Treatments and hair products: our advice for prolonging their shelf life

Our expert gives you their advice on how to keep your products for as long as possible, whilst maximising their effectiveness.

Do hair products expire?

"Yes, seeing as they are, above all, cosmetic products, they are bound to have an expiry date... For example, shampoo goes off after 2 to 3 years, whereas gels or styling waxes have a shelf life of between 1 and 2 years. However, unlike skin treatments whose expiry date you must scrupulously respect, you can actually keep your hair products for years."

"The expiry date is always shown on the packaging. Up until that date, the product is guaranteed to be effective."

Laura Superbi

"As far as hair products are concerned, there is no major risk. Especially with the size of the products available on the market: they are generally used up before you reach this famous expiry date. However, the treatments which are most at risk of going off are water-based shampoos. Their formulae are more vulnerable to microbial attacks, notably if you dilute them."

Where is the best place to store your hair products?

"Keep them in a cool, dry place, sheltered from light and heat sources. Your bathroom is perfectly suitable. But the most important point is ensuring your products are properly closed: the air and oxidation can alter their strength and quality. That's why almost all lids are air-tight. Finally, if your products remain open, the water present in their composition can also evaporate and dry them out, having an influence on their quality."

How much product should I use for each application?

"To choose the ideal quantity of shampoo and treatment , you must take into account the texture and nature of your hair . If you have rather fine or short hair, only apply a small amount of the product each time. Conversely, if your hair is relatively thick or very long, you should apply more to guarantee the product is evenly spread. Also adapt this depending on how sensitive your hair is. For example, if your tips are more damaged than the rest of your hair, feel free to focus more on this section so the treatments can penetrate for longer."

Our advice. So as to not waste your products and to use them until the very last drop, go for pump style bottles, like the products in all of the Jean Louis David Urban Care ranges.