The shelf life of korean cosmetics

Year/Month/Date is the format used by Korean manufacturers, so the year is first, then month, then day. Most list the manufacturing date, the expiration date is rarely shown. The standard time to use up a cosmetic product is three years from the listed manufacturing date.
After opening, the shelf life is usually 12 months (this is marked by a picture of an open jar and 12M inside). If the product can be used for longer than 12 months, then this symbol isn’t on the packaging. Store in temperatures between +5 to +20C (41 to 68F).

A brief summary to help you decipher the dates:

These symbols are also used:
MFG (Manufacturing) – manufacturing
date
EXP (Expiration) – expiration date

사용기한 – shelf life

At times, if the shelf life is longer than 24 months, the manufacturer might not list the manufacturing date at all. But he has to list the batch code.
For example, Japanese company Biore. I have several sunscreens from this brand, and none of them list the manufacturing date, only the batch code. How do you determine the expiration date? Look for the printed letters and numbers on the bottom of the bottle or at the seams. I have T0001486, T0001056 and B0002076.

The last few digits are the batch code; mine are 1486, 1056 and 2076. Type this in to determine the date of manufacture and expiration date of Biore products.