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Skincare expiry & shelf-life (PAO) tracker

⚡ Quick answer: Not sure when to toss a product? Our free PAO tracker gives the safe-use window for sunscreens, vitamin C, retinoids and more — plus a dispose-by date from the day you opened it.

Not sure when to toss a product? Our free PAO tracker gives the safe-use window for sunscreens, vitamin C, retinoids and more — plus a dispose-by date from the day you opened it.

What is PAO?

PAO (Period After Opening) is how long a product stays good once opened — shown as a little open-jar symbol (e.g. 12M). Actives like vitamin C and sunscreen degrade faster, so the window is shorter.

How to use it

Pick the product type and the date you opened it; the tool returns the months it stays effective and the exact dispose-by date, so you never use a product that has turned.

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✍️ Written & reviewed by the KoreaPlus Editorial team — dermatologist-informed, cosmetic-science researched & source-cited. Last reviewed 2026-06-21.

General educational information using cosmetic structure-function wording — not medical advice. Always patch-test new actives. © KoreaPlus.