Expired Products: What You Need to Know

2. Hairspray

Expires in: 18 months (opened), 3 years (unopened) Average Cost per Bottle: $2–$20* Whether or not your hairspray has been opened will determine when its expiration date is. The hairspray should last for three years if it is not opened. That date decreases to eighteen months, if not less, once you use the canister or break the seal (see the can's label for details).

©stockfour/Shutterstock/HHairspray Too much heat or cold can also cause hairspray to lose its effectiveness; if the smell of the spray is stronger than you recall, it's probably not the original. Another indication that the spray is beyond its best and should be recycled is if it loses most of its hold.