Everything that is manufactured has an expiry period. After an expiry period, It is advised to use any of those products to prevent severe health issues. An expiry product is not less than poison.
So, it is always a smart move to check the expiry date of a product.
But there are few items which put us into the confusion, that do they even get expired or not? Keeping that in mind let’s talk about
Do clay masks expire?
Clay masks can last as long as 3 years if unopened. Once it is opened it is advised to keep it in a dry and cool place otherwise it can easily dry out and lose its effectiveness. However, different kinds of clay masks have different expiry dates and need to be stored according to their texture.
Clay is one of the traditional ways of exfoliation of the skin, some years back women used to prepare the clay and use it as a mask.
They used to store it for 2-3 days and not more than that. Fuller’s Earth is the most used clay of that time.
Fuller’s earth is being used today itself along with it we have bentonite clay, kaolin clay, Rhassoul clay, French green clay, Aztec clay.
Some of these clays never expire, they just need to be stored rightly for further use.
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Different kinds of clay
Clay is generally extracted from the earth and its minerals which makes it even more natural. A couple of clays are available nowadays and all of them are effective in their way. Let us have a look.
Fuller’s earth
Fullers earth also known as “Multani mitti” is a popular Indian home remedy.
It is best for oily skin as Multani mitti absorbs excess oils from the skin and exfoliates it. It is advised to use it with rose water for better results. You can use fuller’s earth both on skin and hair.
Fuller’s earth is available in two different types one which is packed and the other that is available loose.
If you look carefully the packed one comes with an expiry date that is around 12 months or 24 months whereas the loose ones have no caution mentioned on them.
This is because the packed ones come from beauty brands that may put preservatives inside their product which can cause an expiration to the product. However, one can lose its effect once it is dried out but can not expire.
So, it is suggested to store both the products weather packed or loose in a dry and cool place.
Bentonite clay
Bentonite is an effective solution for minimizing face swelling. This clay is usually known as an Aztec clay mask. It takes out the face impurities and tightens the skin.
Bentonite is used after forming a paste with water. Most of the time this clay is used for its antiseptic properties. Bentonite clay works well on acne, rashes, and hair.
According to many articles as bentonite is a mineral compound it can’t expire or go bad however, it becomes firmer after a few weeks. Still in that case it is safe to use it,
Bentonite clay is consumed internally by many people so it becomes more important to know whether it is safe to consume it after some time or not.
We would suggest you not store bentonite for longer than a year even though it doesn’t expire but it can collect various dust over it.
Kaolin Clay
Kaolin clay is a very gentle clay which is mixed with water and applied on the face.
The small particle present helps to exfoliate your skin in a better way. This clay is somewhat similar to fullers’ earth
Kaolin clay is extracted from the element kaolinite. This element is mostly found in China.
Similarly, like Bentonite clay it doesn’t expire as it is extracted directly from the earth. But as it is not antibacterial it should not be stored for a longer time.
Rhassoul clay
Rhassoul clay is used for conditioning hair and for softening your skin this reddish Moroccan clay has a shelf life of 4years.
Despite the fact that clay never expires you must not store the clay for more than this period.
Once you prepare a raw paste of this clay, store it in an air-tight container to prevent it from drying.
How to store clays for future use?
After knowing that these clays have a very long shelf life you should know how to store them safely and prevent them from going bad.
Here are a few proven ways that you can use to store your clay masks and use them forever.
You can use your product in a BPA-free container. BPA containers are easy to find in a household, in case you are having a hard time finding such a container you can go for a glass container as well.
The whole point behind that is to prevent any harmful chemicals present in a regular plastic box to mix with the clay mask.
You should always avoid metal containers to store clay masks. These clays are extracted from the earth and hence contain minerals that may oxidize when kept in a metal box for years.
The container must be airtight to avoid any moisture entering the box and make it moist or firmer. It can also make the clay mask dry so, seal it properly with the help of an air tightening lid.
After covering it with a lid, store it in a cool and dry place like your fridge.
And a pro-tip try to use the mask within 3 to 6 months. Even if they say that it doesn’t expire. Always be extra sure regarding your skin. Even if it is safe it will lose its effects and not work as per your expectations.