PAO symbol (period after opening)

The PAO symbol, or period after opening, is the open-jar icon on cosmetic packaging that shows, in months, how long a product stays safe to use after it is first opened, printed as a figure such as 12M or 24M.

Also known as: period after opening, open jar symbol, 12M symbol, cosmetic expiry symbol

The period after opening (PAO) symbol is a small drawing of an open cream jar with a number and the letter M inside or beside it. 12M means the product is safe for twelve months after the first opening; 24M means two years. It is the shelf-life mark on most nail polish, lip gloss and eyeliner sold in Europe.

The rule comes from Article 19 of Regulation (EC) 1223/2009. A cosmetic with a minimum durability of more than 30 months does not need a best-before date. Instead it must show the period after opening for which the product is safe, using the open-jar symbol in point 2 of Annex VII followed by the period in months or years¹. Products that last less than 30 months carry an hourglass symbol with a best-before date instead.

The period differs by product type. Water-based liquid liners and open gel pots are vulnerable to microbes, and the industry norm for eye products is 6 to 12 months. Ophthalmologists go further and advise discarding a pencil used on the waterline after 3 months². Nail polish contains no water and dries out before it spoils, so its PAO is usually longer, though a thickened or separated lacquer is past its best whatever the label says.

Write the opening date on the base of a new bottle or tube with a marker. The PAO counts from that day, not from the date of purchase, and the symbol is the fastest way to decide whether an old gloss or liner should go.

Written and fact-checked by the India Anaïs editorial team. Every number and rule is linked to its source. How the guides are made.