Does deodorant really expire?

[ReneeQ]

I am cleaning out and organizing my stockpile of toiletries. I just noticed an expiration date on some deodorants, but not all. Makes sense that the "active ingredients" would expire, I guess. But does it REALLY expire? I have about 6 that expire in the next few months, and I won't use them all that fast. And my ultra-cheap self can't throw them out!

I know the easiest thing would be to use them after they expire and see if I get stinky . Just wondering others thoughts on if they REALLY expire.

 

[bicker]

What you'd be worried most about with regard to expired deoderant is evaporation of volatile active ingredients, rendering the deoderant useless.

 

[Maddle]

... rendering the deoderant useless.

But you would know soon enough!

 

[sookie]

i say donate it to a shelter or another agency that deals with people who are up on hard times.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

I don't know about deoderant but I unknowingly used expired sunscreen once and it really stung/burned when we put it on. I would throw it out.

 

[disneychrista]

This is why I do not "stockpile" are you really saving money if you have to throw things out because they are not longer any good?

 

[Marionnette]

I am cleaning out and organizing my stockpile of toiletries. I just noticed an expiration date on some deodorants, but not all. Makes sense that the "active ingredients" would expire, I guess. But does it REALLY expire? I have about 6 that expire in the next few months, and I won't use them all that fast. And my ultra-cheap self can't throw them out!

I know the easiest thing would be to use them after they expire and see if I get stinky . Just wondering others thoughts on if they REALLY expire.

i say donate it to a shelter or another agency that deals with people who are up on hard times.

I agree with sookie. If you can't use it up then donate it to some group that can. And then make a plan on how to maintain a stockpile without going overboard. It's such a waste of money and the time it took to collect it to have things expire like that.

 

[fakereadhed]

The problem with expired deodorant is that it dries out and may have an off smell and gets crumbly. If it looks and smells ok, it probably hasn't deteriorated or dried out and is probably still effective.

 

[bicker]

The fact that the stick has not dried out is not necessarily a reliable indicator. Often, the active ingredients are contained within solutions that are hydrophobic or hydrophillic. In one of those cases (I forget which one; perhaps both; really stretching my memory here...), the solution will evaporate before the water, and so the stick won't dry out. It just would be like spreading useless goo on yourself.

 

[lynette j in la]

I had gotten a lot of deodorant for free,and in about a year or so later they turned rancid smelling, Totally nasty!

 

[sherry7]

A couple of years ago, I was able to get 60 antiperspirants for free, by using double coupons. We're still using up the stockpile, and it works just fine even though it's expired.

Like someone else said though, maybe you can donate it to a shelter before it expires.

 

[bicker]

Anti-perspirant works differently from deodorant. Rather than relying on chemical reactions, like deoderants do, anti-perspirants rely mostly on a mechanical reaction, and therefore don't necessarily suffer the same degradation of effectiveness due to evaporation over time.

 

[Bearadise]

I would have to say yes...One could still use them, but it would seem that the active ingredients would be less effective.

In any case, while in the Florida heat, I'd want a fresh deodorant myself.