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Shelf life of creams and soaps?

If I were to purchase a decent amount of creams and soaps at once, would the creams dry out and the soaps crack after a year or two?

I've searched the forums and some say shelf life of opened creams and soaps is around three years. Would that defeat the purpose of ordering a lot at once (instead of ordering a little here and there)?
 
I would guess that creams in a tube would last longer than those in a tub. Either way, I've heard that creams can last up to three years before major issues arise. Some may require rehydrating, but should be fine otherwise.

Soaps should last several years. Even if the outside starts to get a bit "off" (lost scent, crusty, flaky), you can rinse that off to get to better stuff underneath.
 
Near the ingredients list there should be a symbol which looks like an open jar with a number, followed by "M". the number indicates how many months the product is good for once opened.
 
Near the ingredients list there should be a symbol which looks like an open jar with a number, followed by "M". the number indicates how many months the product is good for once opened.

yep, somebody else just mentioned that very same thing in a recent post. Today was my first time hearing that....it's good to know
 
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What happens to expired creams? Do they just get dried out? Or are they dangerous to use?

Hopefully this will maybe give you an idea of what happens to them in time. I have a few creams in my rotation that I've had since mid-late 2006:

AOS lavender - has become quite hard & now only has a weak scent when you smell it from the tub, but when lathered up the scent seems to become stronger again and it still gives a great lather to shave with.

Taylors Rose - maybe not quite as soft as it once was in the tub, but apart from that it still performs just as well as it did when I first got it in terms of it's suitability as a shaving cream, IMO.

Trumpers Coconut Oil - hardly any change whatsoever apart from it being maybe a little harder in the tub.

Taylors Avocado - not as slick looking in the tub as it once was, scent has maybe faded a little, but still gives a great shave.

T & H Sandalwood - a cream I bought in July 2006 which I had to throw away at the end of last year as it had become rock hard in the tub and was taking too long to lather up.

Proraso Green Tube - Still seems just as good as when I first got it (Oct '06)

So these creams, obviously bar the T&H Sandalwood and maybe the AOS Lavender still have a good while yet to go IMO.

I also have a few soaps from late 2006 such as 2 C&E soaps and a few Honeybee soaps. The soaps have maybe lost their scent a little, but all still give perfectly good lather when shaving. They still have a long time to go IMO.

If soaps/creams eventually become dangerous, or for want of a better word harmful to use, i.e. if they may start drying out your skin or whatever when lathered up, I don't really know, but I haven't encountered any such problems in this respect with any of my creams or soaps (as yet!) (maybe someone in the know could chime in on this?)

My advice though, to anyone thinking of stocking up with a large amount of creams (more than soaps) would first of all be to take shelf life into account and not to let their SCAD get too much out of hand! Personally, I wish I hadn't bought quite as many creams, but that's my problem (damned SCAD :biggrin:)

So there you go. Would be interesting to hear other's observations on creams & soaps that they have had for a 2+, maybe 3+ year period?
 
Nick75, thanks.

EDIT: Have any of you had experience with keeping tubed creams or hard creams (AdP, SMN, etc.) for a while?
 
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Near the ingredients list there should be a symbol which looks like an open jar with a number, followed by "M". the number indicates how many months the product is good for once opened.

You will find however that this number is an approximation. You will have some products that will last longer and I'd assume others that won't actually last as long as advertised. Many factors could turn your cream.
 
my older T&H sandalwood (~1yr) perpetually separates & the almond cream's decidedly crustier, but stir/moisten either & the only disadvantage seems to be a hair less fragrance. Got 2+ yr old Proraso which seems identical as new. Some Body Shop aftershave balm's seems to have become decidedly more congealed than it once was.
 
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