Cosmetics Shelf Life, PAO & Expiry: Stock Guide

Short answer

Cosmetics carry two kinds of shelf life: the expiry or "best before" date printed on the pack, which applies to unopened products, and the period-after-opening (PAO) symbol, an open jar with a number such as "12M", which tells customers how many months the product lasts once opened. Shops should track batches and expiry dates, sell first-expiry-first-out, keep stock away from heat and sunlight, and manage testers and shade variants carefully.

Expiry date vs PAO

	Expiry / best before	PAO (period after opening)
What it looks like	A printed date, sometimes with an hourglass symbol	An open jar symbol with a number and "M" (months)
Applies to	Unopened product	Opened product
Who manages it	The shop (and the customer before opening)	The customer, after opening
Typical use	Products with shorter shelf lives (often under 30 months), sunscreen, actives	Most cosmetics

Rules on which products must carry which date differ by country; follow the labelling on the products you stock and your local regulations.

Typical shelf lives

Typical ranges
Product	Typical unopened shelf life*	Common PAO*
Mascara, liquid eyeliner	2–3 years	3–6 months
Foundation, concealer	2–3 years	6–12 months
Moisturisers, serums	2–3 years	6–12 months
Products with vitamin C or retinol	Often shorter; check the date	3–6 months
Sunscreen	Printed expiry date	6–12 months
Lipstick, lip balm	2–3 years	12–24 months
Powders (blush, eyeshadow)	2–3 years	12–24 months
Fragrance	3–5 years	24–36 months
Hair relaxers and dyes	Check the date	Single use or as labelled

*Typical ranges only. Always follow the date and PAO symbol on each product.

Storage

Keep stock out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources; shop windows can get very hot.
Store back stock in a cool, dry room, not in a hot store.
Rotate stock first-expiry-first-out, especially sunscreens and active skincare.
Keep products sealed; damaged seals mean the product can't be sold as new.

Shades, sizes and variants

A foundation range might have 30 shades in two sizes: 60 items that each need stock and reorders. Treat each variant as its own stock item with its own barcode, grouped under one product for reporting. Reorder by variant, and review slow shades quarterly so the range doesn't fill up with colours nobody buys.

Testers and samples

Testers are real stock leaving the saleable shelf. Move them out of stock with a reason ("tester") when opened, so stock counts stay accurate and the cost shows up in your margins instead of as an unexplained loss. Replace testers on a schedule; old testers put customers off.

Tracking it in poso

poso handles variants with their own barcodes and stock, batch and expiry tracking on the products that need it, first-expiry-first-out selling, tester write-offs with reasons, loyalty at the till and margin by brand. See cosmetics and beauty shop software and batch and expiry tracking.

Cosmetics shelf life questions

Do cosmetics expire?

Yes. Unopened products have a shelf life shown by an expiry or best-before date (or assumed to be long if none is printed), and opened products should be used within the period-after-opening (PAO) shown by the open-jar symbol.

What does 12M on cosmetics mean?

It is the period-after-opening (PAO): the product should be used within 12 months of opening.

How long do cosmetics last unopened?

Many cosmetics last around 2–3 years unopened when stored properly, but products with active ingredients or sunscreen can be shorter. Follow the printed date.

How should a beauty shop store stock?

Cool, dry and out of direct sunlight, sealed, and rotated first-expiry-first-out.

Can I sell expired cosmetics?

No. Expired products may have degraded and can cause irritation or be ineffective. Remove them from sale and record the write-off.