"Stocking up" - do unopened hair products ever go

mishy · 08-16-2007, 06:06 AM

bad? (sorry, I cannot seem to edit the subject line).

They discontinued my beloved Dove Defined Texture Molding cream (naturally, since it is one of my HGs) but I was lucky enough to find a ton of it at Big Lots the other day, so I stocked up. I now have about 15-20 jars, which should last quite a while provided they stay okay. So I'm curious as to whether unopened containers of hair products ever go "bad", or am I safe?

TIA!

Kaia · 08-16-2007, 06:35 AM

Most drugstore products are loaded with preservatives, so you should be fine. If this was a "natural" products, then I'd worry more about it going bad. Just store the jars you're not using in a cool, dry place (not the bathroom cabinet) and they should last for years.

laurabeth33 · 08-16-2007, 07:11 AM

When my HG face cleanser was discontinued, I bought what I could use within 3 years of the manufacture date stamp on the bottom. Generally, preservatives ensure a shelf life of 3 years unopened. Since preservative lives differ when a product is opened, symbols are being added on products in Europe showing a jar and a number of months (6M, 12M, etc), based on the preservative life once opened. Pots, jars, etc have a much shorter opened-life than other container types since fingers are frequently dipped in.

In contrast, if this product has no water, then the potential for microbes and mold decrease significantly, and I'd say buy all you want.

Cricket · 08-16-2007, 08:13 AM

My tube of BRHG has an expiration date on the cap of 10-07 and I know I've had it a year. Should I toss it at the end of October or what do you think?

laurabeth33 · 08-16-2007, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cricket

My tube of BRHG has an expiration date on the cap of 10-07 and I know I've had it a year. Should I toss it at the end of October or what do you think?

Have you opened/been using it? I'd say you can use it a few months past that, especially if you just opened it within the last year. I've seen some Biosilk products with expiration dates in 2009 recently so I think their dates are running in 2-3 year cycles which is realistic.

If you're in a particularly dry climate, I'd say you could use it 4-5 months after the expiration date since humidity breaks down preservatives (having to fight/prevent mold/mildew) even faster and the preservative expiration dates have to reflect a worst case scenerio.

lazy loops · 08-16-2007, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by laurabeth33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cricket

My tube of BRHG has an expiration date on the cap of 10-07 and I know I've had it a year. Should I toss it at the end of October or what do you think?

Have you opened/been using it? I'd say you can use it a few months past that, especially if you just opened it within the last year. I've seen some Biosilk products with expiration dates in 2009 recently so I think their dates are running in 2-3 year cycles which is realistic.

If you're in a particularly dry climate, I'd say you could use it 4-5 months after the expiration date since humidity breaks down preservatives (having to fight/prevent mold/mildew) even faster and the preservative expiration dates have to reflect a worst case scenerio.

This is good to know since I have the obsessive-compulsive stocking up/hoarding 'gene' otherwise known as product junky-ism.

JessyCat · 08-16-2007, 04:25 PM

I love the fact that I'm not the only one who stocks up! I tend to stock up in fear of a discontinue, though. When something's going out, it makes sad and slightly desperate... I tend to rush into new things to find a replacement instead of stocking up too many leftovers.

Anyway, it's good to know that most of my stock should stay okay! :]

Cricket · 08-17-2007, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by laurabeth33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cricket

My tube of BRHG has an expiration date on the cap of 10-07 and I know I've had it a year. Should I toss it at the end of October or what do you think?

Have you opened/been using it? I'd say you can use it a few months past that, especially if you just opened it within the last year. I've seen some Biosilk products with expiration dates in 2009 recently so I think their dates are running in 2-3 year cycles which is realistic.

If you're in a particularly dry climate, I'd say you could use it 4-5 months after the expiration date since humidity breaks down preservatives (having to fight/prevent mold/mildew) even faster and the preservative expiration dates have to reflect a worst case scenerio.

Thanks for the info Laurabeth. Yes, it is opened and I've been using it for at least a year now. I have so many products in my rotation that many of them have been discontinued or reformulated since I purchased them. This is the only product that I have that has had an expiration date on it though. So far I have had only two cream products start to smell weird all the sudden and I had to toss them (old physique w/cones, and KMS curl cream old formula).

lazy loops · 08-17-2007, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JessyCat

I love the fact that I'm not the only one who stocks up! I tend to stock up in fear of a discontinue, though. When something's going out, it makes sad and slightly desperate... I tend to rush into new things to find a replacement instead of stocking up too many leftovers.

Anyway, it's good to know that most of my stock should stay okay! :]

I stock up when enablers touting the new products are allowed to get to me. I need to get that damn PJ monkey off my back!