Time to Toss Your Skin Care Products? Some simple tips.

I often get asked about when products go bad. Garden Girl products use minimal levels of preservatives to keep them as natural as possible. However, even products jacked up on preservatives can still go bad earlier than you think. So here are a few helpful tips to make sure you are treating your skin properly - and avoiding loading up with sometime undetected bacteria:

1) First, remember that all products have a shelf life. Left untouched and unopened Garden Girl products can last a year to a year and a half, while standard products you purchase will have a shelf life of 2-5 years. This is because the product has not been exposed to anything - it is sealed up and nothing is endangering it except for time. All products eventually will break down and become either less effective or simply rancid.

2) Once a product has been opened the clock starts ticking. Products can be exposed to air, steam, contaminants from the environment and germs from your fingers/brushes etc. This can all not only radically speed up deterioration of the products but also add countless bacteria that you may not realize are there. Consequently you can get irritations and rashes that can be hard to trace back to the product. Check on your labels to see if there is any indication of how long the product should last once opened. On Garden Girl products, we typically recommend that you dispose of an opened product within 4 months but if their exposure to a warm/moist environment (like the bathroom - an environment that easily breeds bacteria) is limited, or you are squirting the product from a pump rather than touching it with your fingers, then it could last up to 6 months. Generally, it's a good idea to be conservative and replenish with fresh product rather than risk getting any reaction. 

3) Regardless of how long you have had the product, always dispose of any product you are using if it looks, feels or smells different from normal. Often discolorations (pink, orange or black) will appear earlier if the product is stored in a humid environment. Other things to look for are "soupy" or watery consistency, or "off" smells. 

Now, the question is - what to do with those expired products?

1) DON'T empty your products into the toilet or wash them down the drain as they can cause problems in your drainage system.

2) The best solution is often to empty them into your trash - I know, not ideal but unfortunately there aren't great alternatives that are safe for the environment. (If you have any solutions I'd LOVE to hear them!)

3) RECYCLE OR REFILL your containers whenever possible. Every Garden Girl product is packaged in a recyclable container. But even better? Refill your container with Garden Girl products - you can purchase refills for nearly every Garden Girl product which reduces waste and saves big money (25%!).

So take a few minutes while "spring cleaning" is still on your mind, and do an inventory of your products. If you remember using them before the New Year, chances are they are ready to be tossed and either refilled or replenished.