Use After Opening

Sometimes incorrectly called the shelf life or expiration date this is actually how long the product will remain good after it has been opened. In the EU, it's called period-after-opening.

Considering that once the product is opened it is exposed to all sorts of potential contaminants, it is definitely helpful to provide that information to potential consumers. If nothing else, it gives a better understanding of the product and may reduce the possibility of their using a product that has gone bad.

United States

This information is not required on cosmetic products in the US and there are no standards for how it should be stated. In keeping with the EU standards (see below), it's normally stated in terms of months. Some possible options are:

• “Use within 18 months of opening”
• “Discard after package has been open for 18 months”
• Use the symbol (shown above) that is used in the EU.

The informationcan be placed anywhere on the label, but when used it's normally placed on the back, side, or bottom depending on the graphic design of the package.

Europe

In the EU, the period after opening is required only if the minimum durability(Best if Used By Date) is more than 30 months.¹ The time frame is normally stated in terms of months (but that is not absolute).

Determining Product Durability

As with the Best if Used By Date, whether or not you put Use After Opening 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 once the customer has opened it up, and make sure it is long enough for the customer to use the product. An effective preservative system is the first step.