Pre-packaged food products are marked with a "use by" date, so it's easy to find, but what about cosmetics? Can we easily find out if our day cream or intimate lubricant has expired? Is it possible to predict when to use them in order to avoid throwing them away? Because yes, your cosmetics don't last forever, which is why it's important to keep an eye on them, especially when the product is being applied to your intimate mucous membranes.
June 02, 2021
WHAT IS THE SHELF LIFE OF YESforLOV COSMETICS?
How do you find a cosmetic products expiration date?
In order to guarantee a products effectiveness and safety in the beauty, care, and intimacy world, the European regulations require that all cosmetic products (lipstick, anti-wrinkle cream, arousal gel, and massage oil) with a shelf life less than 30 months must be given an expiration date.
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The expiration date is the date by which the product can be used after opening, just like with food products. The expiration date is usually indicated by the month and year during which the product concerned can be safely consumed.
However, cosmetics can be kept for several years if the storage conditions are adequate. Consequently, for all cosmetics with a shelf life of more than 30 months, the regulation requires that only an AOP be indicated.
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The OTP is the period of use after opening. This is the optimum timeduring which you can use your product after opening it, regardless of the date. The symbol "open container" is used to illustrate this "After Opening Period".
The effective shelf life of a cosmetic product is therefore only calculated after it has been opened for the first time. Above all, never forget that the conservation of your beauty products and its life will largely depend on the place in which it’s stored: this should be a cool dry place away from light and humidity. It is therefore best to avoid storing your cosmetics in your bathroom.
The shelf life of a product is defined by a stability test performed on the formula. This study determines the durability of the formula packaged in its primary packaging. The integrity of the product is evaluated according to several relevant criteria, such as microbiological, physico-chemical (PH, viscosity), and organoleptic (smell, colour) criteria.
At YESforLOV, all our intimate lubricants are marked with an expiration date and an OAP to guarantee the absolute safety of our formulas as well as the intimate well-being of our customers precious mucous membranes. In the same way, we favour tubes that ensure perfect product conservation and airless bottles like what’s used for our couple's elixir or our intimate serum. The airless bottle protects the product from external contamination and prevents air from infiltrating the bottle.
The best advice is to respect these regulatory recommendations while also being aware that this is just a recommendation for the optimal use of our products. This is the time period that the product is guaranteed to fulfil its initial function and remains compliant with health safety requirements. There is no need to throw away your tube the first day that it expires.
As beauty and intimate hygiene products are by nature perishable, it is preferable to carefully monitor the product, making sure does not "go bad". Once opened and after the indicated time, the stability of the product, its safety, and even its perfume can change, so be vigilant.
What is the risk of using expired cosmetics?
As we have seen, your cosmetic product, once opened, will deteriorate over time and bacteria may appear. It may contain certain germs that can develop over time. Some products oxidise in contact with the air, such as oils. The colour darkens and the smell becomes more pungent. Depending on the packaging of the product (e.g. pots of cream), dipping one's fingers will also increase the proliferation of bacteria. Some formulas, such as aqueous bases, are very sensitive, so preservatives of varying effectiveness are added.
At YESforLOV, we favour the least harmful preservatives (i.e. no parabens or methylthiazolinone), while guaranteeing fully proven effectiveness through rigorous tests.
That being said, the danger of using an expired cosmetic products on the skin is minimal. You may be exposed to some side effects such as redness, allergies, and minor itching, but the main issue is just that the product loses its effectiveness.
At YESforLOV, your mucous membranes are a treasure! To avoid any risk of inflammation or infection, we recommend that you respect the OAP, even if it means having sex several times a day. It's a blessing in disguise, you might say.
In conclusion, it is not easy to check the expiry date of products as the expiry date is only present on a minority of products. It is also difficult to remember the exact date the product was opened. We advise you to simply follow your nose. If the product has gone bad it will not smell good, and this is a sign of bacterial multiplication. Do not take any risk and throw it away! To find out the date your YESforLOV product was manufactured, contact our customer service department. For your other cosmetic products, you can find the date of manufacture by the batch number indicated on the product from dedicated websites such as cosmetics calculator.