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Throwing cosmetic products away hurts a lot, especially when there`s half a bottle left unused, but knowing when to toss away skin care products keeps one away from skin infections and other potential problems. Most of the cosmetic products come with expiration dates on their packs; however, the date mentioned is often regarded up until the time the package isn`t opened. One must keep track of the time a particular product has been in use and learn to discard it afterwards. Here is a little help:

Cleansers should not be used any longer than a year from its manufacturing date. Cleansers contain ingredients like retinol as well as alpha hydroxyl acids that can increase in potency over time.

Like cleansers, moisturizers should also be used for only a year.

Sunscreen, if stored in cool places, is good to use for up to a year after opening the bottle. However, one must ensure that it`s not past the expiration date mentioned on the label. Plus, when on the beach, sunscreen should be only be stored in a cooler and those sitting left out must be thrown away immediately.

Acne treatment products should be used for four to six months. These products contain two active ingredients – Benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid – known to the most effective pimple cures. Both these ingredients decay early, therefore, one must store them in a refrigerator for better results.

Exfoliating scrubs can be used up to two years. While these scrubs are made of imperishable ingredients that last long, but an open tube can become infected with bacteria overtime.

Retinoid creams must be tossed after nine to eleven months.

Peels and masks lose their effectiveness after three months. It`s the time when their active agents like glycolic and fruit acids become irritating because their buffering agents start evaporating.

Serums have a life of a year. Some serums come with highly unstable ingredients which have a shorter life span. Manufacturers usually put this piece of information on the products. However, one should keep looking for signs like bad odor or change of color.

Natural skin products are considered to be long lasting as they are made of natural ingredients. What most people don`t know is that the preservation system for natural products is not as strong as for the conventional products. This reduces the shelf life of many products. One must be careful while using these products and always watch out for unusual colors, smell or consistency. 

Tags : Women, scrubs, skin creams, peels, retonoid