If you’re anything like me, you probably buy things without reading the label in much detail.
Especially when it comes to hair washing products.
As long as I don’t spot any sulphates in my shampoo - I’m good.
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I’m pretty confident that when it comes to our shampoo and conditioner, absolutely none of us are reading the fine print or decoding the symbols as if we’re hieroglyphics students.
Yet, it turns out we probably should be paying a little bit more attention.
And it’s all thanks to good old TikTok once again that we’re learning our lesson.
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TikToker Denise posted a now-viral video, assessing the symbol she found on the back.
She wrote alongside the video: “How old were you when you found out... that this means how long you have to use that product from the date you break the seal before it's no longer considered a 'good product'?
“Still blows my mind."
The symbol Denise, @denisephx_official, has drawn our attention to is usually somewhere near the bottom, and features a little tub with the lid popped off.
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Inside the tub is a number followed by M, for example ‘6M’ or '12M'.
That means you can safely use your shampoo for 6 or 12 months after opening it for the first time.
Some bottles will last longer than others - but now we know how to spot the shelf life, we’ll definitely be paying more attention.
Certain products will also have a ‘best before’ date.
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This comes in the form of an hourglass with a date stamp next to it - which informs us when our product should be used by.
You will usually find those on products that have a shelf life of under 30 months.
And is there an ickier thought than using an expire product on our beloved locks?
It also extends to suncreams too - and it's so important to check if you've had the same bottle lying around for a while - or you're risking sunburn.
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People fled to Denise's TikTok comments to share that they had been rocked by this revelation.
One person wrote: "I was today years old."
A second said: "What? I never knew. I like the ones that say “expires 09/28/2023"."
Another said: "I was today years old."
A third chimed: ": "Heading to my cupboard to look. I never even noticed that symbol before!"
The more you know, eh?
I'm off to study all of my shampoo and conditioner bottles right now.
Featured Image Credit: TikTik / @denisephx_officialTopics: Beauty, Life Hacks, TikTok, Hair