How Long Does Shampoo Stay Good?(Does Shampoo Expire) • Living Gorgeous

We spend some of our most relaxing times lathering up inside the shower, soaking our bodies in that warm trickling water; easing the aches of the day away. But, how many times have we tried to check the things that make up our shower house?

Definitely, we are asking about those bottles of shampoo. Some bottles from several years ago are still kept around, probably for a rainy day the moment you run out? Does Shampoo actually go bad or expire? Here’s all you should have knowledge of.

Does Shampoo Expire? To be honest with you, shampoo actually does go bad. In general, a shampoo can last for between twelve months and three years as soon as it has been opened. But it can last for three to four years when it has not been opened. Although some shampoo may not last up to this said period.

How Long Does Shampoo Stay Good?

As said earlier, shampoo does go bad; the duration is majorly determined by the amount of chemical or natural ingredients that are contained in it.

As several brands have their own unique chemical or natural ingredients, it is suggested that you do away with shampoo bottles that you do not make use of frequently between a year or two.

When you set your eyes on an expired bottle, you should have the ability to recognize it; the odor starts to become unpleasant, or the substances in it start to separate.

Another sign you can use in recognizing an expired shampoo is that it would not work like it used to. That is, you have to continuously make use of the product in order for you to just get the same effect that you used to.

As we generally know, there is a method you can use in determining how satisfactory your shampoo is by just checking for the place where there is a list of ingredients on the label.

An icon which looks like a spam container or jar might be there, having a number which indicates the product’s shelf life.

This may be seen as “12M” or “24M.” In which 12 indicates that it can last up to twelve months, which is equal to a year after opening, and the 24 indicating that it can last up to two years after exposure to the environment.

Even with a seal that is ironclad, shampoos which are left to stay without heat or sunlight will still most purely expire after three to four years. There will be a degeneration of the fragrance over time, which will most likely be as a result of oxidation. This also applies to preservatives.

However, we strongly recommend that your products are kept in a cool and dark place. If you feel the product looks like it can be used even after about three years, you are free to test it at your own discretion. (To be honest, I won’t try that because three years is kind of long!)

You can also test it out if it still has the same fragrance as it used to, and if you need to use more and more of the product to wash your hair thoroughly. If you have chosen to make use of products which have passed the three-year mark, try to quickly use them up.

Now that you know that shampoo does go bad, here are some other things you need to know about expired shampoo. You will have more knowledge about expired shampoo, and you will also be surprised by some amazing things you can do with expired shampoo.

More: Does Hair Dye Expire

How to Know if Shampoo Has Gone Bad?

A sure way you can use in knowing if shampoo has become bad and is ready to be disposed of is an obvious change in its constituency and color.

If a bold or sometimes slight change is noticed by you in the consistency or color (in some cases both) of your shampoo, it is probably time for you to throw it in the trash bin.

I started probably simply because the color of your shampoo can change due to it being exposed to sunlight and sometimes air.

So, if you see some kind of change in its consistency and color, yet you’ve not been with that particular shampoo for a long period of time, it’s more or less likely because of exposure. Almost all products which react in this manner to air and light normally come with a warning, so you don’t need to be worried too much about that.

Some shampoos normally fail to completely create lather after they’ve gone bad, while some others will have a very bad odor, it’ll be very difficult to ignore. When any of these changes are noticed, breathe deeply, then throw it out now and accept the fact that it is time to get a new one!

After How Long Should I Opt for Another Shampoo?

I’m sure that you know that there are several types of shampoo, and each of them has several purposes. For example, there are the shampoo for sensitive skin, volumizing shampoo, cleansing shampoo, Straightening Shampoo and even the ones which are used for co-washing.

Almost all of us are guilty of the fact that we cling to products which are very good for us, and that’d m include shampoo. While there’s no issue for you to have a shampoo you love most; when you make use of just one continuously, you may make your hair tired and dull.

Just as you are meant to change your treatment to get rid of monotony and addresses several hair needs; it is best for you to change your shampoo for this particular reason also.

To give a response to your question, your shampoo can be changed every two months or immediately the bottle you are using now gets finished. Shampoo can also be interchanged in between wash days, which is dependent on the needs of your hair.

It doesn’t matter the way you do it, as long as you do not stay with just one shampoo for six months or more. It is possible you are giving your hair too much of just one shampoo, and as they say, it is poisonous.

Is it Safe to Make Use of Shampoo Even After it Has Gone Bad?

