I bet most of you have a bag full of beauty products and the clothes that you got from wholesale clothing UK.

While food is required to have expiration or “use by” dates clearly marked when it comes to cosmetics products things are a bit more complicated.

Here is what you need to know about beauty product expiration dates.

• Sunscreens: 2-3 years. Make sure you get rid of your sunscreen if you have it for more than 3 years. The active ingredients in sunscreens lose their potency in time, so even if the product smells and looks fine after this time toss it away.

• Perfume and cologne: 2 years or more. But be careful: though they tend to resist quite a long time fragrances can be affected by light and heat. If this happens your fragrance might change its scent.
• Lotions, shower gel, and shampoo: 2 years. Unless containing specialized ingredients to fight acne, dandruff, or other conditions, these products can be kept for quite a long time.
• Anti-aging and anti-acne products: up to 1 year. Be very careful with these types of products. These cosmetics have antioxidants like vitamin C, retinol, and glycolic acid, which break down more quickly than the products’ base ingredients. So be on the lookout for any changes in color.
• Hair-styling products: 3-5 years. You can sit calm on this. Hair-styling products tend to have a long life because many contain alcohol.
• Nail polish: 1 year. Nail polishes are super sensitive to heat and humidity. The chemicals that keep the polish smooth and flexible degrade very easily, leaving the product clumpy or tough.
• Mascara and liquid eyeliner: 3-4 months. Make sure you replace these types of products every 3-4 months to prevent contamination and infections.
• Eye and lip pencils: 3-5 years.
• Lipstick and lip gloss: 2-3 years.
• Foundation: approx. 2 years. Most bottles are designed to last longer than others.

If you want to extend your beauty products’ life there are a couple of things that you can do. All makeup should be stored in a dry, cold climate and it’s best to try and keep them as much as you can in their original box or packaging. This way your beauty products will be safe from sunlight, heat, and air exposure.

Luckily, beauty products don’t usually become dangerous once expired (just becomes ineffective). Expired perfumes and lotions may not smell exactly right and nail polish will not look as smooth as it should.