Did you know that the way you care for your skincare products can impact their effectiveness? You could be unknowingly compromising your products by storing them incorrectly. Skincare is an investment in the health and beauty of your skin. Proper storage and usage, therefore, are essential to preserving its benefits.

These five tips will help you get the most out of your products by maximizing their effectiveness, preventing contamination, and extending their shelf life.

TIP 1: KEEP YOUR SKINCARE AWAY FROM LIGHT AND HEAT 

Temperature and sunlight can have a much greater impact on your skincare products than you might realize. Exposure to heat and light can cause ingredients to break down, making your products less effective over time.

As a rule, it's best to store your skincare in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight and moisture. Over time run, leaving products on a windowsill, in your car, or near a heat source can lead to the degradation, oxidation, curdling, or even melting of formulas. This is especially true for products containing sensitive ingredients like vitamin C, which becomes unstable in the heat, significantly reducing its potency. Similarly, retinol-based formulas are easily compromised when exposed to high temperatures or light.

Moisture is another factor to watch out for. Excess humidity, such as that from frequent hot showers, can create the perfect environment for bacteria and mould to grow in your products. While you don’t need to relocate your products every time you shower, storing them in a closed cabinet or drawer will help protect them from steam and maintain their integrity.

TIP 2: DON'T TOUCH THE PRODUCT DIRECTLY

Proper hygiene is an important step in maintaining the safety and effectiveness of your skincare routine. Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before handling any skincare products. This simple habit helps prevent the transfer of dirt, oil, and bacteria to both your products and your skin.

When using products in jars, avoid dipping your fingers directly into the container. Doing so can introduce bacteria and other contaminants that multiply over time, especially if the product sits unused for weeks or months. Instead, use a clean spatula or applicator to dispense the amount you need.

For skincare packaged with droppers, be careful not to let the dropper touch your skin. Let the product drip onto your face or hand without making contact, which helps prevent contamination inside the bottle.

TIP 3: SEAL TIGHTLY AFTER EACH USE 

After each use, ensure your product is properly sealed and that caps, lids, and pumps are tightly closed to prevent air and bacteria from getting in. Additionally, don’t forget to wipe down applicators and pumps to remove any product buildup and maintain hygiene.

TIP 4: FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDED SHELF LIFE

Even with perfect usage and storage, all skincare products have a lifespan. Using expired products is never recommended, as it can compromise both safety and effectiveness.

To ensure your products remain safe and effective, there are two key dates to keep in mind:

1. The Expiration Date: indicates how long a product remains safe and stable if unopened.
2. The PAO (Period After Opening): Usually represented by a small open jar icon with a number inside (e.g., 3M, 6M, 12M), this tells you how many months the product maintains full efficacy after opening.

We recommend writing the date when you first open a product directly on the packaging to avoid losing track. Products used beyond their PAO date may no longer be fully effective.

Understanding how these two dates work together can be confusing. For example, if a product has an expiration date one year from now but a PAO of 6 months, you should use it within 6 months of opening, even if it technically hasn’t “expired” yet.

TIP 5: AVOID OVERSTOCKING

Since every product has a shelf life and should be used within that period, it’s best to buy only what you can realistically use in time. Purchasing fewer products at once ensures you have enough time to finish them before they expire, rather than overbuying and letting them go to waste on the shelf. This helps avoid unnecessary waste, both of product and money.