🗓️ Expiry Date Tracker
Enter the date you opened a product and the number on its open-jar symbol to see the use-by date, how many days are left, and whether it's still fresh, due for use soon, or expired.
🧴 Check Your Product's Shelf Life
What is an Expiry Date / PAO Tracker?
Most cosmetics don't carry a fixed best-before date — instead they show a PAO symbol, an open-jar icon with a number of months, that counts down from the day you first open the product rather than from manufacture. This tool does that math for you: enter the maker's number and your opened date (and a printed date if there is one), and it works out the use-by date.
Use it to keep a clear-out list for your makeup bag, avoid using a mascara or foundation well past its safe window, and get an early "use soon" nudge before something crosses the line into expired — handy for skincare and makeup that all get opened around the same time.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the PAO (Period-After-Opening) symbol?
It's the little open-jar icon printed on cosmetics packaging with a number like "12M" or "24M" inside or beside it. Unlike a fixed expiry date, PAO counts months from the day you first open and use the product — not from manufacture — because exposure to air, light, and repeated use is what shortens a product's safe life once it's opened.
How does this tracker work?
Pick the product type, enter the date you opened it, and type the number from the maker's open-jar symbol (12 for "12M"). If the pack also prints an expiry date, add it: whichever date comes first rules. The tracker shows how many days are left and a status: fresh, use soon (under 30 days left), or expired.
Why doesn't the tracker fill in a typical PAO for me?
Because the number belongs to the maker, not to us. The FDA says: "FDA considers determining a product's shelf life to be part of the manufacturer's responsibility." A table of typical values can give a later date than the pack in your hand. For mascara the FDA adds: "Manufacturers usually recommend discarding mascara two to four months after purchase." No symbol and no printed date? Ask the maker.
Should I still use a product if it's within its PAO but looks or smells different?
No — PAO is a general guideline based on typical storage and use, not a guarantee. If a product has changed colour, texture, or smell, separated, or been exposed to heat, sunlight, or contaminated applicators, discard it even if the tracker still shows it as fresh.