PDA

View Full Version : Expiry dates



RubyTuesday
November 17th, 2015, 07:12 AM
I went to use my coconut oil the other day and noticed that the expiry date is November 2015 (now, basically). I have only used half of the jar and do not want to throw it away as that seems silly. I do not use if for cooking, only for my hair and my skin. Will the product still be OK for some time or not? It will probably take me another 4-5 months to use up the rest of the oil. Will the product continue to be beneficial for my hair/skin or will it have deteriorated to the extent that it will be pointless for me to keep applying it?

Any knowledge would be gratefully receieved. I would also be interested to know about other face/hair oils such as argan, avocado and almond.

Nique1202
November 17th, 2015, 07:28 AM
As long as it looks and smells fine, it's probably fine to keep using, especially if you're not eating it. Dates on products often say "best before" or "expiry" but products themselves are only guaranteed to be fresh and at optimal quality until that date, that doesn't mean that after that day or month that it's not safe to use under any circumstances. You'll have to use your own judgement, but smell, texture, and appearance are good indicators. If you have any doubts, you can throw it out later, but if it still looks good then I'd keep using it.

Anje
November 17th, 2015, 07:37 AM
It doesn't magically go bad on that date. It's just more likely to go bad after that point -- with oils, that usually means rancidity (associated with oxygen exposure and moisture). If it starts to smell terrible, stop using it. Otherwise, I see no reason why you shouldn't keep at it.

lapushka
November 17th, 2015, 08:49 AM
What the heck does the product know about a date anyway. It's not like oh it's November, time to go bad all of a sudden. No. I'd keep using it as long as it looks (consistency) and smells okay. That's the standard I go by for any product. More natural products, I tend to keep more of an eye on than say regular conditioners & shampoos and such. I always ignore the date and look at the product itself.

I have Gliss Kur masks to use up right now. They are *years* old, they don't even make them anymore, and I have about 6 to use up. Unscrewed the lid and what was inside definitely was still okay (not separated, no odd stuff). So...

hanne jensen
November 17th, 2015, 09:02 AM
What the heck does the product know about a date anyway. It's not like oh it's November, time to go bad all of a sudden. No. I'd keep using it as long as it looks (consistency) and smells okay. That's the standard I go by for any product. More natural products, I tend to keep more of an eye on than say regular conditioners & shampoos and such. I always ignore the date and look at the product itself.

I have Gliss Kur masks to use up right now. They are *years* old, they don't even make them anymore, and I have about 6 to use up. Unscrewed the lid and what was inside definitely was still okay (not separated, no odd stuff). So...

I have make up products that are older than my daughter (32) and still going strong. Nothing at all wrong with them. As for coconut oil, as long as it doesn't smell funny or feel "grainy" it's ok. I have poos and conditioners that are over 5 years old and haven't "turned" yet.

Nique1202
November 17th, 2015, 09:07 AM
I have make up products that are older than my daughter (32) and still going strong. Nothing at all wrong with them. As for coconut oil, as long as it doesn't smell funny or feel "grainy" it's ok. I have poos and conditioners that are over 5 years old and haven't "turned" yet.

I mostly agree, but sometimes coconut oil can feel grainy if it's melted and cooled again, the same way butter and ice cream do. I know I had a jar do that and it was still just fine. :whistle:

Sarahlabyrinth
November 17th, 2015, 12:34 PM
I'm sure it will be ok as long as it looks and smells good. I just used some mayonnaise which expired over a year ago in a hair masque. It still looked and smelled fine, so I used it. Besides, it wasn't as though I was eating it.

Anje
November 17th, 2015, 01:22 PM
There are rules, particularly for food products, that pretty much specify what shelf life they can mark. I believe in Europe, cosmetics must also be marked with an expiry date. It's a guideline, and I suspect it has more to do with the general type of the product than your container of it.

It's not like I'd advise drinking milk a month or two after its date (though I do eat yogurt without much regard for it....), but I don't see any problem with you using the coconut oil till it's all gone, assuming it seems OK.

parkmikii
November 17th, 2015, 01:23 PM
It's definitely ok to use it. I too have a few oils like macadamia and avocado that 'expired' a few months ago yet I still use them in hair masks and as leave in just fine :)

irodaryne
November 17th, 2015, 02:06 PM
Last month I found a full jar of coconut oil in my parent's pantry that was marked to expire June 2014.... Needless to say I went "well it may not be used for food anymore but this will be perfect for my hair!"

So long as it smells alright, go ahead and use it. And since you're not using it for cooking, what's the worse it can do, make you smell a little funny?

RubyTuesday
November 17th, 2015, 04:14 PM
Thank you everyone. It was really more of a Will the oil still be beneficial? type of question rather than a Gah, will it make my hair fall out type of question. I realise that applying it probably does no harm but if it expires by a certain date does that mean over the coming weeks it will do nothing for my hair or skin and lose its moisturising or nourishing properties.... if that makes sense.

Sarahlabyrinth
November 17th, 2015, 04:24 PM
Well, no, I'm sure it will still be fine.

irodaryne
November 17th, 2015, 05:07 PM
Thank you everyone. It was really more of a Will the oil still be beneficial? type of question rather than a Gah, will it make my hair fall out type of question. I realise that applying it probably does no harm but if it expires by a certain date does that mean over the coming weeks it will do nothing for my hair or skin and lose its moisturising or nourishing properties.... if that makes sense.

My oil that expired well over a year ago works just fine, so I think you should be alright.

Llama
November 17th, 2015, 08:53 PM
I have thrown out my coconut oil when it started to change color at the bottom of the jar. I'm not sure if that meant it expired, but it turned kinda yellow and so I got rid of it. I'd say as long as there are no flags like that or a bad smell then it is probably fine.

RubyTuesday
November 18th, 2015, 02:36 AM
I have thrown out my coconut oil when it started to change color at the bottom of the jar. I'm not sure if that meant it expired, but it turned kinda yellow and so I got rid of it. I'd say as long as there are no flags like that or a bad smell then it is probably fine.

Thanks. I wanted to say how lovely your hair is - you must be so pleased with your yearly progress.

Anje
November 18th, 2015, 05:34 AM
Thank you everyone. It was really more of a Will the oil still be beneficial? type of question rather than a Gah, will it make my hair fall out type of question. I realise that applying it probably does no harm but if it expires by a certain date does that mean over the coming weeks it will do nothing for my hair or skin and lose its moisturising or nourishing properties.... if that makes sense.

Sure. Its benefits are because it's an oil (saturated, largely 12 carbon hydrocarbon chains that absorb into hair a bit). That won't change, and fatty acids are pretty stable. It should be OK. Nutrients in food (vitamin C comes to mind) tend to break down readily so foods do lose nutritional value over time, which is why canned food has expiration dates, but oil should be OK.

RubyTuesday
November 18th, 2015, 07:28 AM
Sure. Its benefits are because it's an oil (saturated, largely 12 carbon hydrocarbon chains that absorb into hair a bit). That won't change, and fatty acids are pretty stable. It should be OK. Nutrients in food (vitamin C comes to mind) tend to break down readily so foods do lose nutritional value over time, which is why canned food has expiration dates, but oil should be OK.

Perfect reply :)
Thank you (and everyone else)