I’ve been trying to declutter my makeup collection via the KonMari method, and although it’s gotten a little easier, I still have a hard time parting with most of my makeup. It includes the number of months a product is safe and sanitary to use after it has been opened. I’m not saying to write down the exact date that you… This symbol is usually near the barcode and looks like a small jar with a number and the letter “M” — as in months — inside of it. (Please see the below image.) To help let you know when to toss your product, this handy little jar symbol outlines the time period in which the makeup is safe to use (in the case of the symbol above, the “6M” denotes 6 months). Such a lifesaver. Here’s a guide on when you should replace your beauty products. Unused cosmetics also lose their freshness and become dry. So to figure out what can stay and what needs go, here's a comprehensive breakdown of every toiletry and makeup expiration date. Makeup expiration isn’t normally something you think about. photo credit: shutterstock Leave it to the chic Europeans to take some of the guesswork out of when to chuck your concealer. 156,689,171 stock photos online. So, why is this important? This symbol represents what is known as the "period after opening" date, according to INSIDER. Makeup expiration is a very important guideline to follow, especially since expired, unsanitary makeup could greatly affect your health. While this list is a great general rule-of-thumb for makeup expiry dates, all products are different, so I’d definitely recommend looking for this little symbol on your makeup. It’s what you call a PAO symbol, it’s short for “product-after-opening” symbol. Products like face primer, foundation and blush last for 24 months after being opened. What Is A Makeup Expiration Date? You could already be putting your skin in serious trouble. (Promise?) Luckily Cosmopolitan put together this makeup and skincare expiration guide (in application order!). The symbol looks like an open jar, and it’s known as the PAO, or “Period After Opening” symbol. Yep, each product stashed in your makeup bag has a use-by date, and its more than just a suggestion. However, some beauty products are labeled with a symbol that looks like an open jar. Before you go to apply that lipstick you’ve had since high school (yikes! While makeup expiry dates are not mandatory in Canada or the U.S., most beauty products that are also sold in Europe have the Period After Opening (PAO) symbol. Besides the legal requirement for manufacturers to label their cosmetic products properly, consumers are paying far more attention to product labels as they become more conscientious of what they’re putting in and on their body. While makeup expiry dates are not mandatory in Canada or the U.S., most beauty products that are also sold in Europe have the Period After Opening (PAO) symbol: an open jar and monthly designation indicating when to toss it. A lot of people, even those who have been using makeup for long, are not quite familiar of what “Period After Opening” symbol tells or … To make matters more confusing, some products simply don't suggest any expiration date. After all, Greek yogurt does. If you have a sample without the expiration date marked, it was made before Feb 2017. Most of such products should not be harmful even after the expiration; but they can change smell, color, texture. That’s right! Well, the difficult thing with makeup is that the shelf-life all depends on when a product is first opened, how it's stored and the type of packaging. Just like food, our makeup can spoil. You'll never use germ-ridden makeup sponges, brow wands, eye cream, or sunscreen ever again. But wouldn't it be easier if makeup had an expiration date printed on the label? The PAO Symbol can tell us when it’s the right time to toss. Just like food, makeup has expiration dates and it is very important that you keep up with them. If you’re concerned about the expiration date on your makeup, there’s a secret symbol right there on the packaging that indicates how long the product should last after you open it. However, experts do recommend that eyeliner and mascara expiration dates be taken seriously since they come in close contact with your eyes. The PAO symbol is a graphic of an open jar along with a number and a letter representing a time in months. You can see this in most makeup and skincare products. Meet the PAO Symbol: 2 Leaping Bunny. Inside the symbol is a number, and that number represents the number of months it is good for after being opened. MAKEUP EXPIRATION DATES MASCARA. However, since it’s almost the end of he year and we will all be in a mad dash to re-organize in the new year, we definitely need to think about all of that makeup we have in our life. A FEW WAYS TO TELL IF YOUR MAKEUP EXPIRED ARE: The liquid begins to separate It smells odd Looks discolored Begins to clump, or dry out The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) doesn’t require cosmetic companies to label makeup with an expiration date. Unfortunately, makeup does not last forever. Here are answers to some common questions on this subject. Between removing