To find out how long you can keep a body care product, check its packaging: the PAO indicates how long it can be used after opening, while the minimum durability date refers to a calendar deadline. You should also follow the storage instructions. If the smell, colour or texture changes noticeably, stop using the product, even if the stated period has not yet ended.
There is no single storage period that applies to every cream and oil. The right reference point is the one shown on the product in front of you.
An open jar and a date: two different indications
The PAO starts when you open the product
The period after opening, or PAO, is usually shown by a small open jar followed by a duration. The letter “M” means months. This indication covers the period during which the cosmetic can be used without harm to the consumer after opening, under the stated conditions.
Purely hypothetical example: a body care product marked “12M”, opened on 2 October 2026, reaches twelve months after opening on 2 October 2027. This example does not correspond to the PAO of the Crème Hydratante Monoï.
The purchase date does not start this countdown. Closing the product again or leaving it unused for several weeks does not reset the clock either.
The minimum durability date is a calendar date
Often called an “expiry date” in everyday language, the minimum durability date indicates how long the cosmetic, when stored appropriately, continues to perform its original function and remains compliant with safety requirements.
Under Article 19(1)(c) of the European cosmetics regulation, in its original version, this date is required when the minimum durability is 30 months or less. Beyond 30 months, it is not mandatory: a PAO must be shown instead, except when the concept of durability after opening is not relevant.
The date may appear as a month and year, or as a day, month and year. Look in particular for the hourglass symbol or wording equivalent to “best used before the end of”.
The cupping tool that replicates pinching and rolling, 3 minutes per zone
- The professionals' technique, at home: you lift, glide, and release, and the tool grips the skin fold like a manual pinching and rolling
- Soft silicone that fits thighs, buttocks, stomach, and arms
- 3 minutes per zone, every day, always with a massage oil so the tool glides
Which reference should you use for your body care product?
| What you find | How to interpret it | Your decision |
|---|---|---|
| An open jar with a duration | A countdown that starts after opening | Compare the duration with the date you opened the product. |
| A minimum durability date | A deadline subject to appropriate storage | Follow the date and the stated storage conditions. |
| A batch number | A manufacturing identifier | Do not treat it as a date without confirmation from the manufacturer. |
| An indication that is unreadable or missing | Insufficient information | Check the box or contact the brand with the batch number. |
If several indications appear on the packaging, do not choose the one that lets you keep the product for the longest time. Follow the applicable limits and ask the manufacturer for clarification if it is not clear how they work together.
A normal appearance is not enough to extend the product’s life
An unusual smell, a clearly altered colour, a new separation in the texture or suspicious traces are all reasons to stop applying the product. Do not try to “save” it by adding water or mixing it with a new product.
Conversely, a product that looks unchanged is not, by itself, proof that it can still be used beyond the stated reference point. Checking the product complements reading the label; it does not replace it.
The presence of a familiar ingredient does not give you permission to calculate a storage period yourself either. Our article on the role of cosmetic active ingredients explains their function in a product, not how to determine its PAO.
The case of Crème Hydratante Monoï
The manufacturer’s product page for Crème Hydratante Monoï, consulted on 2 October 2026, says to store it away from heat and light. The information consulted does not provide an exact PAO or a minimum durability date specific to your individual product.
You must therefore read your own packaging rather than assign it an assumed period of use. If the reference point is missing or has been rubbed away, contact the brand and include a photo and the batch number. Storage instructions do not constitute a period of use.
Keep track without complicating your routine
As a personal organisational measure, not as a manufacturer’s instruction, you can write the opening date on a small label or in your phone. Also record the PAO when it appears on the product: this saves you from having to find the box again several months later.
Track each product separately. The information for your cream cannot be transferred to a dry oil or to plant oils used for the body. Their place in your routine does not determine how long they can be kept.
Frequently asked questions
Can an unopened body care product be kept indefinitely?
No. The absence of a mandatory date for some cosmetics does not mean they can be stored indefinitely. Follow the available indications and ask the manufacturer for advice about an old product.
What should you do if you have forgotten when you opened it?
Look for a reliable reference, such as a note or a photo. If you cannot establish that the PAO has been respected, do not continue using the product simply because it still smells normal.
Can you finish a product after its PAO?
Do not treat the stated period as a mere suggestion. Once the PAO has passed, stop using the product rather than relying solely on its appearance.
The scrub that leaves skin smooth and skin texture refined*
*User test on 21 volunteers over 4 weeks, based on participants' feedback.
- Olive & apricot kernels: these natural grains gently sweep away dead skin cells
- Caffeine & monoi scent, so your shower instantly smells like a holiday
- In the shower, two to three times a week, massaging your thighs, bottom and stomach
Comments (0)