Can You Use Expired Skin Care Products?

You may be wondering if skincare products expire. And the answer, unfortunately, is yes — even the best skin-care products.

Since there's such a broad range of formulas, active ingredients, preservatives, and types of packageing for skincare products, there's no single answer when it comes to figuring out if your favourite skin care products have expired.

Every brand will have a different expiration date once opened. High quality skincare products like L’Occitane who are dedicated to using high-quality, traceable, natural ingredients can be used up to 3 years after being manufactured, and up to 6 months once opened.

In this article we’ll explain discuss how to identify expired skin care products and whether or not they can be used safely.

Can I Use Expired Skincare Products?

Using outdated skincare isn’t particularly dangerous, but it can cause problems. Over time opened products lose their potency and won’t have the same effect as when you first started using it.

For example, an expired sunscreen won’t provide the same sun protection and you can end up with a surprise sunburn. And you will be wasting your time applying anti-ageing creams or serums if they’ve expired.

In rare instances, expired products can cause skin irritation or infection. If you've developed an allergic reaction, redness, or a rash after using an expired skincare product, discontinue using it immediately and throw it away.

So, the best way to avoid having expensive skin care products expire is to use them within the recommended timeframe.

How Do I Know If My Skincare Products Have Expired?

Even the best skin care productsneed to be used within a certain time. This is referred to as the 'period after opening' (PAO). The PAO symbol of an opened jar can be found on the jar or bottle of skincare products. It will have a number inside; 6M (6 Months), 12M (12 months), and so on. Once opened the product should be used within this period for the best results.

Bonus: Since we’ve been talking about L’Occitane skincare products, we thought we’d share a few of our favourites for 2023.

They are:

·         L'Occitane Delicate Cherry Blossom Collection

·         L'Occitane Almond Collection

·         L'Occitane Shea Collection

If you are looking to buy authentic L’Occitane products or other luxury brands like Chanel, you can simply visit your local Pearl Chemist Group branch. Our staff will assist you and help you choose the right products whilst addressing your concerns.

You can also shop your favourite skincare online at Pearl Chemist and have them delivered to your door.