BEAUTY BAG: WHEN DID YOU OPEN THAT MASCARA?

The open-jar symbol says 12M. Do you remember when you started using the product? That detail may matter more than when you last tidied your makeup bag.

A clue on the packaging

European rules distinguish minimum durability from the period after opening. For cosmetics lasting more than thirty months, the PAO open-jar symbol indicates safe use after opening, where relevant. Those twelve months begin when you open it, not when it was made.

Note the month you start a product. Discard it if it changes or deteriorates, even if the calendar says it should still be usable.

A batch code is not an expiry date

The batch number identifies the manufacturing batch; it should not be treated as a directly readable expiry date. To understand a code, photograph the packaging and ask the brand: online decoders do not always interpret the correct system.

Check the exact variant for ingredients and allergens. Products sharing a range name may have different formulas.

Fewer open products, less confusion

Choose two or three products you actually use rather than five similar open ones. Know what is in your bag, when you opened it and how it should be stored.

The US Food and Drug Administration advises against sharing eye makeup or adding water or saliva to mascara. Stop using a product if irritation occurs; consult a doctor if discomfort continues.

Before closing the bag, check the label and condition of the product whose opening date you cannot remember. New shopping can wait: today’s mission is knowing what you already own!