Does Baby Oil Expire?

Baby Oil has been used for many generations to mainly keep our babies’ skin moisturized, supple, and soft. It’s very common for parents to have one or more bottles of Baby Oil in their nursery room, bathroom, or diaper bag. Many parents rely on Baby Oil to protect their newborn’s skin from diaper rash and dry skin. It can also be used as a massage oil to physically bond with your babies. But does Baby Oil go out of date? Here’s the quick answer first. 

Does Baby Oil expire? Yes, Baby Oil does expire since it contains ingredients such as mineral oil and fragrance that will break down over time. As a result, you’ll notice that the Baby Oil is less fragrant and moisturizing. In some cases, your baby’s skin may become red, irritated, and quite sticky after you’ve applied some Baby Oil onto their skin. These telltale signs let you know that the Baby Oil has expired. Note that the expiration date depends on the Baby Oil brand you’re using. Some Baby Oil brand expires after just one year.   

In this article, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about Baby Oil, including its key ingredients, how you can tell if the Baby Oil has expired, and a few ways to reuse the expired Baby Oil if you don’t want to throw it out just yet.  

Does Baby Oil expire?

Yes, Baby Oil does expire, and some Baby Oil brands will have a manufacturing date, recommended use-by date, or an expiration date listed either on the top or on the bottom of the bottle. 

If you see the manufacturing date listed, then you’ll want to count out three years into the future from that date to get the expiration date. If it’s helpful, you can use a permanent marker and write that expiration date somewhere on the Baby Oil bottle.  

We highly recommend that you check the expiration date or the manufacturing date on the bottle or packaging before buying so that you know you’re bringing home a fresh bottle of Baby Oil for your babies or newborn. 

Depending on which Baby Oil brands you buy for your infant, here’s where the expiration date may be listed on the Baby Oil bottle: 

• Top of the bottle.
• Side of the bottle.
• Bottom of the bottle. 

If you don’t see it, then there may be a manufacturing date. A good rule of thumb, if you store the Baby Oil bottle at room temperature, is to remove it three years after the manufacturing date to keep your babies’ skin safe from any expired ingredients. 

Some conservative Baby Oil manufacturers recommend replacing the Baby Oil after one year. 

The expiration date of one year or three years really depends on which Baby Oil brands you use. Some Baby Oil brands contain more than just mineral oil and fragrance on their list of ingredients and those other ingredients may break down much quicker than others. 

Does mineral oil expire?

Mineral oil, found in many Baby Oil brands, will never expire or go bad at room temperature since it is a petroleum byproduct. This means Baby Oil is actually a hydrocarbon compound that comes from petrochemicals. 

There have been articles that state both Baby Oil and mineral oil can potentially have harmful health effects on your babies, which is why as a mother myself, I don’t recommend using those products on my babies (scroll to the bottom of this article to see what products I use for my babies).  

However, many parents do already have it and are simply just wondering how long do Baby Oil last.  

Keep in mind that the expiration date of the Baby Oil also depends on what other ingredients are mixed with mineral oil and fragrance. If those other ingredients or oil has a short shelf life, then the Baby Oil will also have a shorter shelf life. 

Avoid using expired ingredients or oil on your babies’ skin, especially if they have sensitive skin since doing so can cause a whole host of skin problems. 

How long does Baby Oil last and how to tell if Baby Oil is expired?

Depending on which Baby Oil brand you use and the ingredients used in that specific Baby Oil brand, it can last from up to one to three years. While Baby Oil does a perfectly good job at keeping your babies’ skin soft and moisturized through its gentle oil, it can also cause harmful side effects if it’s expired. 

Here’s how you can tell if the Baby Oil you’re using is expired: 

• The Baby Oil feels sticky to the touch. 
• Change in oil consistency. 
• The Baby Oil may still look the same, but it will smell differently or does not have any fragrance at all. 
• Your baby’s skin is red or itchy after you’ve applied the expired ingredients in the Baby Oil. Expired ingredients may cause skin irritation in babies. 

If you notice any of the above and are still uncertain whether the Baby Oil has expired, you can also do a small patch test on your skin to make sure. Simply apply some Baby Oil to the Q-tip cotton swab and perform a small test patch on your knee or thigh. If you feel itchiness or see redness after 24 hours, then the Baby Oil has expired.  

If you’re not comfortable doing this, we understand! We would highly recommend that you just toss it out to err on the side of safety for both you and your babies.

Does Johnson Baby Oil have an expiration date?

One of the most popular Baby Oil brands is Johnson and Johnson. While Johnson Baby Oil states that over 96% of the ingredients are natural. It is recommended that parents replace their Johnson Baby Oil after three years to ensure that the product is safe for their babies. 

Even then, Johnson and Johnson is pretty conservative and recommend their customers to replace their Baby Oil every year. 

The Johnson Baby Oil will usually have the manufacturing date printed on the Baby Oil bottle. Here’s how you read the manufacture date on the Baby Oil bottle: 

• The 4th digit of the product number is the manufacture year. For instance, if you see Lot 1115L, then it was made in 2015 and the Baby Oil will expire in 2018. 

So, do Johnson Baby products expire?

Yes, all Johnson Baby products expire. Fortunately, Johnson and Johnson’s baby products are eco-friendly and biodegradable which means you can recycle the Johnson Baby Oil once it has expired.