the advantages inherent in a “Natural” skincare product, while not sacrificing the safety aspect of a shorter shelf life.
Rule of thumb… if it looks strange and smells bad or if you’ve been hanging on to it forever because of the pretty jar… it’s time to toss it out. Remember too; if you have a full jar waiting to be opened while your open jar passes it’s expiry date; You now have two jars that are aging. Throw out the old and get on with the new. Your skin will thank you for it.
Don’t compromise your skin health.
by Melanie hemsworth
Melanie Hemsworth has spent the past 20 years researching and investigating skincare ingredients, applications and regime in order to better understand what truly works and does not work on skin. Her web site
http://www.wispcollection.com is the culmination of this study, offering a full line of clean, healthier, Non-Sensitizing skincare products and advice.
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