📅 Skincare Expiry Date Tracker
Enter the date you opened a product and the number on its open-jar symbol (like 6M) to see its use-by date, days remaining, and whether it's fresh, expiring soon, or expired.
🔧 Track Your Product's Shelf Life
What is an Expiry Date Tracker?
Skincare and makeup don't last forever once opened. An expiry date tracker uses each product's Period-After-Opening — how many months it stays safe and effective after the seal is broken — to tell you when to replace it. That protects you from irritation and from wasting money on products that have lost their punch.
Enter when you opened a product and the maker's PAO number (plus the printed expiry date if there is one), and this tool calculates the use-by date and flags whether it's fresh, expiring soon, or already expired, so your shelf stays safe and your actives stay effective.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Period-After-Opening (PAO) symbol?
The PAO is the little open-jar icon on cosmetics with a number and an M, like 12M, telling you how many months the product stays good once opened. This tracker uses the number on YOUR product's symbol, never a typical value, because the FDA says "FDA considers determining a product's shelf life to be part of the manufacturer's responsibility." If the pack also prints an expiry date, whichever date comes first rules.
Why does mascara expire so much faster than other products?
Mascara goes on and near the eyes and the wand repeatedly pumps air and bacteria back into the tube, so it has one of the shortest shelf lives. The FDA says: "Manufacturers usually recommend discarding mascara two to four months after purchase." Using it past that point raises the risk of eye irritation and infection, which is why it carries a much shorter PAO than a serum or moisturizer.
Can I use a product after its opening date?
It's best not to. After the PAO window, preservatives weaken and the product can grow bacteria, oxidise, or lose effectiveness, especially active-rich serums. For sunscreen, go by the expiration date printed on it. When in doubt, trust your senses too — discard anything that smells off, changes colour, or separates, even before the date.