Product expiry dates?!

Hair Product expiry dates?!

We all check, and are aware of expiry dates on our food and drinks, but did you know that products for skin and hair also have expiry dates?

Food expiration dates are made by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and the do not regulate beauty products. However instead, manufacturers include a PAO (Period after opening) guideline. 

This means that once a product is opened, it will expire. 

Spray bottles and aerosols, along with pump bottles, will last longer due to being in sealed containers, whereas anything you have to dip your hands in to use, is going to have a shorter expiration date. 

How do i know if a product has expired?

There are many ways to know if a product has expired, and the reason of my writing this article, is after finding one my self. 

I recently dug into my collection of products when i put my boyfriends hair in mini twists, looking for an oil. I picked up one i know i have had a while, but was one i remembered liking. This came in a glass bottle with a dropper for application. As soon as i opened it, i could see that the texture was different. I dropped a few droplets into my hand, and instead of the thick oil it had before, i got a thick, clumpy white substance in my hand instead! 

Use your senses when it comes to determining if a product has expired. 

If you are a product junkie like me, then it's hard to keep on track of what you have had for long and if it has been used or not. Here are the best ways of checking your products and if they have expired. 

1. It says so on the label

Did you know there is an actual PAO date on the label of your products. Right where it tells you the ingredients, you'll find the date. 

I didn't know this for a while either, so if this is the first you're hearing, you aren't alone. 

Products while have a base of natural ingredients, or organic, will usually have a shorter expiration date. 

Most products range from 6M to 24M, but 12 is probably the most common. 

2. It has changed

As i found out with my oil, the texture of the product had completely changed. If a once creamy product is now thick and lumpy, it's time to say goodbye. If it looks off, and/or smells any different, the chances are that this product has passed its PAO. Separation, cloudiness, wateriness, lumps and bumps, and even in some cases mould, are all signs that you need to bin it. I would say when in doubt, toss it out!

3. It doesn't perform the same

Is your holy grail not performing as good as before? Chances are it's time has passed. Due to the ingredients being contaminated and compromised, an expired product is not going to give you the same results it did when you first got your hands on it. Every time you open a product is gets exposed to bacteria in your room, or compromised by fingers dipping into it. If you are holding on to a product you have been using or had open for longer than a year, it's not going to be the same. 

Will expired products damage my hair?

No. Where they won't cause any actual damage to your hair, using expired products could give you some nasty effects. Think clumps in your hair, a bad smell, ruining your beautiful wash and go! As mentioned above, an expired product will not perform the way it should. 

I was mortified when i saw the state my oil was in, and so went through my collection and got rid of stuff passed its date. 

Unopened products are not affected by this PAO, of course, but can still go bad if you do not store them correctly, just as food does. 

Exposure to heat, light, air and body contact, will make this happen. This means even a product you use sparingly can still be compromised.

For me i store mine on a shelf which is side on from my window. This means that they are out of direct sunlight and any heat which comes through. 

Remember if in doubt, throw it out! 

This expiration is not limited to hair products, remember to check your beauty products and make up as well, as these will also have a PAO date on them! 

Did you know that products expired before you read this post? 

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Candi 

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Email: candi_curls@outlook.com