Do Hair Products Expire & Can You Use Them?
We all think about when our food expires, but did you know that hair products expire too?
At the moment, there’s no law requiring hair products to have any expiry date displayed on them, so you might be forgiven for thinking that they last forever but hair products do in fact expire.
Sealed products are considered to be safe to use for up to three years as long as they are stored in a cool dark place. While most of us are not likely to hoard hair products for three years, it can be handy to know if your holy grail hair product ever gets discontinued. Natural hair products may have an even shorter shelf life due to the natural ingredients and fragrances.
This expiry time frame is believed to decrease to 18 months once the product has been opened and exposed to heat, light, air, body heat and body contact so bear that in mind if you have a product that you only use sparingly because it cost so much!
Hair products expire more rapidly when the product is diluted from exposure to drops of water. Try to use bottles with closed tops that give squeeze or pump delivery as this will minimise body contact and water exposure, especially if you’re a fond user of high-end hair products like us. Don’t panic though, your spray products and aerosols expire much slower than other hair products because they are in sealed containers, which means that your sprays can last up to five years!
Not everyone will take three years to finish up their favourite hair products, but if you’ve made an expensive purchase that you use sparingly or if you find a half used bottle at the back of your bathroom shelf one day and you’re worried it’s expired, then the best way to check the expiration is to look, feel and smell it. If it looks any different, if the texture has changed, or if the scent has become a stink then throw it out! If you decide that it’s fine to use then ensure you use it up before the hair product expires. Expired hair products won’t do any damage to your hair but they won’t perform their function properly!
One of the Dirty Looks’ teams best tips for checking if hair products expire is to write the date of purchase and date opened on any bottles of hair products you buy in permanent marker. This way, if you buy a backup of a product and find it a few months later, you’ll know exactly when you bought it and if it’s near it’s expiry date or not!
This might all sound like a lot to think about but at least when you use one piece clip in hair extensions from Dirty Looks, you can guarantee your hair will look good without worrying about products!
Were you in the know that your hair products can expire??
Need more? This Is How Much Product You Should Be Using In Your Hair
Thank you!
Kathy Stone
M+B xx