I’ve been getting to the end of a Christmas present I was bought which I have been really enjoying using: a bottle of goat milk lotion.
It’s been really kind to my skin, and I’m definitely going to buy some more once I’ve finished using it.
However, it has been a few weeks since I opened it now. I went to put some on the other day, when I noticed it smelled a bit off, and didn’t look the same either.
Since it was made of goat milk, my first thought was whether it could go bad.
So, does goat milk lotion go bad?
Yes, it definitely does. Lotion is a mixture of ingredients which, unlike soap, undergoes no preservative curing process when manufactured. Goat milk is simply mixed and formulated with the other ingredients, so the milk still has every chance to expire. Use your lotion within 8 weeks.
If you’ve got some goat milk lotion, then, you can’t use it all that sparingly.
You need to get through it within 8 weeks at the most, and preferably 6 weeks.
Once the goat milk lotion has gone bad, it will stop being good and become actively bad for your skin—if you couldn’t already smell it.
Let’s look further into this.
How long does goat milk lotion last?
It will depend somewhat on the formula, but the fact is it will be less than most skincare products would.
Far less, in fact.
We are uses to most such products lasting more or less as long as we need them to.
This is because they are mostly synthetic chemicals and products.
Goat milk lotion will usually last between 6-8 weeks, once it has been opened.
Again, there’s going to be some variation here depending on the formula.
If it’s a highly moisturizing formula, then it’s probably not going to last as long.
This is because the goat milk has been less fundamentally changed, and so is prone to expire as fast as it would simply in a carton in your fridge.
So, once you open a bottle of lotion, you should ideally try and use it up within 6 weeks.
Don’t just throw it away after this, but make sure you keep a closer eye on it before using it again if you’re worried it’s expired.
Why, then, does it go bad in this way?
Why does goat milk lotion go bad?
The simple answer is for the same reason goat milk on its own goes bad.
Unlike soap, which is cured and processed so that it can never really go off even with milk in it, lotion is simply a suspension of ingredients.
All you do to make it, really, is formulate and mix ingredients.
This means the goat milk really isn’t fundamentally changed, and it is still exposed to going bad like any other milk product.
Ordinary lotions, though, do not go bad in this way.
Again, this is because they contain synthetic products which break down only over a very long time.
You should think of your goat milk lotion as being like any other food product containing goat milk.
It will start going sour pretty quickly—though not as quick as food.
So, with all this in mind, is it definitely safe to use?
Related – Does Goat Milk Soap Expire?
Is goat milk lotion safe to use?
Yes, it certainly is, by and large.
There’s nothing inherently dangerous to anyone about using goat milk lotion—even if you were lactose intolerant!
That said, new skincare products can always be a bit of a gamble, so you should always test a small amount before using it to the full extent, especially on your face.
That said, goat milk lotion is exceptionally soft and nourishing, so the likelihood that your skin won’t agree with it is very low.
Even if it does, it may simply be a case of finding a goat milk lotion more closely formulated for your skin type.
How to store goat milk lotion
Once it’s opened, you should make sure it’s somewhere cool and dry where it won’t be hit by direct sunlight.
Really, it’s the same as most any other kind of lotion.
As long as it isn’t getting damp or too hot (or too cold!) then it’s going to be fine for the full 6-8 weeks.
The same is true of when it’s unopened. Just put it in a cupboard or shelf away from direct sunlight until it’s ready to use.
The ‘timer’ of its expiry date will not start until you open it. so that makes it easier to store.
What to do with expire goat milk lotion
There’s really not a whole lot you can do with it.
It can’t be used for your skin, and there aren’t many ways to safely recycle something with so many chemicals in it. my advice would just be to throw it away, then.
You can’t make good use of expired goat milk lotion.
Be sure it is expired, though, before you throw it away.
Don’t simply throw it way as soon as it reaches 6 weeks of being opened.
It may last a bit longer.
Unlike hardy and enduring soap, then, the suspension of ingredients that is goat milk lotion will last only a few weeks.
Once you’ve opened a bottle, you need to be prepared to consistently use it before it gets too old to be used anymore.
Goat milk lotion is great and has many excellent properties, but it’s not right for all skin.
I would encourage trying before buying, so you don’t end up with a useless bottle of lotion going sour in your bathroom.