I often hear people tell me how they still have some of that lotion or Shea souffle or lip balm that they got from me "x" years ago. I have to say that this bothers me for a few reasons. First of all, I wish you would use it on a daily basis. What easier way to give yourself a little treat than by using a dollop of lotion or a bit of lip balm. You deserve it, don't save it for "special" occasions, because what it going to end up happening is that you will have wasted your money.
All items have a shelf life or expiration date of some sort. Many sites I have gone to recommend anywhere from one to three years for most bath and body items. These recommendations of course, are for commercially made items. It's a bit different when it comes to handmade items. First of all, commercially manufactured items have a lot of preservatives in them. I try to use a little chemical content as I can in my products. Lotions are tricky and due to the fact that they are water based, they need specific things to keep them from getting funky! Things like my lip balms and Shea souffle are all natural items. These do not have any water content so there is no worry of mold or fungi growing in them, however, they are made out of oils.
Oils, technically, do not spoil, but they do get rancid after a time. Some oils have a longer shelf life than others, but basically it is exposure to oxygen that starts the process. You may have noticed a bottle of cooking oil that, while it looks OK, might smell bad, or it may have an odd taste. At this point it has lost much of its nutritional value, if using for cooking, and it may take on a sticky feel. I've read articles that say you can still use rancid oil to make soap with, but I'd rather not!
Again most oils have a shelf life of 1-3 years. Handling and storage methods as well as temperature fall into play. If stored in a cool dry place and not exposed to air for long periods of time, items made with oils will last longer. I encourage people to keep items like lip balm or Shea butter, stored in the refrigerator when not in use. I also use vitamin E (tocopheryl) to help extend the shelf life. When using items like the Shea souffle, having clean, dry hands will also help prevent possible contaminants into the product. Leaving your lip balm in the car on a hot summer day, will result in melted lip balm, that most likely will still be usable after it has cooled down, but the heat has caused the oils to start to break down. This tube of lip balm will get rancid faster than the one you keep in your cool, cry purse, or desk drawer.
Now, not to scare anyone, but you should use handmade natural products within 6 months to one year. This is my personal opinion. I have some customers that purchase a dozen lip balms...to last the whole year. Again, keep the unused ones in the refrigerator. I have had lip balms last for up to two years, I have also had a batch that got funky in less than a year. I try to use the freshest ingredients but I don't know how long that oil sat before it was shipped to me. Don't save that Shea souffle, use it every day. Pamper yourself...every day. You deserve it and you deserve to get your money's worth out of the handmade product that you purchased.