Does Shaving Cream Expire?

Shaving cream is a cosmetic product that facilitates a smooth shaving experience by lubricating the skin and hair. To answer your question, yes, shaving cream does indeed expire, just like most hair care and beauty products.

Direct sunlight, heat sources, and moisture can cause your shaving cream to expire quicker due to bacterial growth and the breaking up of the substance mixture. A change in consistency, color, smell and foam production can tell you if you have exceeded the expiry date or not.

In this article, we will be covering the signs your shaving cream has expired and ways you can prevent it from going bad immediately after a few uses!

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Signs That Your Shaving Cream Has Expired

Most people ignore expiry dates and do not pay much attention to them and although using expired shaving cream is not life-threatening, it can cause skin problems. Here are ways you can tell if your shaving cream has gone bad!

Expiry Date

Every product ranging from beauty to food to medication has a specific expiry date which informs you how long the certain product will last and when should you use it. When the date has passed it means the quality of the product will start to decline and you should dispose of it immediately.

The said expiry date can be found printed on the product packaging with varying date formats, such as day/month/year or month/day/year. Furthermore, the expiry date can be written in three ways and these are simplified for you to understand more easily;

• Before Opening the Product: this means that the date listed on the packaging ensures how long the product can be used, given that the product remains sealed and unopened.
• After Opening the Product: this entails the period within which you can use the product to its full capacity after opening it. This can be days, months, or years depending on what kind of product you have.
• Best Before Date: This date informs you how long the product’s quality will be best, after the date has been exceeded, the materials and substances will begin to deteriorate and lose their original condition.  

One must know how to read an expiry date before buying a product so that you do not face any problems regarding the issue later on. Different abbreviations are also used to indicate expiry dates, and these are listed below:

• “MFG”, “MFE” or “M” symbolizes the manufacturing date.
• “EXP or “E” symbolizes the expiration date.
• “BB” or “BBE” symbolizes best before date.

This is knowledge regarding products that do have an expiry date, what about the ones that do not have one? Well, they still expire and can go bad, and here are further ways you can tell that they have gone bad.

Effectiveness

Shaving creams not only make the process of shaving extremely smooth for you by lubricating the skin, but they also leave a soft and fresh texture after you are done.

As time goes on and the quality begins to decrease, it will begin to perform poorly and not work well with different types of razors. It will not provide a smooth, gliding surface and as a result, harsh razor cuts and nicks will start decorating your face and neck region.

Consistency

If there is a change in the consistency level of the cream then it is an indication that it has expired. Shaving creams are a mixture of wax and water which is why it is thicker and creamier. If it is more watered down or creates clumps then it is time to get rid of this shaving cream considering the quality is going bad.

The scientific reasoning behind the mixture of the two liquids going bad is that over time they begin to separate from each other due to bacteria or air. Heat and light are also factors that speed up this phenomenon.

Color

If the shaving cream’s color becomes darker than its usual white to brown or yellow then it is a glaring alarm that the product has gone bad and you need to invest in a new bottle after saying farewell to this one.

Odor

Typical shaving cream has a very strong fragrance, a change in this smell is the third indication of the cream exceeding its expiry date. If the product begins to smell a little funny or rancid from the usual strong fragrance or loses the initial smell altogether then the wise and obvious decision is to get your hands clean of it as soon as possible.

Foam Production

If there is a reduction in foam production then that is also another sign. Typically, a shaving cream produces a lot of froth to provide a protective layer on the skin against razor cuts and to also moisturize it. If the cream expires then the lather production will be low and hence, be an obvious sign of it going bad.

Why Does Shaving Cream Expire?

Before we dive into the tips on how to get the most out of shaving creams, it is important to understand why this phenomenon occurs, sometimes quicker than usual.

Handling

It is more common than you would think for people’s shaving creams to have gone bad before the expiry date elapses. The reason behind this is poor handling of the product and not taking proper care of it.

Many people are careless and do not pay much heed to the product, especially after they have used it. Hastily closing it halfway, not washing your hands properly before using it, and storing it in the wrong place, all are some examples that you should not follow and try to avoid as much as possible.

Shelf Life

All products have a shelf life which roughly translates to the period in which all substances in it are to perform as expected and also be safe for usage. The shelf life can vary depending on how you handle and store it.

In terms of canned shaving cream and pump shaving cream, the former lasts longer, up to 2-3 years when unopened and 6-12 months when opened. The latter lasts for 3-6 months after first being opened.

Ways to Increase the Shelf Life of a Shaving Cream

You can not dodge the expiry date of your product as it is inevitable but you can take measures that will ensure that you can get the most out of your purchase by extending its shelf life. Here are the tips which will make your shaving experience easier!

Storing Your Cream in a Dry Place

Make sure your cream is in a cool, dry area and away from direct sunlight, heat sources, and moisture so that the substances in your cream are less exposed to elements that accelerate the process of mixture breakage in products and promote bacterial growth. An ideal location would be a drawer or cabinet. 

Tight Lid

After opening the cream for the first time, make sure you close the lid tightly after every usage so air, heat, and moisture do not contaminate it. Aside from bacterial growth, the product can also dry out a lot quicker if the lid is not tightly closed.

Avoid Contamination

Instead of your fingers, use a clean skincare spatula to avoid the transfer of any germs and bacteria from your hands into the cream so that the substances in the product do not get contaminated. If you do however still use your hands, make sure they are properly cleaned before you start shaving.

Do Not Share

This tip is given due to the same reasons as the previous point. To avoid spoiling the ingredients in the cream, do not share it with others as they may not be as careful when it comes to using shaving cream as you are. 

Side Effects of Using Expired Shaving Cream

If the shaving cream of your choice is made from all-natural products, then there may be little to no harm done to your skin from using it after the expiry date exceeds. However, if it has various chemicals in it then it can cause several problems.

Breakouts

Expired shaving cream can cause your skin to suffer from breakouts as the ingredients in it are spoiled and may be harboring bacteria in them. So, it is better to avoid any of that and to not use expired shaving cream.

Pigmentation

The bacteria and germs inhabiting your shaving cream due to exposure to air and other pollutants can cause skin pigmentation in the area where the cream is used. 

Allergies

The contaminated ingredients can cause allergic reactions on your skin as well as irritation and itchiness. Red skin is also a side effect of spoiled shaving cream.

Conclusion

A product expiring is a very common phenomenon, one you cannot avoid. What you can do, however, is to follow the tips we have provided to get the most out of the shaving cream and to stop it from going bad before its expiry date.

Try to use most of it before it expires, so your purchase does not go to waste! We hope this guide provided you with the knowledge of shaving cream expiration that you were looking for along with ways you can increase its shelf life.