past their best potions and lotions

Not sure whether to post this here or in "Health nd well being"

I am about to go through the bedroon cupboard looking at all the creams, lotions etcv that I have in there with view to perhaps throwing some of the older ones away. Finally discovered the little symbol on some of them indicating how long you should kep them once they have been opened. I've a couple of those Johnson lotions that build up a gentle tan if used daily that I've had 3 years and say they last 12 mths after opening, so I think I'll biin them. (Very un-green anyway!)

But - how rigid do you think I should be about this? In the past I kept things for ages. Do you think I can safely add on about 3 months - if I can remember when I opened them in the first place?

Dodgy one, think things like lipsticks should be thrown, most of the rest I usually just smell & go by that. That is if they are proper shop bought tings.

The more eco & natural things probably do not have the same preservers in so do not keep very well, in fact one of those tiny beer fridges would be good for them!! They are also good for some prescription things as we;;.

Anything you put your fingers into, you have contaminated. so if it has been used I would bin it.

If unopened and unused, I would do as JB suggests...open, sniff , patch test and use it if OK ( but possibly wouldn't with lipstick or mascara)

And no, natural stuff doean't have the shelf life ...and yes storing them in the fridge is a good idea.

Thanks everyone.

I think I will have a good clear out. A lot of it is in squeezy bottles so less easy to contaminate. I bought a lip balm in March, which I am using slowly 'cos I always make sure I've washed my hand before I use it and I reckon if I don't make an effort to use it regularly, that will be thrown out in a few months with not a lot used, which seems very wasteful.

A friend of mine looked at whole lot of her creams under a microscope and was horrified by the contamination.

I've decided to try to be more disciplined about what I buy and use. Trouble ie, I buy things and use them enthusiastically for a bit and then stop. Usually by the time I have shower and go to bed, I am too tired to do much more than wash and dry, all the unguents I hope will beautify me stay in the cupboard

Just off to wash my hands and ammoint my lips.

Anything beeswax or oil based is useful to nourish leather....!