How do expiry dates work, and do they matter?

Expiry dates can be found on just about anything. Food, medicine, cosmetic products… the list goes on! And our all-natural products are no exception to this, so here’s all the information you need to know about expiration dates.

First, expiration dates, also known as expiry dates, give a guide as to how long a product is at its peak effectiveness and quality before it deteriorates. Best before dates give you an indication of when this peak starts to decline, but use-by dates are a final date that you can use a certain product. After this date, you should discard the product as some of the ingredients may have gone bad, putting you and your health at risk! Lemon Myrtle Fragrances use EXPIRY DATES. 

There are usually two reasons why a product has a specific expiry date:

1. There are some forms of chemical reactions (such as oxidation) that reduce the quality, benefits, or even safety of a product.
2. There are some forms of microorganisms (think microbial growth like mould) that can start growing in the product, presenting a risk of harm to your health.

We add a THIRD reason! While it isn’t Australian consumer law to have expiration dates on health and beauty products, our contract manufacturers are compliant with Good Manufacturing Process accreditation, and provide an expiry date on our products as a result, for transparency, trust, and safety.

There are many further variables that increase or reduce this shelf life, like temperature and packaging type, but between personal customer storage and shipping, they can’t be completely controlled, so it’s best to follow the storage directions (you can find this under the “Advice” heading on our products!) and discard the product after its expiration date. 

The general rule for our products is that they must be kept at a temperature below 30 degrees C for optimum storage. Any products left in heat, such as in vehicles, will deteriorate. 

Here at Lemon Myrtle Fragrances, we use expiry dates, not best before or use-by dates. Because our products are all natural, it is imperative our consumers know exactly when to stop using them, rather than guessing with a best before date. Every single product of ours is made from plant-derived ingredients, meaning there are no mineral oils or petrochemicals such as parabens, and animal fats. The only preservatives we use are natural, including essential oils, plant extracts and vitamins, many of which have antioxidant and anti-microbial properties. While this means our products don’t last as long as chemical-based preservative products, your skin and body will be safer and happier. 

Because our products do not contain artificial preservatives, products may lose their fragrance after the expiry date. If you for some reason can’t read your expiry date, this should be a good indicator to stop using the product!

Products on sale will usually have a reduced lifespan as well, but there will always still be a good few months for safe use.

These expiry dates have many benefits for our lemon myrtle products, including:

• Ensuring product freshness

Lemon myrtle has some incredible benefits, and we want you to make the most of them by ensuring you know when our products will no longer be quality. Read all about the benefits of lemon myrtle here.

• Maintaining fragrance 

As we mentioned before, our products will actually lose their scent when the product has been sitting for too long. As lemon myrtle has aromatherapy benefits, as well as a generally nice smell, fragrance is crucial to all of our products! We’re Lemon Myrtle Fragrances, after all!

• Meeting customer expectations for quality

Our most important consideration with all of our products is YOU, so making products you can be happy with is at the heart of our product production. This includes letting you know the moment they dip in quality so you know how long to expect the best for.

Over our ten years of selling lemon myrtle products, we have tested different packaging, ingredients and storage conditions to ensure your products stay naturally fresh and safe for as long as possible. And it is our mission to continue providing you quality ingredients, right here in Australia!

Want to know more about expiration dates? Read this to learn How Expiry Dates Are Determined, or read more about our lemon myrtle products and frequently asked questions here!