I have seen many shaving creams that comes without an expiry date. Can shaving cream expire? Do they have an expiration date?
Shaving cream expires in 2 to 3 years. It is before opening the product. Meanwhile, after opening the product, it will expire in 6 months.
Perhaps, even after expiring, you can use shaving cream because it won’t harm your body!
The downside of it is that it won’t be as effective as it used to be. Moreover, you might get allergies and breakouts.
To know more about this, let us first know,
Table of Contents
What is the expiry date?
The expiry date is the date until when you can use the product. To understand this, you need to know.
- Before opening the product &
- After opening the product
For example, If the shaving cream has an expiry date of 2 years, It means that it will expire only after two years of opening the product.
Similarly, if the shaving cream has a manufacturing date of 2019.07.09 and expiration date of 2020.07.09, it means that it will expire in 2020.07.09, whether you open it or not.
I have mentioned some products with its expiration date.
| Product | Before opening the product | After opening the product |
| Cleansing products | 30 months | 12 months |
| Sunscreen | Two years | Six months |
| Toner and lotion | Three years | One year |
| Pressed powder | Five years | Three years |
| Shaving cream | Two years | six month |
Hope you get the idea of expiration date!
Mostly shaving cream comes with an expiry date. But if it has no expiry date, it comes with period of time until when you can use it after opening.
Let’s understand some symbols to know more about it.
MFE, MFG, and M – It represents the manufacturing date.
Exp and E – These are the symbols of expiration rate.
BB, BBE, E – These symbols are the period suggested using the product within date.
6M,12M – These symbols represent the expiry date. After opening the product, it will expire after 6 and 12 months, respectively.
What will happen after opening the shaving cream?
When shaving cream gets opened, there is a high possibility of contamination.
It interacts with the outer air and your bare hand. While your hands being dirty, germs stay inside the cream. These germs can deteriorate the cream.
Thus, I suggest you use spatula rather than using your bare hand to prevent the cream from being contaminated.
I also suggest you write the opening date in its cover to remember it! Because most of the time, you will forget the time of opening and you will be using it even after its expiry date.
Apparently, There is no such big deal in it!
However, I recommend you not to use expired shaving cream.
How do you know if it is expired?
Shaving cream Changes its colour.
Generally, shaving cream is white. But after it is being expired, you will notice a slight change in its colour to light yellow.
Fragrance fades away
The fragrance is what makes shaving cream unique. These fragrances provide invigorating feel.
But once it is being expired, fragrance fades away. It will still give the light smell, but it won’t be as good as it used to be.
Foam deteriorates
Shaving cream creates a rich lather that prevents your skin from being cut. After it is being expired, you will notice that the same cream producing thin lather.
Why you can use shaving cream even after expiration
Shaving cream is preserved with preservatives like parabens. Not only shaving cream but all beauty products are preserved with it. These preservatives make it last longer.
There are few reasons; you can use it even after expiring!
- It will still create a good lather to protect your skin.
- You can use it to scrub your face. It works as a great exfoliator.
- It also moisturizes your face if correct ingredients are present into it.
Side effects of using expired Shaving cream
- It can cause breakouts
- Parasites and fungus present into it can cause you to pigmentation
- It can cause allergies, irritation and red skin
It can only harm you if there are chemicals present in it. Meanwhile, if it is made of pure natural ingredients, it can cause less to no harm at all
Conclusion
Shaving cream does expire. Generally, it expires in six month after it is being opened. Otherwise, it expires in two years.
Perhaps, it is being expired; you can use it depending upon the ingredients. While it is expired, it creates thin lather; it changes its colour and fragrance will fade away. Whatsoever, the lather needs to decrease friction will always be there.
If you see any irritation, allergies and breakouts after using expired cream, stop using it immediately!
