GYPSY WARRIOR

DO HAIR PRODUCTS EXPIRE?

How long do hair and beauty products last? And do hair products expire?

Yes beauty products do have an expiry date once they’re open but hair products have a very long shelf life. There are a few factors affecting the life cycle of your hair and beauty products and here’s a quick guide to know how long your products will last and how to best look after them.

HOW LONG DO HAIR AND BEAUTY PRODUCTS LAST ON THE SHELF?

As a guide, hair products will last for around three years unopened on the shelf. This is the same for more beauty products as well, although some organic products have a shorter shelf life.

HOW LONG WILL PRODUCTS LAST ONCE YOU OPEN THEM?

For most hair products, once opened the product will expire in 1-2 years, though other factors can alter the shelf life of your beauty products.

WHAT IF THE PRODUCT HAS JUST EXPIRED?

Now the majority of hair products will be still safe to use just after the recommended use by date but it when it comes to beauty products, you should be more conservative.

The biggest risk for a product expiring is not necessarily the time but how they’ve been stored. It’s quite easy for bacteria to contaminate certain products depending on the packaging. Bacterial infections are more of a concern than the age of the product.

HOW TO STORE YOUR HAIR AND BEAUTY PRODUCTS

Did you know that it’s better to store your beauty products in the refrigerator? The ideal temperature is not quite as cold as your regular fridge but definitely below the temperature of your steamy bathroom. Perhaps we should invest in a beauty fridge to keep in our bathrooms? That’s probably taking it too far but I will say I always keep my eye cream in the fridge. It feels so lovely and cool when I put it on and that also helps to reduce any puffiness around my eyes.

In reality, a cool, dark place is the best spot to store your beauty products.

Your shower floor is not the best place to keep your unused hair products. I like to rotate my hair products but keep them in another room when they’re not being used. When I wash and style my hair, I’ll take them into the bathroom. Make sure you’re putting the lids back on tightly when you finish using the products too.

This is the safest way to ensure your hair products last longer and minimise the risk of contamination and bacterial growth.

TIME FOR A BEAUTY PRODUCT AUDIT

So if you’re looking in your crowded bathroom cabinet wondering “do hair products expire?” then it’s time to do a product audit.

This weekend, make time to do an audit of your beauty cupboard and be really honest about how long you’ve kept products and the condition that they’re in. It’s probably a good time to clean all your make-up brushes again as well. You should be doing this once a week for your frequently used brushes.