You鈥檙e in luck! Looks like your deodorant can last longer than Bear Grylls in the wild. (That鈥檚 supposed to be a long, long time.)
Deodorants are considered cosmetic products, and as such, the does not require them to carry expiration dates, though companies often include them anyway. Antiperspirants, on the other hand, contain aluminum salts that help stop perspiration. That is, they have an effect on the structure or function of the body, so they fall under the FDA鈥檚 over-the-counter drug regulation and must carry an expiration date, though they don鈥檛 really need one.
The ingredients in most solid deodorants and antiperspirants are pretty stable, so they won鈥檛 break down much over time. 鈥淯sing a deodorant or antiperspirant past the expiration date, you鈥檙e not really running the risk of harming yourself or your skin,鈥 says Susan Raffy, a cosmetic chemist and owner of cosmetics consulting firm . They also 鈥渄on't lose that much efficacy over time.鈥
So your deodorant or antiperspirant should still work just fine, though the fragrance may fade. But should you use it forever? That鈥檚 your call. Most cosmetics manufacturers recommend discarding products 12 months after opening them to avoid infection from bacterial growth in the product. But deodorants are anti-bacterial鈥攖hey work by killing or slowing the growth of odor-causing bacteria on your skin.聽
What to do? 鈥淢ost cosmetics should be used within about a three-year shelf life,鈥 Raffy says. Perhaps it鈥檚 time to get some new Spice.
The Bottom Line
Technically, deodorant doesn鈥檛 have an expiration date. It鈥檚 likely antiperspirants will work for years as well. But to be on the safe side, you should probably replace the stick every three years, if you still have it.