Again, this may look like a silly question, but you’ll be astonished by the number of individuals who ignore these signs and continue making use of the shampoo that has gone bad. To say at least, this is counter-productive to the health of your hair.

Just like every other product, chemicals (both good and bad) are used in the production of shampoos. When the shampoo expires, it denotes that the chemicals in the shampoo have changed. This can be in the instance that every healing nutrients in it have died or even worse, your shampoo has switched to a mixture lf hair killing chemicals.

This would most likely result in several hair problems like your hair as mild as dryness, and other issues as severe as hair loss. I do not feel there’s anything more to include; just throw it off if it’s expired.

Does Bad Shampoo Smell?

When your shampoo emanates a smell which is not the same with its original smell, it is a clear indication that the shampoo has gone bad.

In several cases, the shampoo which has really gone bad will give a very awful smell. Nevertheless, they kind of go bad prior to an awful smell coming out of them. It’s therefore in your hands to notice some other signs when your shampoo has gone bad, and act accordingly.

Can Bad Shampoo Cause Damage to Your Hair?

Though I’ve talked about this before, I want to buttress on this point. Imagine you ate a food that has gone bad, one thing is for sure, and that is the fact that you will have a stomach upset or even worse, a bad issue of food poisoning.

It is more or less similar to a shampoo that has gone bad, and you are highly at risk of possibly having an infection.

Infection varies from shampoo to another, or even an individual to another. To be on the safer side, make sure that you don’t store a shampoo that has gone bad due to the fact that you may develop the strong urge of using it.

General Tips to Consider

Smell your shampoo and check it’s color and texture.
Prevent direct sunlight from reaching your shampoo, and seal them tightly.
To prevent contamination, buy shampoo that has a delivery system that is closed, like a pump or spray bottle to reduce environmental factors.
Use a water-resistant marker or texter to label your shampoo with the day you bought it and the first day you used it.
Organic and natural shampoo are required to be kept in a dark and cool environment way more than regular shampoo.

When shopping for a shampoo, take a look at the bottle. Can you see some specks of dust on it? If yes, that’s a good sign that it had been there for quite a long time. This is most likely true especially when you are given a heavy discount on the product, so be sure to be wary of it.

Shampoo which has gone bad could have harmful bacteria that keeps you on the verge of having an infection if you have an open sore, or even an itchy, dry scalp.

Unexpected Ways You Can Make Use Of a Bad Shampoo

As astonishing as it may seem, there are actually several ways you can make use of an expired shampoo. This is mostly when the seal has not been opened yet.

Similarly, if mold or bacteria have not infested your expired shampoo, then you can begin making use of it in some other ways instead of throwing it out.

Manicure and Pedicure

Were you aware that you can make use of expired shampoo to do manicure and pedicure? Now you are aware. All you are required to do is just to mix some of the shampoos with water.

The shampoo should just be enough to make a foam and lathe. After that, soak your hand and feet in the prepared solution. In some minutes, your hand and feet will be soft; then you can now scrub them using a soft brush.

Bubble Bath

If an expired shampoo still has a good smell, it can be used for a bubble bath. Well, you do not need to be worried about not having a shower gel anymore. If your shower gel just finished, and you do not have another one, then you can make use of your bottle of expired shampoo. It is great as a nice substitute for soap.

Use as a Shampoo for Your Pets

You do not have a pet shampoo for your dog or cat? You do not need to worry anymore. If there is an expired shampoo in your possession and it is still quite good; it can do the same thing as your regular pet shampoo. You will see that it cleans perfectly, just like a pet shampoo.

Cleaning the Bathroom and Shower Curtains

When a shampoo is expired, it will still do an amazing job when it has to do with your stained and dirty curtains. It can amazingly remove stains from hair sprays. In addition, when you need to clean your bathroom, you can make use of that bottle of expired shampoo that you have forgotten which is just sitting there.

It cleans every area of the bathroom quite well, either it’s the window glass, bathtub, the mirror, and tiles on the wall. That sparkling clean bathroom can still be had without making use of the usual stain removers.

Some Laundry

Laundry? Who would have thought that they can use expired shampoo for laundry? Even though it can’t be used for every laundry, it can help in cleaning some. Prior to you using an expired shampoo on your laundry, check and make sure that no molds have been formed in them.

You can make use of it to wash stockings, socks, toys, and tights. In addition, you can choose to make use of it when you want to soak your floor mats or carpet.