does anyone know the product date code ?
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Sun Nov 25, 2007 6:21 pm

skin care products are just like food, we should consume fresh ones. but when I try to read the product date, I find that's not so easy as reading the food label.

different brands have their own code of the product date, does anyone know any of these rules?

free skin care · Sun Nov 25, 2007 7:40 pm

Good question. I wish I knew! Specially on mascara Smile

free skin care · Sun Nov 25, 2007 8:02 pm

I used to use Clinique Super City Block for my face, and I considered buying some at one of those discount cosmetics stores they have in outlet malls. I asked about the expiration date, and they told me that the code was a Clinique-internal one that only that company could decipher, and that they couldn't make any guarantees as to what it translated to. I think many bigger companies do this so they can re-sell shoddy merchandise exactly like that -- needless to say, I didn't purchase it.

I too would LOVE to know if there were some more universal formula, or equally, if there's some website with code hacking info for us curious gals. Smile

Mon Nov 26, 2007 1:03 am

FDA on Shelf Life and Expiration Date

Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
Office of Cosmetics and Colors Fact Sheet
March 9, 2000; revised October 15, 2002

There are no regulations or requirements under current United States law that require cosmetic manufacturers to print expiration dates on the labels of cosmetic products. Manufacturers have the responsibility to determine shelf life for products, as part of their responsibility to substantiate product safety. FDA believes that failure to do so may cause a product to be adulterated or misbranded.

Voluntary shelf-life guidelines developed by the cosmetic industry vary, depending on the product and its intended use. For instance, a 1980 article by David Pope in Drug and Cosmetic Industry suggested a minimum shelf life of 18 to 24 months "to maximize cost efficiency in warehousing, distribution, and marketing."

The 1984 text Cosmetic and Drug Preservation: Principles and Practice, edited by Jon J. Kabara, recommends testing product stability by evaluating samples at regular intervals for 3 years or longer, depending upon the product.

The European Union's Cosmetic Directive, as amended in 1993, requires expiration dating only for products whose "minimum durability" is less than 30 months.

The shelf life for eye-area cosmetics is more limited than for other products. Because of repeated microbial exposure during use by the consumer and the risk of eye infections, some industry experts recommend replacing mascara 3 months after purchase. If mascara becomes dry, discard it. Do not add water or, even worse, saliva to moisten it, because that will introduce bacteria into the product. If you have an eye infection, consult a physician immediately, stop using all eye-area cosmetics, and discard those you were using when the infection occurred.

Among other cosmetics that are likely to have an unusually short shelf life are certain "all natural" products that may contain plant-derived substances conducive to microbial growth. It also is important for consumers and manufacturers to consider the increased risk of contamination in products that contain non-traditional preservatives, or no preservatives at all.

Consumers should be aware that expiration dates are simply "rules of thumb," and that a product's safety may expire long before the expiration date if the product has not been properly stored. Cosmetics that have been improperly stored - for example, exposed to high temperatures or sunlight, or opened and examined by consumers prior to final sale - may deteriorate substantially before the expiration date. On the other hand, products stored under ideal conditions may be acceptable long after the expiration date has been reached.

Sharing makeup increases the risk of contamination. "Testers" commonly found at department store cosmetic counters are even more likely to become contaminated than the same products in an individual's home. If you feel you must test a cosmetic before purchasing it, apply it with a new, unused applicator, such as a fresh cotton swab.

http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/CosmeticLabelingLabelClaims/LabelClaimsandExpirationDating/ucm2005204.htm

free skin care · Wed Nov 28, 2007 9:07 am

Thanks for all the great info havana!

A few other conventions I've noticed when it comes to date codes:

The little jar with an open lid accompanied by either 12 M or 24 M is a universal symbol indicating how long something can last once it's been opened. I see this most frequently in products made in the USA or Europe.

--- Used in the USA, from an FDA link:
http://www.dhs.ca.gov/fdb/HTML/food/education%20unit/industry%20assistance/IA%20Lot%20&%20Date%20Coding.htm

Julian Date Code: (162 02B)

* 162 represents the day of the year. It is 162nd day from Jan 1st.
* 02 represents the year 2002
* B represents hour period or production batch. Established by the company.

Gregorian Date Code

* July 15, 2002B or 7/15/02B
* Date is self-explanatory.

B represents hour period or product batch

free skin care · Wed Nov 28, 2007 9:26 am

NICE -- this Julian code is the one that baffles me sometimes. How great to have a lesson in cosmetic cryptography. Smile

free skin care · Fri Nov 30, 2007 7:35 am

m...
so on the back of my maybelline mascara it has 2 different #s
234AS1001B & 625N-01

The 01 is common to both of them so I'm guessing it was made in 2001?!

They were B1G1F @ walgreens and they are so dry and clumpy! I'm sure 'technically' they're ok but cosmetically they're not.

Thanks Athena!!
Smile

Wed Apr 21, 2010 12:14 pm

UIve gotten eye infections from old mascara - ycuk! I use Once Opened Beauty Expiration Kit to date my cosmetics. It come with a expiration guide and self laminating labesl to protect the date (using just a makre wont work - not resistatn to oil and smudges/wears off).

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