Polish shelf life

[acuRAS82]

Is there any general consensus on how long polishes can last on a shelf (unopened or opened)? I’ve read threads about LSP shelf life, many can last many years in an indoor environment. Would the same apply to polishes (such as PBMG swirl removers and finishing polishes)? AIO’s? I have a lot without considering how many years they may last.

If they are separated I would shake them to salvage them, so far none of them have. Just wondering if anyone has any real life experiences of polishes gone bad after X duration from the purchase time.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

It all depends...it depends on how you store them, it depends on how they were stored before you bought them (mfr. warehouse, distributor warehouse). It also depends on the product. There was one brand of polishes that went to a "water-based" formula, and had a lot of rancidity complaints until they reformulated.

Real life experience? I've had some really old stuff separate or get runny...that could have been 20 years old, but I had one brand of polishes that I had the range of...the compound got black mold spots all through it so I had to throw that out...the rest of them have pretty much dried up...but they are over a dozen years old, and I think some of the blame is on the packaging which has allowed the solvents to diffuse out.

 

[cleanmycorolla]

Whatever it is shake it up good, honestly i have stuff thats 10 years old still is working fine....

 

[acuRAS82]

Thanks for the replies. I will shake each a lot prior to using them and see where they’re at. I asked my question just because I probably have enough polishes for the next 10 years at the rate I polish... wanted an idea of whether that’s even a possibility or if they are more certain to go bad after 2 years.