Shelf Life Of Your Skin Care Products - All You Need To Know
Why is it important to be aware of the shelf life of your skin care products? How diligent do we need to be with its expiration dates? Manufacturers typically formulate skin care products to last around one year after opening and using them beyond the ideal time can be harmful for your skin. Old products can decompose and the chemicals can separate and cause dull skin, irritation, burns or even infection. Keep reading to know when it’s time to toss out your skin care products.
Face creams are a part of your daily routine and most people become pretty loyal to their trusted cream. Apart from using day creams and night creams regularly, you should be equally dedicated to making sure that your moisturizing creams are still going strong and good to use. Most face creams last up to a year and as long as they look and feel as they did when you first opened it, you should be good to go. You will know it’s spoilt when you start noticing a difference in color and even smell. If this happens, it’s time to say goodbye to your beloved moisturizing cream.
Though it is important to wear sunscreen every single day, most people don’t go through a big bottle of it quickly. Especially if you’re only wearing a thin layer each time you apply, you might want to hold onto your SPF for many seasons. Face creams with SPF tend to have a long shelf life and should be effective for about two years after opening. However, exposure to excessive heat and sun can cause the active SPF agent and ingredients to break down faster. This can also change its consistency. You should be careful with products containing SPF because if those expire, you are more likely to get overexposed to damaging sun rays. If you notice that the shade of the SPF cream starts to change from white to yellow or smell funky, step away from it.
Serums are mighty drops that make a big difference in your skin’s texture, complexion, the youth of your cells and should be used regularly. With regards to the shelf life, face serums don’t last as long as other products do, especially if they are opened. It is not necessary that face serums go bad, but they lose the good in them. In most cases, face serums last for about eight to twelve months and then the active ingredients start losing potency over time. As serums usually come with a pump and dropper, there is lesser concerns with cross contamination and bacteria as long as you avoid touching the dropper directly. To keep your face serum free from germs and any kind of contamination, use the product directly from the dropper on your face without touching the tip to the skin. However, in case something smells off or your face serum stars looking green-ish or yellow-ish, throw it away.
Using a face wash removes excess oil, dirt and toxins from your skin, keeps skin problems at bay, and gives an instant boost of freshness and radiance. You can use a face wash for a long time in comparison to other products as its formulation is typically very sturdy; just make sure that it is closed properly after every use. Buy yourself a new face wash if you notice a change in their scent or texture.
A sheet mask helps controlling oil secretion, clears pores, removes dirt and prevents breakouts. It also reduces irritation and inflammation in acne-prone skin and should be used one to three times a week. Sheet masks have an expectancy of one to three years, depending on the active ingredients used. You’ll be good until you’re ready to use it, as long as you keep it closed. It’s time to put it in the bin if you notice a color change.
Using up skin care products as soon as you open them and well before their expiration date will not only help you get the most out of the products but will also keep skin problems at bay and pave way for healthy and younger-looking skin!