Information about Expiration Date in Korean Cosmetic Products
When buying cosmetic products, it is always advisable to check the expiration date or in the case of Korean skincare products, the manufactured date. Expired products can cause you skin rashes or irritations, so please be aware.
Don't be alarm when you see that the product you just bought is dated the same year or last year in the label upon purchase. Koreans usually use the manufacturing date instead of the expiration date in the products.
This is how you can distiguish the two dates, which are usually found at the bottom of the product:
If you see the Korean word "제조," this is the manufactured date.
If you see the Korean word "까지," this is the expiration date.
There are two ways a product could expire: before you open a product and after opening the product.
Below is a guideline you can use. But keep in mind that each product can have a different shelf life that differ from the guideline below. Always check the package and the labels. And also check the consistency, color and texture of each product before use.
Product Types/Shelf life
Toner, lotion, cream, essence, serum, eye cream, sunscreen
|
Before opening: 30 months
After opening: 12 months
|
Cleansing foam, cleansing cream, cleansing oil, tissues or wipes
|
Before opening: 30 months
After opening: 12 months
|
Lips stick, lip gloss, lip balm
|
Before opening: 30 months
After opening: 6-18 months
|
Mascara, eye liner
|
Before opening: 24 months
After opening: 6 months
|
Eye shadow, concealer, blush, foundation, base
|
Before opening: 36 months
After opening: 12months
|
Compact powders
|
Before opening: 60 months
After opening: 36 months
|
Sheet masks
|
Before opening: 12 months
After opening: use immediately
|
For a more detailed information about the expiration dates of Sheet Maks, please read this informative blog