Hair dye products don’t typically have expiration dates on their package. Customers who are uncertain about whether outdated hair dye is safe to use and still effective may become confused as a result.

Unopened hair dye has no expiration date. Make sure to finish your old hair dye before purchasing new ones because they typically only last three years.

Continue reading to find out more about hair dye that may be past its prime and whether you should keep it or throw it away.

Can Hair Dye Expire?

Here are the hard facts first: according to the majority of hair color manufacturers, a tube or bottle of unopened hair dye lasts for three years.

Some companies swear that their product has an unlimited shelf life, but I personally find that unbelievable and don’t want to experiment to see if it’s true.

That is for dye that has not yet been opened. Let’s talk about open color containers.

Does Hair Dye Expire After Opening It?

Surely, at least once, you’ve ended up with hair dye left in the bottle and been loathe to throw it away, right?

So, does hair dye lose its potency after being opened? Yes, according to the basic school of thought, hair dye loses its effectiveness 1-2 years after being opened. Just keep in mind that those are professional colors.

Brands from drugstores and cult products like Manic Panic probably expire much more quickly. When dealing with outdated hair dye, it’s easy to tell. A dead giveaway are sharp variations in the product’s color.

After opening the container, you might also detect a potent or disagreeable smell. The old dye can occasionally separate as well. It has a murky appearance and appears to require stirring or shaking. Just throw it away at that point.

How to Tell If Hair Dye is Expired

The first thing to think about is whether the container is open when dealing with hair dye that might be past its prime.

Any type of hair dye that has been opened could have fungi or bacteria inside of it. If this occurs, a bad smell may result. This is your signal to throw it away. Hair dye that has been opened has a short shelf life during which it is safe to use.

If you have hair dye that may be past its expiration date, keep an eye out for some of the additional signs listed below.

Something is Wrong With the Package Or Chemicals

The eye (and nose) may think that unopened hair dye is fine. But there are indicators that it might have gone sour.

These include:

• a sour, strong, or unusual smell that differs from the ammonia scent associated with hair dye
• unusual color
• liquid that’s streaked or separated
• cracked bottle
• leaking bottle
• caking around the bottle cap
• damaged or dented packaging
• packaging that’s faded

Containers Have Been Open for Too Long

The majority of hair dye formulations come packaged with two individual product bottles or pouches that must be combined. Even if the ingredients are stored properly, they may begin to oxidize if the containers have been opened without the ingredients being mixed.

A chemical reaction called oxidation has the potential to harm the ingredients in hair dye. Any opened item that has come into contact with heat, sunlight, air, moisture, or humidity will deteriorate and oxidize more quickly.

Typically, manufacturers advise using unmixed, opened containers within 6 weeks of opening. When you dye your hair after that, you might see a darker color if oxidation has taken place.

No matter how they are stored, natural goods that don’t contain chemicals or preservatives also lose their freshness quickly after being opened.

Why You Shouldn’t Use Expired Hair Dye

The hair follicle or hair shaft are not harmed by old hair dye, according to studies. Your hair’s texture won’t likely change, and it’s unlikely to fall out or break off.

Using outdated hair dye is most likely to result in either the dye not working or your hair turning out darker than you had anticipated. You might occasionally get results with uneven color.

There are, however, some other negative effects that using expired hair dye could potentially have:

Greenish Discoloration

There is no scientific proof to back up the anecdotal claim that old hair dye will turn your hair green, as some people have made.

However, it might appear green if you have light blonde, white, or gray hair. Hard metals used in hair dye, like copper, oxidize, leading to this.

Allergic Reactions and Burns

The type of hair dye most frequently linked to health risks like burns and allergic reactions is permanent, which results in chemical changes to the hair. But regardless of how new or how old the hair dye is, some people will always experience symptoms.

Some of the chemicals in hair dye that may cause allergic reactions include:

• Paraphenylenediamine (PPD)
• Resorcinol
• Ammonia
• Hydrogen peroxide

These chemicals may exert their effects more strongly as they oxidize with time.

Home Hair Dyeing Solutions

Use organic, henna, or natural hair coloring products if you want to stay away from chemicals.

You could also use ingredients that you already have in your kitchen. On light-colored hair, homemade elixirs and juices work best.

Things you can use to try dyeing your hair at home include:

• Lemon juice
• Chamomile tea
• Carrot juice
• Beet juice
• Coffee

Takeaway

Boxes of hair dye typically do not have expiration dates. However, most manufacturers indicate that hair dye has a shelf life of about 3 years.

The most typical outcome of using outdated hair dye is that your hair won’t change color. It’s possible to occasionally get a green tint or uneven coloring results.

Chemical-based hair dye can lead to allergic reactions and other health risks. The age of the product could exacerbate these reactions.

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