How to find out if a cosmetic product has gone bad?

Beauty and hygiene products do not last forever no matter how antiaging their formulas are. Most have a useful life period and then begin to degrade.

Spanish legislation requires that the expiration date be indicated on the label when the product has a shelf life of less than 30 months. If the duration is longer, it is not mandatory, but obviously the product can end up spoiling.

After opening it, six months

The regulations also require reporting the consumption time of that product since it has been opened (it is the PAO, Period After Opening). But who remembers when they opened a product? It is not a bad idea to write it on the cover. For most products, this period is six months.

In addition to paying attention to the manufacturer's instructions, we can observe for ourselves the state of the product.

¿Cómo descubrir si un producto cosmético se ha estropeado?

From the moment the lid is opened, the degradation process accelerates, especially if the contents come into contact with fingers, brushes, brushes or mascara wands, because they are inevitably contaminated with bacteria and fungi.

Potentially harmful microorganisms such as Staphylococci and Pseudomonas, which can cause skin rashes and abscesses, can grow in cosmetic products like a breeding ground.

If the color has changed, if it does not smell good or the texture has altered, the product must be discarded.

In natural products, changes can occur that do not imply that it has been spoiled. For example, formulas with vitamin C can darken.

Sun creams do not last two years

Exposure to sunlight and warm temperatures encourage the growth of bacteria, leading to bad odours. This happens a lot with sunscreens and creams with greasy ingredients, which can develop a sour or rancid smell.

As a general rule, it is not a good idea to continue using the sunscreen from the previous year.

In addition, the rancidity of an oil implies the generation of peroxides, oxidizing compounds that should not be put on the skin. A rule that we can follow is not to use an oil or an oily product three months after opening.

As for changes in texture (liquid may appear on the surface or clump) they are usually caused by the separation of oils and water, and it is a bad sign.