Customers frequently contact us with many questions about their skin care and hair care products. Here are some of the top questions we receive on a regular basis. Hopefully the answers will be helpful to you!1. How long do the products that we purchase last? •Most products have a 2-3 year shelf life unopened. •Once opened most products, depending on ingredients can last 3-9 months.2. When do products expire? •Each product depending on brand and ingredients has a different expiration date. Unfortunately there is no universal labeling system for cosmetics that allow you to definitely tell what serial numbers on the packaging means. The exception would be sunscreen (SPF). The Food & Drug administration (F.D.A.) requires sunscreens to have a printed expiration date on the packaging. Using sunscreens after this expiration date will compromise your skin’s protection to UVA & UVB rays and make you more susceptible to sunburns and skin cell damage.3. When does product efficacy (effectiveness) begin to diminish? •Once opened most products, depending on ingredients can last 3-9 months. •The longer you continue to use the product after that time period the less effective it will be in providing the results you desire. •Many U.S. manufacturers are beginning to put the European labeling on their products that have a picture of a jar or packaging with a number and an “M” (i.e. 12M) meaning the product has a 12 month shelf life AFTER the product has been opened.4. Is my product compromised by being exposed to heat or cold? •All products must pass a heat/cool and freeze/thaw test in order to make it to the market. All products must be tested to ensure the active ingredients and overall composition has not been compromised. Although not recommended, products are tested and can be exposed to extreme heat or cold for extended periods of time but cannot last if the extreme temperatures are constant and repeated. •Normal exposure to heat or cold while in shipping from the SkinStore warehouse to your delivery location should not affect your product. If your product has been sitting outside in elevated levels of hot or cold weather, bring your product inside and allow it to come to room temperature (70-75 degrees Fahrenheit) before using it. If your product has separated, the active ingredients are not compromised; you should be able to stir the product (i.e. skin cream) until the correct consistency is achieved.5. Where do you get your products from? •All of SkinStore’s products come directly from the brand manufacturer. We do not purchase any products that do not come from the manufacturer.6. Where do you store the products SkinStore sells? •SkinStore receives all of the products directly from the manufacturer and we store all of the products in a climate controlled warehouse in the United States.7. My product color varies from my last order, is it still okay to use? •Some products, especially those with a higher level of natural ingredients or L-Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) can have varying color from batch to batch depending on where and when the ingredients were harvested from. •L-Ascorbic Acid begins to oxidize and darken as soon as it is exposed to oxygen. This is a natural process and does not mean your product has been compromised or has expired.8. How should I store my product? •Store your product in a cool, dry, dark place, away from heat, moisture and sunlight.9. I ordered a product that comes out of a pump. I pump the container and nothing comes out. What’s wrong? •This is one of our most frequently asked questions regarding product packaging. Nearly all of the products that come in a pump dispenser, regardless of brand, will have a certain amount of air in the package. Sometimes an air bubble can get stuck in the between the product and the dispenser. Firmly tapping the bottom of the dispenser bottle several times and then rapidly pumping can help to get the air out of the packaging and release the product. Click here to learn more about air pump issues.10. Why don’t my products have the same packaging and seals as when I purchased them at the retail store? •In an effort to save packaging for environmental reasons and passing those savings on to the consumer, some of the products shipped to SkinStore do not have the same packaging and seals that you would find at a retail location. All of our items are stored in our climate controlled warehouse and shipped directly to you with no retail setting where the product can be tampered with. As always, if you have questions about a product you are welcome to contact us and we will be happy to help you!
