Bad choice to use an expired hair mask?

[Margarita]

I have a hair mask from Botanic Therapy, the certain one i have is the one with the olive. I bought it around 2-3 years ago, and i used it in the past for a short time. Since i became interested into using a hair mask for a few hours before shower(the hair mask i have says should be applied on hair for 3 mins). My own habit for applying a hair mask is firstly applying to dry hair before washing, and then follows the regular progress of shampoo, conditioner, etc etc. So, do you think its safe to use the hair mask?:confused::rolleyes:

[akurah]

If there is an expiration date on the package, and if that date is more than a month or two past, throw it out. Preservatives will only protect the product from nasty stuff (fungus, bacteria) for only so long and you don't want a spoilt product on your scalp

[lapushka]

I have used products that are over 10 years old. I am typical on here for not looking at expiration dates. Most products I have didn't even have one back then. So there you go.

I would be *very* careful with anything more natural, though - I am careful and do use those things up fast and first!

If the smell is fine, the consistency is fine, go ahead and use it. And if you are doubtful, then don't.

[spidermom]

I agree with lapushka - if the smell and consistency are stable, the product is still usable. Bacteria and fungus give bad odor and discoloration to products; it's usually obvious that they are contaminated.

[bumblebums]

It's probably fine and I'd go by what your nose and eyes tell you, as others have said. Manufacturers tend to err on the side of conservative with expiration dates. And expiration dates are usually arbitrary--not based on any sort of testing or evidence (and moreover, the conditions under which something can spoil are variable and not necessarily based on what's relevant in your case). If you look at a box of cereal, for example, it probably has a date stamped on it that's one year from when the cereal was packaged. It's not as though the minute the clock strikes midnight on December 12, 2020 that your cereal will become dangerous to eat.

[lapushka]

It's probably fine and I'd go by what your nose and eyes tell you, as others have said. Manufacturers tend to err on the side of conservative with expiration dates. And expiration dates are usually arbitrary--not based on any sort of testing or evidence (and moreover, the conditions under which something can spoil are variable and not necessarily based on what's relevant in your case). If you look at a box of cereal, for example, it probably has a date stamped on it that's one year from when the cereal was packaged. It's not as though the minute the clock strikes midnight on December 12, 2020 that your cereal will become dangerous to eat.

That's what I always say, it's not as if these products can tell time, at all.

I mean, I keep an eye on my food as well. Sometimes I can still use something beyond its date, for a few days.

So I would go by your sense of sight & smell rather than by what is stamped on the tub or bottle.

[MusicalSpoons]

Two things:
These dates are not arbitrary, they are based on the chemical composition of the product and indicate how long the manufacturer can guarantee the preservatives last;
These dates are also not prescriptive; the product might well still be fine but you use it at your own risk (and from a commercial point of view, you cannot complain to the manufacturers if you use it after its expiry date and find it's either useless or harmful).

As for food, again they're not arbitrary, they are based on science and mathematical models using known parameters
http://theconversation.com/how-do-food-manufacturers-pick-those-dates-on-their-product-packaging-and-what-do-they-mean-60591
https://www.fsai.ie/faq/shelf_life/best_before_and_use_by.html
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/food/information-for-consumers/fact-sheets-and-infographics/date-labelling/eng/1332357469487/1332357545633
Some dates are based on safety (e.g. meat, fresh dairy, etc) but the majority of dates are a guide for when food will be at its best - so no, your cereal won't make you ill beyond its date, it just might be stale and tasteless if it's quite a way past :p
(Edit: I am not averse to eating food well past its date if it really looks, tastes and smells fine. I'm currently slowly making my way through some puddings that were dated Feb 2018 ;) my digestive system would have definitely let me know if they were even slightly spoiled!)

As for the hair mask, well the fact it's been open for all this time would make me a bit more cautious than if it were unopened and past its date. If you think it seems fine but you want to be sure, maybe do a patch test first and then decide if it's okay for you :)

(Btw, of course products can't tell the time in the way we think of it. But atoms are constantly vibrating so in a way are keeping time! However we measure the passage of time, chemical interactions and breakdown happen according to the laws of physics - and that's why products do not ultimately have an indefinite shelf life, even though we might think of them as inanimate, static things. It just happens that the interactions in what we deem to be non-perishable goods are far, far slower than those in perishable goods.)

