You have been stocking up on all of these great CBD products you come across, but then you checked the label on some of them and found the product has passed the expiration date. What is the expiration date of CBD products? Should you throw them away, or are they safe to continue using? Will expired CBD products make you sick?

There is a reason CBD products have expiration dates, and we’ll cover that. You may also be pleased to learn there are some things you can do to extend the shelf-life of CBD products.

So, before you go throwing out your older CBD products, read this post. You will learn some things that will keep you from throwing out perfectly good CBD products.

Does CBD Tincture Expire?

Technically, CBD tinctures and oils do expire. However, the shelf life is roughly 12 to 24 months. That being said, there are a variety of factors that affect the expiration date, which we will cover in detail. However, you do not need to worry about CBD that is older than 12 to 24 months. CBD products that are past their prime generally will not turn rancid, spoil, or make you sick. They do, however, start to lose potency once they have reached the end of their shelf life. CBD begins to oxidize over time, and it breaks down and evaporates. This makes the CBD product less effective than it was when it was fresh.

Do CBD Topical Products Expire?

Just as with CBD tinctures and oils, CBD topicals become less effective after their expiration date. But, it will not make you sick or cause harm to use them.

Factors That Determine Expiration Date of CBD Products

Several factors affect the expiration date of CBD products.

The Packaging

Most CBD brands produce CBD tinctures or oils in dark green or brown glass bottles, as this reduces or eliminates exposure to light and sunlight. This keeps the product from breaking down.

Extraction Method

Another key factor that determines the expiration date of CBD products is the extraction method used to turn the hemp material into a usable oil. We use lipid extraction, which is considered to be the best method there is. This method preserves the chemical integrity of the plant, without the use of harsh solvents. A stable composition makes for a longer shelf life because it takes longer for the compounds to break down.

So, a CBD product produced using lipid extraction will last longer. Other methods that use harsh solvents produce CBD products with shorter shelf lives because these methods create more unstable CBD products.

Other Ingredients

The additional ingredients in a CBD product also determine the expiration date. Our CBD balm is made with organic CBD infused coconut oil, jojoba oil, shea butter, bee’s wax, and essential oils. Our CBD body butter is made with our certified organic hemp flower CBD, which is gently infused into organic coconut oil, shea butter, jojoba oil, and essential oils. These products have ingredients with high sustainability. For example, unrefined shea butter has a shelf life of 18 to 24 months. It can still be used after that, but it won’t be as effective. Coconut oil has a shelf life of 24 months. Jojoba oil is good for five years, and beeswax has an almost indefinite shelf life.
Our topical products are good for about 18 to 24 months. Our CBD tincture is good for 12 to 24 months.

Extraction Date

Another factor that greatly contributes to the expiration date of CBD products is how long it’s been since the CBD oil was extracted. If a CBD product was sitting on a shelf for three months before you bought it, its expiration date will be earlier than a product that was just extracted a month ago.

How to Determine if a CBD Product is Still Good

It can be a bit difficult to determine if a CBD product is still good beyond its expiration date. Smell it. Does it smell the same, or is there a difference? Is there separation of the formula? This happens because the compounds have broken down and detached from one another, creating a less homogenized product. If there is a different smell, or if there is separation, it’s time to get a new CBD product.

How to Make CBD Products Last Longer

Proper CBD product storage will help prolong the shelf life of the product. Specifically, you want to avoid exposure to light, heat, air, and moisture.

  • Store CBD tincture in a cool, dark place and in an upright position. Don’t leave the bottles open, because air will lead to faster oxidation.
  • Only buy as much as you are going to use. Get a CBD topical, a tincture, and a smokable. This way, you have one of each type of CBD product but not extra that will just sit there, unused.
  • Keep your CBD away from sources of heat, like on top of appliances, near the heater, oven, or stove, in your car, or on a windowsill.
  • Store your CBD products in a drawer or cabinet, where they are away from light and temperature fluctuations.

Final Thoughts

So, how long do CBD products stay good after opening? In general, CBD products last 12 to 24 months, depending on the type of product. The key is to minimize the amount of oxygen, heat, and light that touch the products when you store them, to ensure the CBD does not oxidize and the product stays fresh for a longer period of time.

Will using expired CBD products make you sick? Consuming old CBD tinctures will not make you sick, but it will likely taste off and not be as effective after 24 months. Longer than that, and it will become separated and unpleasant. Your best bet? Always start by examining the expiration date and smelling CBD tincture that appears off in any way.

Proper CBD product storage will help ensure the products last longer, so you can get the relief you need, when you need it.

Looking for quality CBD products with long shelf lives? Try our CBD tincture, CBD body butter, or CBD topical balm. All of these have long shelf lives, are full spectrum, and were produced via lipid extraction.

We have got everything you need to find the relief you’re looking for.