What storage and shelf-life information to include on your labels

Shelf-life and storage information belongs on the label itself, not buried in a thank-you note or on your website. A customer who buys your product in person or receives it in a box needs to know how long it will last and how to keep it good for that long—and they need to know it when they're looking at the product, not weeks later.

This is not marketing. It is consumer protection. It also prevents the return or complaint that starts with "I followed your instructions and it went bad anyway"—because the instructions were never on the label in the first place.

What the law requires

Food products (baked goods, jams, brews, infusions) must include either a best-by date or a period-after-opening statement on the label itself. The FDA requires this for any food product, and state cottage-food laws are often stricter. If your product is shelf-stable for six months unopened, you write "Best by [date]" with the actual date. If it lasts longer unopened but degrades quickly after opening, you write "Use within X days of opening" or "Consume within 5 days of opening."

Cosmetics and bath products (salts, scrubs, bath bombs, body butters) fall under a different regime. The FDA does not require a best-by date on cosmetics, but you must disclose the period-after-opening (PAO) if the product has a shelf life shorter than 30 months unopened. This appears as a symbol—an open jar with a number inside—or as text: "Use within 12 months of opening."

True soap is treated separately again. Cold-process and hot-process soaps are not regulated as cosmetics by the FDA; they are regulated as soap. You are not required to include a PAO, but you may choose to. Many soap makers do, because it builds confidence.

Candles and wax melts are not food or cosmetics. There is no federal requirement for a shelf-life statement. However, you should include one anyway, because wax degrades under heat and light, and a customer who stores a beeswax candle on a sunny windowsill will have a different experience than one who stores it in a cool cupboard.

The rule that applies to you depends on what you make. Verify this with your state agriculture department or the FDA before you print.

Concrete wording for each product type

Beeswax and soy candles

"Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and heat sources. Best used within 12 months."

Or, if you want to be more specific about the risk:

"Keep away from heat and direct sunlight. Wax may soften or discolor if stored above 75°F."

The second version tells the customer *why* storage matters, which makes them more likely to follow it. It also preempts the complaint "my candle is discolored"—they now know it's a storage issue, not a defect.

Natural bath products (salts, bombs, scrubs)

"Store in a cool, dry place. Use within 12 months of opening."

If your product contains essential oils or botanicals that degrade in humidity:

"Keep dry. Store away from moisture and direct sunlight. Use within 9 months of opening."

If you use a PAO symbol instead of text, it appears as a small open jar with the number inside: 12M (12 months).

Homemade baked goods

"Keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Refrigerate for up to 7 days. Freeze for up to 3 months."

Be specific about the container type if it matters: "Store in an airtight container" is better than "store properly." A customer who puts your cookies in a paper bag will have a different result than one who uses a sealed tin.

If your product contains dairy or eggs and has a short window:

"Refrigerate immediately. Best consumed within 2 days of delivery."

Herbal brews, infusions, and teas

"Store in a cool, dry place away from light. Use within 6 months of opening. Brewed tea should be refrigerated and consumed within 3 days."

If your brew is shelf-stable unopened but you want to set expectations for the brewed product:

"Unopened: store in a cool, dry place for up to 12 months. After brewing, refrigerate and consume within 48 hours."

Soap (cold-process or hot-process)

"Store in a cool, dry place. Soap improves with age. Use within 2 years."

Many soap makers add this because it reframes the shelf life as a feature—good soap gets better as water evaporates and the bars harden. If you don't want to include a PAO, you don't have to. But if you do, this language works.

Where to put it on the label

Storage and shelf-life information should be legible and easy to find. This means:

• A separate line or section, not buried in the ingredient list
• Font size that matches or exceeds your ingredient declaration
• On the back or side of the label if the front is reserved for your brand name and product description

If your label is small (under 2 inches wide), you may need to abbreviate: "Store cool and dry. Use within 12 months." The full version can go on a hang tag or in a note.

The packaging insert is not a substitute

A handwritten note that says "keep in a cool place" is kind and personal. It is also not a legal label. If a customer loses the note or gives your product as a gift, the recipient has no storage guidance. The label is what travels with the product.

This is also why you print storage information on your ingredient tags, not just on your product labels. An ingredient tag that lists "cocoa butter, shea butter, essential oil of lavender" without any storage guidance leaves the customer guessing about how to keep it.

Why this matters for your reputation

A customer who receives a product with clear storage instructions and follows them will have a better experience. They will also be more likely to buy again, because they know the product performed as promised. A customer who guesses about storage and ends up with a separated bath bomb or a stale cookie will blame you, not their cupboard.

Shelf-life information is the most honest thing you can put on a label. It says: I know how long this lasts, I've tested it, and I'm telling you the truth about it. That builds trust faster than any marketing claim.