Like other consumer products, skincare products have a product shelf life. Shelf life depends on various factors from the ingredients to packaging and storage.  Currently, the FDA does not require expiration dates for cosmetics and skincare products. However, we do put expiration dates on our products.  Skin Actives’ products have a product life from 6 to 12 months. You can find the expiration date by looking at the container. 

We ensure that any product we sell has enough of a shelf life left to make sure you can use it in a reasonable amount of time. For example, if a product has a shelf life of 12 months as most of our products do, we will not sell it past the 6-month point. 

Is it unsafe to use Skin Actives products after the expiration date? We do not recommend using any products past their expiration dates. We cannot guarantee the effectiveness of the product after the product expires.  Certain products have active ingredients that are inherently vulnerable to the effects of heat or sunlight. For example, Vitamin C Ascorbic Acid is highly unstable so we package our Vitamin C Serums and other products in airless pumps to help maintain the ingredient’s purity.

Why is Skin Actives’ shelf life less than other similar skin care products? Most products you find in drug stores, mass merchandisers and large chain stores must have a longer shelf life to be able to sit in warehouses and on store shelves for extended periods of time.  Since we sell direct to consumers on our website, we can and do make our product in small batches which tend to sell through quickly.  So, we do not need to add in a lot of preservatives and fillers. And as a bonus, we can fill our products with more active ingredients to deliver a more effective product to you.  However, that does mean that they will not last as long as some other products you purchase. 

Will heat exposure from shipping cause my products to become ineffective? Skin Actives takes the best care with our products to maintain their freshness and integrity.  We keep the finished product in a temperature-controlled environment until it ships out our doors. However, we cannot guarantee the effectiveness of the product after it leaves our warehouse.  In most cases, your products can withstand some variance in temperature without a negative impact.  We ship our products globally and we rarely have a problem with the freshness of the product.

How do I know if my skincare products have gone bad? Generally, the shelf life of a product is determined for an unopened product.  Once the product is opened and air and bacteria may begin to gradually degrade the ingredients, you may notice some changes in your product. To determine if a skincare product is getting too old, it may be time to toss it out if you notice separation, discoloration, or a different odor. 

What do you recommend to ensure the products maintain their effectiveness? We recommend you protect your products by keeping them firmly closed and away from direct sunlight. Wash hands thoroughly before scooping cream from a jar to prevent the spread of bacteria or use an applicator to help reduce contamination.  To further protect your products, you may store them in your refrigerator.

If you have any other questions or concerns about the life of our products, please email us at info@skinactives.com. We are happy to help!