The Useful Kind

Beauty tool

Makeup Expiry Calculator

Estimate when an opened cosmetic product reaches the end of its PAO period. PAO means “period after opening,” usually shown with an open-jar symbol and a number such as 6M or 12M.

Need help reading the symbol? Learn how to read makeup expiry and PAO symbols.

PAO period

Choose the PAO printed on the product. Product type does not override the PAO symbol on the packaging.

Use the exact opening date if you know it. If the date is only approximate, use your best estimate and mark it below.

Future opening dates are not allowed.

Product type only adjusts the explanation. It does not change the selected PAO period.

Methodology

The calculator adds the selected PAO number of calendar months to the opening date. It does not convert months into a fixed number of days. More than 60 days remaining is shown as within the estimated PAO period, 0–60 days remaining is shown as approaching, and dates after the estimate are shown as past the estimated PAO date.

The result is not a midnight safety cutoff and does not override the product label.

Sources