HOW LONG IS TOO LONG?

[Forever in Bloom]

I was wondering how long everyone kept their products. Until I began purchasing Max Green Alchemy products, I had no idea what that little symbol on the back meant (see pics) that said 12M or 24M on what appeared to be a jar with the lid off (duh, sign #1). When I looked at the back of my MGA shampoo and saw the explanation "Use within 12 months of opening", only then did I realize what those symbols meant, and that my pj-ism must cease before I have a problem on my hands.

There is no way that I could move through all this product I have accumulated, especially now that I rarely use shampoo and most of the CON shampoo I have - along with the other brands I use - says to use within 12-24 months after opening. I'm like, there is no way.

Some brands like VO5 and Suave don't have it (how strong are the preservatives they use I wonder ??) I use these 2 brands for cowashing, so they wouldn't even last for a year I have seen some comments from LHCF'ers in some threads that they have had some products for 2+ years. I'm like Now that I know what that little symbol means, I'm chunking all products I have been hanging on to for some years.

After asking a couple of my coworkers about this symbol, they told me they had no idea what it meant and that they figured they should throw their stuff out. Am I the last one to know what these symbols mean? Let me know is this is a repeat thread - SEARCH ain't workin'!

 

[JustKiya]

If you notice, it says use with 12 or 24 months of OPENING (that's why the lid is tilted......). As long as the seal is still on them, and you haven't started using them, you can keep them as long as you want - but once opened, you should use it within that time.
Rather like makeup - you are supposed to throw it away 18 months after you open it, but you can keep it unopened for ages.

Hope you haven't thrown away too much.

 

[Forever in Bloom]

If you notice, it says use with 12 or 24 months of OPENING (that's why the lid is tilted......). As long as the seal is still on them, and you haven't started using them, you can keep them as long as you want - but once opened, you should use it within that time.
Rather like makeup - you are supposed to throw it away 18 months after you open it, but you can keep it unopened for ages.

Hope you haven't thrown away too much.

That's the thing. I had already opened the stuff to smell it. I'm a PJ, so I hardly leave anything unopened. Now that I know, I haven't opened products that were sealed.

 

[JustKiya]

Ahh, that sucks.

 

[plastic]

Well you learn something new everyday, i have never checked my products for an expiry date and I dont plan to either. When it wastes out then that is when I plan to throw it away .. the empty container that is

eta: unless it smells like ick or the colour has completely changed

 

[Forever in Bloom]

Well you learn something new everyday, i have never checked my products for an expiry date and I dont plan to either. When it wastes out then that is when I plan to throw it away .. the empty container that is

eta: unless it smells like ick or the colour has completely changed

I know. If it smells ok and a green mist doesn't come out when you open it with a skull and crossbones, then it should be usable. It hasn't killed me 'cause I hardly ever throw products away and like I said, this was new info to me up until last month.

 

[Napp]

I always wondered what those meant! thanks for the info

 

[Covergirl5906]

yes that symbol means use within how ever many months of opening...

well I know I am not throwing out certain products even after the time has passed....the PJ in me done went and racked up on some ABBA Moisture Sensation Conditioner I found in Marshalls...I know I am not finishing those anytime soon...

 

[drasgrl]

I have some products that are over five years old. When I came back from overseas I still had a lot of products and I still use them with no ill effects. I threw away some of them but kept most of them. I am not throwing them away I'm using them all up.