How to Tell If Your Skincare or Makeup Has Expired

That foundation at the back of your drawer, the half-used sunscreen from last summer, the serum that looks a little darker than you remember: are they still okay to use? Knowing how to tell if skincare has expired, and makeup too, takes a bit of detective work, because many products don’t have a clear date printed on them. The good news is that your eyes, nose and fingertips can tell you a lot, and a few general guidelines can fill in the rest.

Key takeaways

• Toss products that have changed in color, smell or texture, or that have separated, clumped or crumbled.
• Mascara and liquid eyeliner are generally replaced three months after opening.
• Sunscreen has an expiration date. In the US, a sunscreen with no date is treated as expired three years after purchase.
• Vitamin C serums can turn yellow as they oxidize, which is a cue to replace them.
• Cool, dry, clean storage and closed lids help products last as long as they’re meant to.

Why skincare and makeup expire

Products don’t stay the same forever. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) explains that cosmetics break down over time, and that with every use, germs can build up in them. Each time you dip a finger into a jar or pump a wand in and out of a tube, you’re introducing a little air and a few microbes.

Preservatives slow this process down, but they can’t stop it. Once a product has broken down or picked up enough germs, it may not work the way it should. AAD dermatologists point out that old makeup can irritate skin, and that bacteria and mold growing in it can lead to eye infections or skin infections such as impetigo or folliculitis.

How to tell if skincare has expired: 7 signs

If you can’t remember when you opened something, let the product tell you. Based on the AAD’s guidance, it’s time to throw it away if it:

1. Clumps, like a mascara or eyeliner that has gone thick and gloopy
2. Changes consistency or separates, like a foundation with a layer of liquid on top
3. Crumbles or falls apart, like a pressed eyeshadow or blush
4. Smells bad, or just smells different from when it was new
5. Looks dry and flaky, or unusually runny
6. Has changed color
7. Feels different on your skin, for example sticky or gritty where it used to feel smooth, or it starts to sting

One more rule from dermatologists: if you used any eye makeup while you had an eye infection, throw that eye makeup away straight away.

How long do products last? A product-by-product guide

Many products carry a small open-jar symbol with a number and “M”, the period-after-opening (PAO) mark. It tells you how many months the product is meant to be used once opened. If you’re not sure how to read it, our guide to the PAO symbol and how to calculate it walks you through it.

When there’s no symbol and no date, the AAD shares general guidelines for makeup. Think of these as a starting point rather than strict rules, since you may see slightly different timings elsewhere.

Makeup

Product	Replace after opening
Mascara, liquid eyeliner	3 months
BB cream, cream blush, liquid eyeshadow	6 months
Lip gloss, lip balm, lip plumper	6 months
Powder eyeshadow	6 to 9 months
Liquid foundation, concealer	1 year
Lipstick, lip liner, brow powder	2 years
Pencil eyeliner (sharpened regularly), mineral makeup, powder blush	2 to 3 years

Mascara’s short lifespan surprises a lot of people. AAD dermatologist Dara Spearman points to a study that found Staphylococcus aureus bacteria in mascara after three months of use. Liquid products that go near your eyes are worth replacing on time, even if the tube still feels full.

Sunscreen

Sunscreen is one product where the date really matters. In the US, sunscreens are regulated as over-the-counter drugs. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires an expiration date unless the manufacturer’s testing shows the product stays stable for at least three years. That’s why the FDA says a sunscreen without an expiration date should be considered expired three years after purchase. If yours has no date, the AAD suggests writing the purchase date on the bottle.

Sunscreen can also spoil early. The AAD recommends replacing it if you notice an obvious change in color, a different or foul smell, separation into layers, or a dry, flaky texture. Heat speeds up breakdown, so a bottle left in a hot car may not last as long as its date suggests.

Skincare with actives, like vitamin C

For moisturizers, cleansers, serums and treatments, check the PAO symbol and any printed best-before date, and follow whichever comes first. Formulas with active ingredients deserve extra attention, because some of those ingredients are delicate.

Vitamin C is the classic example. A review in the Indian Dermatology Online Journal explains that L-ascorbic acid is unstable and, when exposed to light, oxidizes into a form that gives it a yellow color. If a serum that started out clear or pale has turned noticeably yellow or darker, treat that color change as your cue to replace it. Keeping the cap tightly closed and the bottle out of direct light can help it last.

The same signs apply to every other skincare product. A cream that smells off, a gel that has gone watery or a serum that suddenly stings is telling you something, whatever the label says.

Storage tips that help products last

How you store and handle products affects how long they stay good. The AAD recommends that you:

• Store products somewhere dry and clean, at room temperature and out of direct sunlight. A steamy bathroom shelf or a sunny windowsill is not ideal.
• Wash your hands and face before applying makeup.
• Don’t share products you apply directly to your skin or eyelashes, or that you apply with a brush or sponge.
• Close caps and lids tightly after every use.
• Keep your tools clean. Makeup sponges should be cleaned after every use, and the AAD cites studies showing brushes need cleaning every 7 to 10 days.

For sunscreen, the FDA also suggests keeping containers out of direct sun. When you’re outside in the heat for a long time, wrap them in a towel or keep them in the shade.

A simple habit that makes all of this easier is writing the opening date on each product with a marker. Future you will thank you.

Let Skinchii keep track of expiry dates for you

Remembering when you opened a dozen products is a lot to ask of anyone. In Skinchii, every product on your shelf can have its opened date, period after opening and printed expiry date. The app works out which date comes first, then gathers products into handy Expiring soon, PAO guidance and Expired lists so nothing past its best sneaks into your routine. Gentle reminders arrive before a product’s date, and you can set quiet hours so they never wake you.

Adding products is quick too. Scan a barcode or search Skinchii’s catalog of 4,500+ curated products, or add it by hand if it isn’t there yet. You can also mark a product as finished or discarded when you toss it, so your shelf always reflects what you actually own. Skinchii is coming soon to iOS and Android. Join the waitlist and let your beauty buddy do the remembering.

Sources

• American Academy of Dermatology: When to toss your makeup and sunscreen
• American Academy of Dermatology: Sunscreen FAQs
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Sunscreen: How to help protect your skin from the sun
• Telang PS. Vitamin C in dermatology. Indian Dermatology Online Journal, 2013.

This article is for general information and isn’t medical advice. For persistent skin concerns, see a board-certified dermatologist.