Problem: I've heard a lot of different
information regarding when I should throw away a cosmetic.
Is there a time limit when products should be thrown away?
Solution: In the United States, there
are no regulations or guidelines from the FDA about the
expiration date for skin-care or makeup products. The
only exceptions to this are for over-the-counter drugs
sold as skin-care products, such as sunscreens and anti-acne
medicines, but even those can have inconsistencies.
In an attempt to bring some clarity and consistency to
this question, the European Union's cosmetics regulatory
branch devised a new system, represented by an open jar
with a number followed by the letter "M." The
"M" refers to the Latin word "menses,"
meaning "month" in English. This symbol establishes
how long the product will last after it is opened and
is commonly known as the Period After Opening (PAO) date.
While not required in the United States or Canada, it
is mandatory on makeup and skin-care products sold in
the 25 member nations of the European Union. There are
only a few exclusions such as aerosol containers or single-use
products. The purpose of this symbol is to give consumers
an idea of how long the product can be safely used (or
used "without causing harm") after it is opened.
Your first question may be, How is this time period determined?
(It was the first question I asked). Therein lies the
tale about the convoluted nature of this piece of cosmetics
legislation. All reputable cosmetics companies (mine included)
put their products through a standard battery of stability
tests before they are put on the market. These tests include
exposing the product to cycles of temperature extremes,
testing the effectiveness of the chosen preservative system
over time, testing the product in its chosen packaging,
and patch-testing it on human volunteers to ascertain
irritancy or to reveal unforeseen complications. Here’s
the issue: the EU has not established a system for cosmetics
companies to determine a PAO date. As a result, the PAO
date doesn’t take into account how the consumer uses the
product or how it is stored.
Ironically, those two factors are critical to prolonging
or reducing a product's integrity and inherent stability.
For example, let's say two women purchase the same moisturizer.
It is packaged in a jar. One woman lives in a humid climate,
stores her moisturizer on her bathroom counter in direct
light, doesn't wash her hands before using the product,
and rarely puts the cap back securely on the jar. The
other woman lives in a temperate climate (or has air conditioning),
stores the moisturizer in a dark cupboard or drawer, always
washes her hands before applying the product, and always
tightly secures the cap after each use. Given these two
examples of product usage, it is understandable how one
would last longer than the other. The PAO date does not
take into consideration how (or how often) the product
is used (think about kids sharing your skin-care products
and what havoc that can cause). As shown in the example
above, consumer habits vary so dramatically that establishing
a specific date after which a cosmetic product may become
harmful is, at best, an educated guess, and at worst,
a useless endeavor. More to the point, as consumers, how
many of us document (or even remember) the date when we
began using a cosmetic product?
So what should you do? Although it clearly has limitations,
the PAO labeling system can serve as a helpful reminder
of when to use or dispose of your personal-care products,
assuming you keep track of when you begin using each product
and take care to store it in ideal conditions. I doubt
most consumers will be that vigilant, but for those who
take the time to be vigilant, a product’s PAO date is
a decent (though imperfect) guideline.
For those not wiling to abide by a product's PAO date
(and I can't say I blame you) it is generally best to
toss out cosmetics placed near the eye (like mascara)
after four to six months, and to dispose of face products
(moisturizers, foundations) after one to two years. Powder-based
products should be discarded after 2-3 years. The usage
time for eye-area cosmetics is more limited than for other
products. Because of microbial exposure and the risk of
eye infections, some industry experts recommend replacing
mascara every three months. If mascara becomes dry, discard
it. Do not add water or saliva to moisten it as that will
introduce bacteria into the product. If you have an eye
infection, consult a physician immediately, stop using
all eye-area cosmetics, and discard those you were using
when the infection occurred.
Other cosmetics that might have a short shelf life are
"all natural" products that may contain a preponderance
of plant-derived substances conducive to all kinds of
unhealthy microbial growth. It is also important for consumers
to consider the increased risk of contamination in some
"natural" products that contain nontraditional
preservatives or no preservatives at all.
Sharing makeup increases the risk of contamination. The
testers commonly found at cosmetics counters are more
likely to become contaminated than the same products in
an individual's home. If you feel you must test a cosmetic
before purchasing it, apply it with a new, unused applicator,
such as a fresh cotton swab. But remember, these are merely
suggestions, and not based on any established research
or guidelines. (Source: FDA Office of Cosmetics Facts
Sheet, March 9, 2000, "Shelf Life-Expiration Date.")