How can I find the most recently-manufactured mascara?

September 9, 2015 5:29 AM

I like Maybelline Full n Soft mascara. It doesn't seem to have fast product turnover in most drugstores, so I bought a tube online, but that too was old. How can I figure out which store (in person or online) would likely have the most turnover for this product, so I am assured of getting a newer tube? For instance, in Chicago, I would have guessed the CVS in Ogilvie train station. Mascara does not have a best by or manufacturing date on it.
posted by Ms Vegetable to Shopping (2 answers total)

Best answer: I have no specific suggestions on where to find it, but I'd encourage you to contact the company directly and ask them this question. Even if they're unable to provide an answer, when you explain the problem you've had with the products you've purchased, there's a very good chance that they will send you either some free product (probably freshish) or some coupons for free product which will make it cheaper to buy it from a couple of different places to see if you can find some that is fresher. That's pretty much the universal response to reasonable customer complaints I've made about relatively inexpensive items like cosmetics or grocery items.

They may also be able to explain to you how their lot numbering system works, which may give you something close to a date of manufacture.
posted by jacquilynne at 6:30 AM on September 9, 2015 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Try the batch codes. I put the batch code from a tube of Bourjois lipstick in my handbag into checkcosmetic.net and www.checkfresh.com and they agreed on the month/year of manufacture. No clue how accurate the data is.

Oh and if you grab Maybelline from the dropdown at Checkfresh it'll explain the batch numbering system used by L'Oreal.
posted by Ness at 7:01 AM on September 9, 2015 [8 favorites]