How old is too old?

[alishathekitten]

I have a bunch of older MLS balms that I haven't used in a while. The thing is that some of them still smell quite good and strong, despite being from spring of 2007 and late summer of 2006.

Are these too old to be using? I know that the "FAQs" section of the website says the balms have a year shelf life... It's just that the balms still seem to

Comments

[balboaroc]

I use mine until they get sticky or smell funny.

[serabelle]

Sometimes I notice that the scents fade, or became strange - but really it's more of a texture thing for me. After a while, they become grainy.. so I find it best to buy only a few at a time to avoid that.

other uses

[anonymous]

When my old lip balms are getting to the point when they look fine but are a year or two old, I start using them for things other than my lips. They make great emergency lotion if you're on the go and don't have any in your purse, or you can use it on your elbows and feet and other rough spots. Then, you're not wasting the balm by throwing it out, but you're not putting any bacteria on your lips. It's a good way to use up older balms (or those flavors that didn't click with you). I put thick lotion on my feet every night and I often use up old lip balm this way.

[sparklysadness]

If one of mine seems weird, I always try re-melting it in the microwave before tossing it or relegating it to other uses. (Only a few seconds at a time! I learned that the hard way, hehe.)

[luismom19]

I keep mine in the refrigerator and I've never had a problem with any balms seeming old or changing scent or texture. I think the others would be fine, but maybe using them in other ways to be safe is fine. I think the age of them balm is texture and scent related, not bacteria related.