[bumblebums]

I know all this, and I still don't think you've convinced me that the dates are non-arbitrary. It is impossible to know with any degree of precision how fast a perishable item will spoil in a residential dwelling, because the humidity and temperature in, say Edmonton, Alberta are completely different from those of New Orleans, Louisiana.

[lapushka]

MusicalSpoons, I have plenty of products that don't even have an expiration date. Not even on recent purchases (Garnier Ultra Doux masks), I just noticed.

[MusicalSpoons]

I know all this, and I still don't think you've convinced me that the dates are non-arbitrary. It is impossible to know with any degree of precision how fast a perishable item will spoil in a residential dwelling, because the humidity and temperature in, say Edmonton, Alberta are completely different from those of New Orleans, Louisiana.

I agree they cannot be exact :) and if stored improperly, food can go off well before its date! (I speak from experience - mouldy chocolates, anyone? :rolleyes:) My main point was that they're not *totally* arbitrary, picked at random - there is some reasoning behind them.


MusicalSpoons, I have plenty of products that don't even have an expiration date. Not even on recent purchases (Garnier Ultra Doux masks), I just noticed.

Ditto, I've only ever seen toothpaste and dental floss have a date, no other toiletries. Most do have an expiration date once opened (usually 12 or 24 months) but again, it's that balance of not being totally random nor exact :)

[Jo Ann]

Heck, I'm using a 30+ year old bottle of baby oil on my hair and haven't had any problems. I've also used decades old shampoo and hand lotion, with no problems.

If it doesn't pass the visual and smell tests, you can try it, but it might not be as efficacious as it would have been when new.

My motto: If in doubt, throw it out. Put another way, if you have doubts about whether the product is still good or would not work as intended, just toss it into the trash bin.

[Joules]

MusicalSpoons, I have plenty of products that don't even have an expiration date. Not even on recent purchases (Garnier Ultra Doux masks), I just noticed.

Maybe it's because manufacturers can't even imagine that there would be someone out there keeping a mask for 10 years before using it? ;)

I personally believe in expiration dates. It is there for a reason. Here where I live you can find expiration dates on literally everything. It's either an expiration date or something like "unlimited shelf life", it's mandatory here. I kid you not, I just bought a new pair of tights that have this phrase on the label. My entire hair care stash is sorted by expiration dates (I made a list of everything), most of it expires in 2021, but I have a few bottles that will expire in 2020, and they're gonna be used up first. I ignore the expiration dates only when it comes to nail polish, no bacteria or fungus can ever survive in those chemicals, the worst thing that can happen to it is discoloration.

Margarita, if the smell and consistency of your mask is ok, then it might still be fresh. Try it at your own risk.

[lapushka]

Maybe it's because manufacturers can't even imagine that there would be someone out there keeping a mask for 10 years before using it? ;)

I kept my Garnier peach & nutoil mask for over 5+ years and it is still A-OK! Nothing wrong with it. Still the same consistency, same smell. My henna Cure&Care masks (non coloring) are fine also and are about a decade old. Just fine. I also have some Gliss Kur masks, between 5-10 are also OK.

You might not believe in expiration dates, but... It's not hurting me. ;)

[Joules]

I kept my Garnier peach & nutoil mask for over 5+ years and it is still A-OK! Nothing wrong with it. Still the same consistency, same smell. My henna Cure&Care masks (non coloring) are fine also and are about a decade old. Just fine. I also have some Gliss Kur masks, between 5-10 are also OK.

You might not believe in expiration dates, but... It's not hurting me. ;)

I didn't say I was totally against using something old :D it's just choices I personally make for myself :shrug: I can be way too cautious.

[Pol]

From making my own beauty products I would add in a note of caution at using 'old' stuff that contains water. Oil based products tend to be a lot more stable and you could easily tell if they've gone off (rancid) as the smell and texture would change. However water based products are much more iffy and can certainly contain mould and fungus spores that are undetectable to our normal senses. Preservatives exist to stop this problem, but they can only delay the inevitable! I should imagine the expiration dates link to the known effective duration of preservatives. Having said all this, you're not eating it or smearing it in your eyes (I hope!), so the risk is probably pretty low.

[lapushka]

I didn't say I was totally against using something old :D it's just choices I personally make for myself :shrug: I can be way too cautious.

Ow don't say that. We all have to decide for ourselves, don't we? :)

[Margarita]

I actually threw it away, i plan to buy a new one someday. Thanks for your advices, guys!