Beauty

[Sherrilz]

I know there will be a lot of varying opinions about this.  Most will say you should absolutely throw things out after the date printed on cosmetics.  But I've been watching a lot of you tube videos lately for cosmetic reviews and I think that some of these people have so much makeup, that they must have to use it past expiration dates. 

I know if something changes in color, smell, texture to toss it.  But if I have things unopened that have been stored in a cool basement, could they be used? 

I had/have a bad habit of stocking up on things.  I started another thread recently about not buying and shopping my stash instead.  So while goinng through my stash, I tossed a few things that did look bad, but came across quite a bit of unopened makeup items.  I probably should toss, but with my renewed committment to using some of my stash, I was hoping that by storing it in the basement maybe using it wouldn't be so bad.

What are the thoughts out there?

[ChynnaBlue]

I think it depends on the item in question, ingredients, what it's used for, where it's used, etc.

[suzyQ3]

Very rarely do cosmetics come with expiration dates. Usually what you'll see is the number of months it will be still good after opening. It's a little logo of a jar with an open lid and the number of months on the jar itself.

If you open something and it looks fine, it's the right color, and has no funky odor, I'd use it. If it's mascara, though, and it's very, very old, I'd be leery.

[blueroses47]

I, personally, would have absolutely no qualms about using unopened makeup that showed a past expiration date, especially under the conditions you described.

I think I read that expiration dates, in general, even for food items, are really just guidelines, and most products are just fine long after those dates.

Common sense should rule, though, and if you suspect something's not right about the product, then don't use it.

I think if people just feel funny or doubtful in any way about a product, they might as well toss it, and have peace of mind.

[butterflygirl69]

I think the only time I might question something that is 'old' is skincare products.  Facewash...I'd use it as long as it smelled/looked ok.  Retinol products or anything with a specific active ingredient I might toss because they might be less effective (I might try them first or do some research to see if they may still be good).  I doubt that they would harm you, just may not work like they are intended.

Mascara tends to dry out even if unopened, so those may be a toss.  I don't think they would be harmful if they were new, just not the right texture.

Shadows, lipgloss, powders, etc...I'd use them if they were old and would even use them if they were opened.  I use the products after washing my face,don't use my fingers in them and keep my brushes clean, so I'm not too worried.  I'm also the only one using them.

I also need to shop my stash!  I was going to order some Paula's Choice stuff because of her sale, but then looked to see what I had on hand and decided that I only really 'needed' one item.  I stuck to the one item.

[Sissyrose]

I would use it as long as it did not have a funny smell

[Caitlinh429]

Cosmetics (along with most beauty items, lotions, conditioners, etc) expire usually AFTER they are opened and exposed to oxygen.

As another posted stated, always look for this:

Inside the "open jar" icon is a number followed by "M". M=months, #= number of months it is "good" for. So 12M means the product is good for 12 months after opening.

If you kept the items in a cool, dark area, with low humidity, and not big temperature changes, then the items are most likely fine. Always look for any kind of mold, odd smells, texture changes, watery textures, etc. Those are always dead giveaways. "All natural" items tend to expire faster because they usually do not have parabens in them.

Items for your eyes I would specifically be cautious of simply because these items can expire even before opening and the last thing you want is an infection in your eye due to old eye liner or eye serums.

[geezerette]

I agree with most of you that it really depends on the type of product.  Something near the eyes, I'd be most leery of.  Other things I don't think would actually harm you, maybe if they were prescription with some potentially harmful ingredients, but I don't think anything OTC would have anything like that allowed. 

I've read and heard people talking about food items that are past their expiration dates, and again, depending on the item, most are fine for a little while after the date.  They say that even medication (especially OTC), again depending on what it is, can potentially be safe to use after the stated expiration date.  Normally, the active ingredients tend to degrade, rendering the product less effective, by the expiration date.

I have some Bare Minerals Ready foundation that has expired (probably due to the SPF) and I'm still using it since it's the perfect shade.  Although it's only been over its date for a few months, not years.

[Sherrilz]

Thanks for the replies.  I think I will try out some of the stuff I've found in my stash.  I've used a few things the last few days and they seem fine.  I just have so much accumulated, that trying to use some of it makes me feel better. 

[Sherrilz]

So this weekend I pulled out some items from my stash and started using.  I tried different stuff, Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday.  It all worked fine.  It doesn't seem like any of the different brands of makeup really look that much different on me.  I do have to modify how I use some products or what I use them with, but overall I don't think anyone could tell I used different stuff any given day. 

It just reaffirmed that using up my stash is a good idea.  I can experiment with products, mix and match, layer and so on to get desired look.  Like a beauty mad scientist.    May actually be fun.