KOREA · K-BEAUTY
K-Beauty Expiration Date Calculator
Enter when you opened a product and its period after opening, or the use-by date on the package, to see how long you can keep using it.
Check your product
Reading a Korean label
| Korean | Meaning | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| 사용기한 (sayong gihan) | Use-by date | The last date to use the product, unopened or opened. |
| 개봉 후 사용기간 (gaebong hu sayong gigan) | Period after opening | How long it lasts once opened, such as 12개월 (12 months). Shown with the manufacture date. |
| 제조연월일 (jejo yeonworil) | Manufacture date | Required when the label gives a period after opening instead of a use-by date. |
| 제조번호 (jejo beonho) | Batch number | Identifies the production batch; it is not a date. |
How the date is worked out
The period after opening runs from the day you open the product to the same date that many months later. If the package also has a use-by date, the earlier of the two applies.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the expiration date on Korean cosmetics?
Korean law requires the package to show either a use-by date (사용기한) or a period after opening (개봉 후 사용기간). If it shows a period after opening, it must also show the manufacture date (제조연월일).
What does 개봉 후 12개월 mean?
It means 12 months after opening (gaebong hu sibi gaewol). Use the product within 12 months of the day you open it; writing the opening date on the package helps you remember.
Which date counts if there are two?
Whichever comes first. A product opened shortly before its use-by date still has to be used up by the use-by date.
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Sources and last updated
- Label requirements (in Korean): 화장품법 제10조 (Cosmetics Act, Article 10)
- Counting months (in Korean): 민법 제160조 (Civil Act, Article 160)
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