# Can glycerin be used after it's use by date?



## KimT2au

I found a bottle of glycerin at the back of the cupboard today and it has gone past it's expiry date.  It is in an amber bottle so I can't see what the contents look like.  Is it possible to still use this for making soap?

Kim


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## shunt2011

My search tells me vegetable glycerin is good for 1-2 years.


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## OldHippie

Glycerin is very stable.  It would have to be really old before I would give it a second thought.
I ran into the following, which I thought was interesting:
GLYCERINE is the most commonly used commercial name in the United States for products whose principal component is glycerol, but it is frequently spelled GLYCERIN. More precisely, however, glycerin applies to purified commercial products containing 95% or more of glycerol. GLYCEROL (CAS registry No. 56-81-5; NIOSH No. MA8050000) refers to the chemical compound 1,2.3-propanetriol, CH2OHCHOHCH2OH, and to the anhydrous content in a glycerine product or in a formulation. Outside the United States. especially in Europe, glycerol is a much more broadly applied term, being employed much in the same manner as glycerine is in the United States. Glycerol in European usage may pertain to any grade of glycerine, including crude.


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## SaltedFig

In Australia we have a mandatory use by/best before date of 2 years (from memory) on all food grade products. Your glycerin is likely to have a best-before, rather than a use-by date, because it will last for a very long time if it's kept sealed up and cool.

If the bottle was unopened and you purchased it from either the chemist or the supermarket (BP or food grade), then it should be stable for years past the best-before date.

Why are you putting glycerin in soap? Are you making a shave soap? 

@shunt2011 - I tried a quick net search, but gave up (it was a bit , seeing all the uses for glycerin - waaaay too early in the morning for that).


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## KimT2au

SaltedFig said:


> Why are you putting glycerin in soap? Are you making a shave soap?
> 
> @shunt2011 - I tried a quick net search, but gave up (it was a bit , seeing all the uses for glycerin - waaaay too early in the morning for that).



I use it in liquid soap.


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