"Best If Used By" Date

Also called the shelf life, expiration date, date of minimum durability, best used before the end of date, or BBE, this is the date by which the product should be used. In theory, after this date, the product is no good and shouldn’t be used. Providing the expiration date to the customer considered good practices, and it gives the consumer a better understanding of the product.

United States

While it's obviously a good idea, putting the expiration date on a cosmetic product is not required in the US. There are no specifications on how it could or should be stated. Some ways to put it on the label are:

• Expiration date: 31 December 2025
• Best if used by 31 Dec 2025
• Use before 31 Dec 2025
• Best if used before the end of December 2025

Be sure the date is not ambiguous by spelling out the month or using a date that can't be confused. 1/31/2025 or 31/1/2025 are clear, but 1/10/25 could be either January 10thor October 1st.

The symbol required on European cosmetics may also be used.

The expiration date can be placed anywhere on the label. Normally, it's placed on the back, side, or bottom depending on the graphic design of the package.

Europe

In the EU, the product durability (shelf life) is required on the label if it is less than 30 months.¹

It must be stated either with the durability symbol (as specified in the EU regulation) or by the words "best if used before the end of". The date must be the month and year or the day, month and year (in that order).

In the EU, there is an additional requirement that if the product doesn't required the best if used by date (because the durability is more than 30 months) then it requires a "use after opening" date.

Determining Product Durability

Whether or not you place the expiration date on your product label, it's always a good idea to know what it is. You should, as part of your product research and development, determine how long the product will be good when stored under normal circumstances.

Sending your product out to be tested is one way to do this. You can also get kits to do "challenge testing" where the product is subjected to different situations to test the preservative system. The simplest (albeit least reliable) way to to make some product, set aside several samples, and and check them over time for stability.

However you do it, knowing how long your product will last is a vital part of making sure the products you sell are safe and do not become adulterated.