How To Store Beauty Products To Maximise Shelf Life

BY: SUEJEE KIM

If there’s one beauty truth more of us have to come to grips with, it’s that all beauty products expire.

We’ve all been there before. A favourite perfume doesn’t smell like it used to or the texture of a go-to powder has changed—is that a breakout?! Whist we can’t stop makeup and skincare from expiring at some point, we have a lot of control over how fast products destabilise.

MORE: WHAT MAKEUP BRUSHES ARE DOING TO YOUR SKIN

Image: http://www.intothegloss.com

Proper beauty-storage goes a long way in keeping products fresh and safe-to-use, for longer.

Some manufacturers list optimal beauty-storage conditions on their product packaging but the vast majority do not. So for all our readers we’ve put together the ultimate beauty-storage cheat sheet.

Keep reading for everything you need to know about how to maximise your beauty product’s shelf-life.

Did You Know? With the exception of over-the-counter prescriptions like anti-acne treatments, which have official expiration dates stamped or printed on packaging, most beauty products show a ‘Period After Opening’ or PAO symbol.

The PAO symbol is usually depicted as an open jar followed by a number and the letter M. It indicates the maximum time a product may be used safely before it destabilizes: i.e. a PAO symbol showing 12M indicates the product in question should be finished 12 months after opening.

Image: Refinery29

SO – LET’S LOOK AT WHAT GOES WHERE…

1. YOUR BATHROOM

Most skincare products will be fine stored in the bathroom. Remember temperature and humidity will affect skincare, so be sure to store products in a lower cabinet or drawer and out of direct sunlight.

Other tips are to have clean hands and nails, to keep direct contact with fingers to a minimum, clean and dry anything that drops on the floor before resealing, and fasten lids and caps properly.

• Shampoo & Conditioner  – 18M
• Cleansers – 12M to 18M
• Toners – 6M to 12M
• Exfoliants – 12M

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