What the PAO Symbol Actually Tells You
The open-jar icon printed on almost every cosmetics and skincare product is called the Period After Opening symbol, or PAO. The number inside it, 6M, 12M, 24M, is the number of months a product remains safe and effective after you first open it. This is separate from the manufacturing expiry date printed elsewhere on the packaging. A product can be within its manufacturing date and still be past its PAO if you opened it a year ago and forgot about it.
