Does Nail Polish Expire? What To Know Before Your Next At-Home Manicure

Search through any woman's bathroom drawers, and you're bound to find at least a handful of nail polish bottles. Some may look fresh as daisies, and others will have you questioning when they were last used. We're all guilty of holding onto our favorite nail polish shades, just like our makeup collections, for a bit longer than we should. But how long is too long? Does nail polish have an expiration date? Amy Ling Lin, the founder of Sundays, a non-toxic nail care brand focused on wellness, offered the scoop on when we should toss our old, gunky nail polish bottles.

How Long Does Nail Polish Last?

Like most products, the expiration will depend on when the polish is opened. "The shelf life of an unopened polish can last up to five to eight years, and after opening the polishes last up to two years," Ling Lin says. Forgetting to screw on the top tightly or exposing your bottles to variable temperatures can speed up the expiration process.

How To Tell if Nail Polish Is Expired

The texture of your nail polish will be a major indicator of whether it's seen better days. Particles and dried out liquid, or a gooey, thick texture can all be signs that a polish may be past its expiry. If the polish has separated and you can't mix it together with a good shake, that's another sign you should throw it out.

With so many varying formulas on the market now, it's always best to check the label of your polish for the exact lifespan recommended by the manufacturer. Polishes made with clean ingredients often have less preservatives, so the shelf life may be slightly shorter, Ling Lin says.

We're probably overdue to go through our excessive collection of colors, but at least we can look forward to a nail polish shopping spree after the clean out.

What Happens if You Use Expired Nail Polish?

In most cases, old nail polish just won't look as good as polish from a fresh bottle. The polish may clump up when you apply it or appear faded or uneven. On the plus side, the chemicals in nail polish are antimicrobial and unlikely to become contaminated, according to the Nail Manufacturers Council.