the wand from the tube, applying the product onto your lashes and dipping the wand back in, the brush collects more bacteria and dust than you would like to believe. Tip: Keep a permanent marker in one of your bathroom drawers or makeup bag, and write the date on every product when you open it. Do you have the habit of using makeup and cosmetics without even bothering to check their expiration dates? Instead, a product is marked with a batch code or a lot number, which is convenient to the company, but does not provide any information to a beauty product consumer. The reason for this annoying omission simple: The … The opening date is considered as the main factor that determines the life span of makeup and skincare products. Confused? There should be a number with the letter “M” somewhere on the package. It means Period After Opening, representing the period in which the product is safe for using. FDA sometimes receives questions from consumers and industry, asking about shelf life and expiration dates for cosmetics. Just as it’s not a good idea to eat expired food, expired makeup can expose your eyes, lips and face to bacteria and even infection, like in Shirley’s case. ), you may want to consider its expiration date—because, spoiler, it does have one. Download 237 Cosmetic Package Symbols Stock Illustrations, Vectors & Clipart for FREE or amazingly low rates! Generally if there is a prescription involved or medication in use, there will be a firm expiration date on the package as opposed to a shelf-life symbol that … To find the expiration date, look for either an expiration month and year stamped on the product, or a little open-jar symbol with a number followed by an M or Y. Just look for the PAO symbol. In Korea, since Feb. 2017, printing the expiration date on the sample cosmetics has been mandatory. Unlike food, cosmetics don’t have a printed expiration date, but what they DO have is a symbol that tells you how long its good for once opened. Use cosmetic calculator to check the expiry date of your product. However, most of the time, it’s probably fine to keep using the product after the expiration date. So all cosmetics manufacturers in Korea mark the expiration dates on the samples. If you have a product that you don’t use often, it’s hard to keep up with the quality of it. Your number one guide is the Period After Opening (PAO) symbol. Although both the PAO and expiration date are determined by factors including where a product is stored, how it’s handled, and its chemical makeup, there’s a very important difference between the period after opening symbol and an expiration date. In Europe, cosmetics having a shelf life of 30 months or more must display a “ Period After Opening” time. According to a survey research by Escentual.com, some women keep their makeup for up to 6 years after their expiry date, and 70% of women never clean their makeup brushes, exposing … Shelf life: 2-3 months Trust me when I say you should replace your mascara every two to three months. 1 Makeup Expiration Cheat Sheet: Important Expiry Signs You Need To Know. The most common periods of suitability for use from the date of manufacture: About expiration dates of cosmetic samples. Which leads us to an important question: Does makeup expire? The symbol is like an open jar symbol with the number of months indicated on the jar. There are no regulations or requirements under current U.S. laws that require cosmetic manufacturers to print expiration dates on the labels of cosmetic products. If there’s one thing I’m really terrible at, it’s throwing out old makeup. The shelf life, or expiration date, of a cosmetic or personal care product is the period during which the manufacturer has determined a product to be best suited for use. According to EU law, the manufacturer has to put the expiration date only on cosmetics whose shelf life is less than 30 months. We’ve all been there—guilty of hoarding makeup products from years prior. Unfortunately, cosmetics and perfume brands eventually do not indicate the production or expiration date in the clear, human-readable form. If you can’t find the PAO or you discarded the packaging without checking, Rosario recommends keeping track of how long you’ve been using a product and using it for no longer than 24 months. The letter M stands for months, so if you see a product with this symbol reading 6M, it means it'll only last for six months after you've opened it. For example, if you see the jar symbol with "18M" inside, that … Old makeup loses its quality and can even cause irritation and infections if it's used past its expiration date. In extreme cases, using expired makeup could cause redness, irritation, breakouts, or even infections. The PAO symbol. Symbols on cosmetic labels communicate a variety of things about the product inside such as its expiration date, volume/weight, container recyclability, and more. So why don't all our skincare products come with a sell-by-date? It indicates the shelf-life of the product after you open it; the “M” stands for months. Go through your makeup box carefully, you’ll find this symbol on every single product. New users enjoy 60% OFF.