Today, on the shelves of stores selling cosmetics, you can find many shampoos, different in composition, from domestic and foreign manufacturers. But not every buyer pays attention to the composition of the product and the shelf life of the shampoo. But in vain. Poor, and especially expired, shampoo will not do any good.
The composition of shampoos
What do modern shampoos consist of? As a rule, they include:
- The water that is used as the main component.
- Surfactants (surfactants). They are responsible for cleansing the hair of dirt, dust and grease.
- Defoamers and thickeners.
- Stabilizers.
- Flavors.
- Additional components that contribute to hydration, the appearance of foam, etc.
The shelf life of a hair shampoo directly depends on the conditions under which it is stored and what it is made of.
Harmful substances
Not only do consumers not think about the shelf life of shampoo. They do not even know that many components of such cosmetics can be harmful and dangerous to health.
The coarsest surfactants are lauryl and laureth sulfates. They promote foaming and are indicated on the packaging by the following abbreviations: SLS, SLES, ALS and ALES. Parabens and mineral oils, which are oil refined products, are also considered very harmful. The latter belong to the first group of carcinogens and can lead to malignant tumors.
Separately, it is necessary to highlight such a cosmetic preservative as formaldehyde. It is toxic, negatively affects the work of the reproductive organs, central nervous system and respiratory system. On packages, it is most often referred to as Quaternium-15, Dowicil 75, Dowicil 100, and Dowicil 200.
Also, many hair products include phthalates. Scientists have proven that they negatively affect the reproductive function of boys. These substances are found in cosmetics for babies and even in powder. Phthalates cause a decrease in testosterone, asthma and lead to infertility. In the countries of the European Union and the USA, it is forbidden to use them in the manufacture of cosmetics.
Ethylene glycol, which is a stabilizer and antifoam, causes metabolic disorders. This is proved by scientists who conducted appropriate experiments on animals.
How much is acceptable to store regular shampoo?
In order not to use an expired shampoo, everyone should know about how much hair washing product can be stored.
So, if the package is open, the shelf life is from eight to twelve months at a temperature of +5 to +20 Λ. If the tube is closed, then it can be stored longer - from 12 to 24 months at the same temperature.
How many products based on natural ingredients are stored?
What is the shelf life of a shampoo that does not contain sulfates? Such a product is made from natural ingredients and does not contain harmful substances. Therefore, the shelf life should be no more than a year. In the course of many years of work by scientists working on a harmless product, it was found that sulfate-free shampoo should not be stored for too long. Each packaging must be given the exact date of production.
Use of expired sulfate-free shampoo - consequences
Conventional shampoos are known to have a long shelf life. And all because such products contain various chemical components and artificial flavors. In addition, they contain sulfates that prolong the life of hair cosmetics. Of course, it is convenient and beneficial for the manufacturer and stores. Sulfate-free substances are not stored for long.
After the expiration date, the effectiveness of the product is lost. In addition, it can become harmful to the hair and scalp. Therefore, it is very important when buying to see the production date. In shampoos made for a long time, the natural components are folded, and they become unsuitable for use.
Can I wash my hair with expired shampoo?
Many consumers are concerned about the question - is it possible to wash my hair if the shampoo has expired? Here, the opinions of experts are shared. Some say that such cosmetics will not do much harm. However, there will also be no benefit from the remedy, as the shampoo will lose its beneficial properties over time. That is, a person will simply wash their hair with a detergent in which there are no necessary vitamins. A consumer who prefers to use natural shampoos should be aware that if the shelf life has expired, then cosmetics will become not only ineffective, but also dangerous. There is no paraben in such a substance, since it is replaced by bronitrol or bronopol. And these chemical compounds become carcinogenic over time.
How to store shampoo?
How to store shampoo? Many leave it on the side of the bathroom, open, but this is wrong. So:
- Cosmetics of this kind should be stored in the bathroom cabinet.
- Water must not be allowed to enter the open bottle, otherwise the structure of the product will collapse and the texture will delaminate. This will lead to a change in consistency.
- Shampoo is considered damaged if the bottle is swollen. In this case, you need to throw it away.
- You should pay attention to how the product smells. Unpleasant aroma suggests that you canβt use cosmetics.
It is important not only to specify the shelf life of the shampoo when buying - how much it can be stored, but also how to do it correctly so that the product does not deteriorate ahead of time and retain useful properties.
We decipher the date of manufacture by code
Each manufacturing company applies a batch code to a shampoo package. Shelf life can be found on it. Batch code is a set of alphanumeric characters and from 2 to 20 in total. They are located at the bottom of the jar, side or top.
The batch code is service information that is usually not intended for the buyer. There are no specific encoding rules; each company applies its own notation. The cipher can contain not only the batch number, but also the manufacturer, the shift number that packaged the product, etc. The code is a tool for identifying the batch. Thanks to this manufacturer will be able to withdraw from the sale of defective or damaged goods.
How to decrypt a batch code?
How to find out the expiration date of shampoo by batch code? It is possible, but not everyone knows about it. So, to get the data you need:
- Seek help directly from the seller who sells the product. He must show the consumer the official decryption of the code marks of the manufacturer.
- Use special tables or applications. If we are talking about large international brands, then this method of updating the data will certainly help.
- Go to decryption sites. Everything is very simple here, since it is enough for the consumer to indicate the brand of shampoo and enter the code. The program will automatically determine the date of manufacture.
Even if the expiration date is indicated on the bottle, you also need to be able to use the code. Quite often, Russian distributors put an end date on a sticker. However, when comparing the data on a piece of paper and a bottle by the code, it turns out that they do not always coincide.
The shelf life of cosmetics must be known, because this will help prevent the occurrence of allergic reactions and other troubles.