Karen is quizzical: Do beauty products have expiration dates hidden on the package? Whenever I see a great deal for an expensive beauty product on eBay or at a discount store like Marshalls, I wonder if the product has expired and is no longer as effective.

The Right Brain responds:

There’s no way to tell if a cosmetic has expired just by looking at the package, but we can tell you what to look for when products go bad.

What can go bad with beauty products?

Changes in odor

Fragrances are made of dozens of different ingredients that can react with the rest of the product. It’s not surprising then, that the fragrance is often the first thing to go bad. A little fragrance fading is totally normal, but if you detect a sour or rancid odor it may be a signal that something is seriously wrong.

Color shifting

The color of the product is very sensitive to light, so it’s not unusual for cosmetics in clear packaging to experience a shift in shade. Slight color changes don’t necessarily mean there’s anything functionally wrong the product but you certainly don’t want your red lipstick to become to orangey.

Change in texture

Changes in the consistency of a product may be subtle but significant. For example, if your skin lotion looks exceptionally thick or thin, or if it appears too grainy, this may be an early indicator of emulsion instability. This means the oil and water soluble chemicals are separating. Not good!

Microbial contamination

If you see any black spots or fuzzy growth in your product, it could be contaminated with bacteria or fungus. Get rid of it immediately or you may be at risk for infection! And by the way, you should never dilute a product with water just so you can get the last little bit out of the bottle. Adding water can dilute the preservative system which can allow potentially dangerous bugs to grow.

Physical separation

If the product has separated into two layers it’s gone bad. You can’t always fix it by just remixing it. This is particularly true of cosmetics that have active ingredients like sunscreens and dandruff shampoos. Once the active drug ingredient has separated from the rest of the formula, it may not work properly anymore.

Do cosmetics have expiration dates?

In the United States cosmetic products are not required to have expiration dates. That’s not really a bad thing because it’s difficult, if not impossible, to really predict to the exact shelf life of any giving cosmetic products. (European products must be stamped with a Period After Opening date – we’ll tell you about that another time.) The shelf life of any given product depends at least in part on how it’s stored. Products can be stable for several years if they’re kept away from light and heat, the two biggest enemies of cosmetics. But that same product can start to show fragrance degradation and color shift in a few weeks if exposed to sunlight and/or high temperatures.

The exceptions are over the counter drugs like dandruff shampoos, antiperspirants, fluoride toothpastes and acne products. The activity of drug ingredients in these products can be measured over time to estimate an expiration date. But it really doesn’t work that way for non-drug products. But for the vast majority of cosmetic products it’s a guessing game.

What about the secret code?

The bottom line is there’s no way to tell just from looking at the package if the product is still good or not. But if you’re really desperate there IS one thing you might try: look for the “secret” code that is the manufacturer’s lot number. If you’re shopping on Ebay and you see a product that you like, you can email them and ask if they can tell you the lot number off of the package. Then you could contact the maker of the product and ask them to tell you when it was made. That doesn’t guarantee the product is good, but at least you can get an idea of it’s age before you spend a lot of money on it.

Similar Posts:

• Why Do Some Products Like Sunscreen Have An Expiration Date?
• 4 Ways To Tell If Your Cosmetic Has Expired
• Natural Organic Brand Touts Biodegradable Package
• Expiration Dates on Cosmetics
• Expire or Perspire – When Antiperspirants Go Bad

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!