FAN MAIL FRIDAYS: Can You Still Use Expired Beauty Products?


A pleasant Friday to everyone! Sharing this interesting and informative Fan Mail Fridays query today from Keisha. She asks:

Dear The Beauty Junkee, 
Hi, I'd like to ask if it's still okay to use expired beauty products or do I really, really have to throw them away. I acknowledge the dumbness of my question, but I am wondering if there's still a chance. 
Here's the background: I have just received a skin care set (Complete from cleanser to serum) from my tita's much- awaited balikbayan box, but it sucks to find out that it will expire at the end of July of this year. I am 90% through with my current skin care products and I'm the type who finishes one thing before moving on to the next-I believe I can start using these near- expiry products by the first week of August so I just want to know if it's still okay to use them like even just for a month? Would appreciate your reply! 
Keisha

Photo Credits: o5.com

Hi Keisha!

Let me start by saying that I feel you-last month, I had to throw away 5 almost full bottles of liquid foundation, but I felt bad for a moment because it seemed that it would be a total waste if I just threw them away-I was actually thinking of keeping and using them for at least three weeks before saying goodbye, but realized that the skin damage, mental, physical, and emotional stress that this act may bring upon me are so not worth it, thus I let them go-it became much easier for me though!

Here are some reasons why you should not use expired skin care products (and makeup too) and I believe they should suffice for you to not reconsider giving them one more chance!

Click READ MORE and I'll tell you why!

Photo Credit: fromscratchtoplate.wordpress.com

1. Preservatives keep a beauty product's integrity intact-they inhibit the growth of bacteria  from the air, your hands, and dust that go into your products as you use them each and every single day. Preservatives are only effective at some point and the manufacturing and expiry date will tell you that-when the product's expired already, that means the preservatives have broken down and can no longer prevent and stall bacterial infection.

Photo Credit: swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com

2. The active ingredients that come in the beauty products will also break down and will no longer produce its promised results and effects. For example: a treatment product, on the day  of (or a few days after) expiry, will just become a regular humectant. This applies to sunscreen too.

Photo Credit: home.howstuffworks.com

3. Expired products smell, feel, and look bad. Need I say more?


Photo Credit: soapqueen.com

4. Expired beauty products may cause minor irritation such as redness, itchiness, and hives.

So Keisha, don't think twice-throw them away! ;)

**Got a burning question about makeups, skin care products, beauty, dieting, and health tips, relationships, and whatever? Just send them to martha.stabarbara@yahoo.com or shoot 'em up at The Beauty Junkee's FB Fan Page via the MESSAGE button and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. (Please, do not send me Math- related queries. :D)

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10 Comments

  1. This is really helpful! I've been contemplating on still using or throwing away my beauty products when they reach their expiration date; now I definitely know what to do.

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  2. One great question and of course answer!
    I've experienced this before and it's really hard to let go those valuable products however I have a sensitive skin so thinking twice could hardly be an option for me.

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  3. I always make it a point that I throw away expired products! Actually 2 years ago, I have decided to use an expired product (a blush on!) because my aunt give it to me as a gift and it is very expensive! my face became dry and pimples try to invade my face! Then I realize expired na pala haha!I consult my dermatologist and regimen was provided and my face goes back to normal! So don't you think twice throwing it away!

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  4. Jean: You're welcome! :)

    Eddielli: WHOA! Good thing your skin has recovered. Thanks for sharing your experience-this has definitely stressed the point of this post. :)

    Betsy: Welcome! :) You're right, gals with sensitive skin should all the more discard expired products immediately!

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  5. I also don't use expired products but sometimes for blushes and eye shadow I don't think I have thrown any but seeing this review I will probably throw it or I will make a DIY nailpolish!

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  6. I'm a compulsive hoarder of makeups so it's really hard to let go of things that I invested on especially expensive liquid foundations. I also have a burning question though. How long does a liquid, gel, powder makeups expire? Some makeups don't show their expiration dates, even manufacture date. I had read one article that for liquid makeups it expire after two years and for powders/dry, up to five years.

    I would appreciate if you can write another article about it. Thank you.

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  7. Marielle: That would be next on FMF! :D

    Carmela! hey, the polish sounds like a great idea!

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  8. this is really informative and helpful and yet sad :( I wish they don't have expiration dates, but how about skin care products like facial wash? I use to have a proactiv refining mask and little did i know that it's already expired after 3 months of usage, and it hurts to throw it away.

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  9. Better careful than sorry. Though I'm a bit of guilty for having second thoughts on throwing pricey and branded items that already expired; this is a wise advice.

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  10. Thanks it can really helps me a lot

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Let me know what you think of this post! :)