A-Z of Cosmetic Ingredients and Terms
‘Best before’ dates are not usually seen on cosmetic products, look out for the ‘open jar’ symbol showing the length of the time the product can be used for after opening.
If a product has a limited shelf life (less than 30 months - two and a half years) it is required to be labelled with a 'best before' date.
"Best before" dating is not common as most cosmetic products are formulated to ensure they have a long shelf life.
Durable cosmetics, those with a shelf life of at least 30 months, are in the majority. For these products, a symbol introduced by the industry in conjunction with the authorities recommends the length of time a product remains useable after opening. This period is referred to as the 'period after opening' (PAO). The period is given as a number of months and is marked with a letter 'M' under or within the 'open jar' symbol. When a PAO symbol is required this will appear on the product itself and on the outside packaging.
In practice, most cosmetic and personal care products are formulated to ensure that they are safe to use and have a shelf-life which far exceeds the normal time it would take to use the product up.
Read more in the section Understanding Cosmetic Product Labels.
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