Modern Rejuvenation Review

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A Cosmetic Product Changes Color or Smell: Storage and Complaint Steps

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The Short Answer: Stop Using It, Save the Label, and Report the Problem

FDA’s consumer guidance says to throw away cosmetics that change in color or smell. FDA also asks people to contact the agency about a bad smell, a color change, or foreign material in a product. Before you throw it away, take photos and save the container and label.

By the Modern Rejuvenation Review Editorial Team | Updated September 24, 2026

Urgent Signs Come First

General safety note, not from the FDA pages: if you have trouble breathing, swelling of the face, lips, or tongue, or a severe reaction after using a product, call your local emergency services right away. This article is for product changes and milder problems, not emergencies.

For a rash, redness, a burn, an infection, or another unexpected reaction, FDA says to stop using the product and call your healthcare provider about how to care for the problem. Then report it to FDA. FDA says it does not provide medical advice.

Terms to Know

  • Cosmetic: Products meant to cleanse or beautify the body are generally regulated as cosmetics. FDA’s examples include moisturizers, makeup, hair care products, deodorants, perfumes, nail polish, and tattoo ink.
  • Reaction (adverse event): FDA’s examples include a rash, redness, burn, hair loss, headache, infection, illness, or any other unexpected reaction. It counts whether or not you needed medical treatment.
  • Product problem: FDA’s examples include a bad smell, color change, foreign material in the product, or other signs of contamination.
  • Contamination: Unwanted germs or material in a product. For example, FDA warns that adding saliva or water to mascara can add germs.
  • Expiration date: FDA says the law does not require cosmetics to carry one. A product may still go bad if stored the wrong way.
  • Product codes: Numbers or marks printed on the label or container that help identify the product. It helps to write them down.
  • MedWatch: FDA’s voluntary reporting system. Consumers can use its online form to report a cosmetic complaint.
  • Drug product: FDA says cosmetics are not the same as drug products and are regulated differently. For more on that difference, see our guide on cosmetic versus drug claims.

Three Situations, Compared

FDA separates a problem with the product from a reaction in the person. Which one you have changes your first step.

  • The product looks or smells different, and you feel fine. FDA says to throw it away and to contact FDA about the change. Save photos and packaging first.
  • The product changed and your skin, eyes, or body reacted. Stop using it and call your healthcare provider. Then report both the reaction and the product problem to FDA.
  • The product is a medicine or came from a prescriber or pharmacy. FDA treats drug products differently from cosmetics. Ask the pharmacist or prescriber before you discard it. Do not stop or change any prescribed medicine on your own.

Step-by-Step Field Guide

  1. Check for urgent symptoms. Use the emergency note above if any apply.
  2. Stop using the product. This includes the face, the eye area, and any area with a reaction.
  3. Write down what changed. Note the date, what you see or smell, and when you first noticed it. Take clear photos of the product, the label, and the container.
  4. Save the packaging and label. They give you the product name and any codes when you report. This is a practical tip, not an FDA requirement for consumers.
  5. Review how it was stored. FDA says a cosmetic may go bad if kept somewhere too warm or too moist, and that containers should be kept clean, tightly closed, and protected from temperature extremes. Note where yours was kept and whether you marked an open date.
  6. Pick your path. Use the comparison above: product problem only, reaction, or possible drug product. If you had a reaction and are not sure which product caused it, our product and timing log can help you organize what you used and when.
  7. Report it to FDA. FDA’s current complaint page lists three options: the online MedWatch voluntary reporting form, a paper consumer form (Form FDA 3500B) that can be mailed or faxed, or a phone call to the Food and Cosmetics Information Center at 1-888-SAFEFOOD (1-888-723-3366), option 4. Have the product name, any codes, what changed, and any reaction ready.
  8. Decide about the product itself. FDA’s advice is to throw it away. The FDA pages I reviewed do not say whether to keep the product for a report. If you plan to contact the seller or maker, ask whether they want it returned before you discard it.
  9. Look at the label for follow-up. The manufacturer, packer, or distributor is often named on the packaging. Contacting them is separate from an FDA report.

Storage Checklist From FDA Guidance

  • Read the label and follow the directions and warnings.
  • Wash your hands before using a product, and do not share makeup.
  • Keep containers clean and tightly closed when not in use.
  • Protect products from temperature extremes and from places that are too warm or too moist.
  • Consider marking the container with the date you open it.
  • Do not add saliva or water to mascara.
  • Throw away eye makeup if you get an eye infection, since it may have become contaminated.

What the Sources Do Not Tell Us

The FDA pages used here do not explain which color or smell changes are harmless and which are not. They also give no storage temperatures or time limits for specific products. This guide does not try to fill those gaps, and you should not treat a product as safe just because it still looks normal. For product-specific questions, the label and the maker are the places to start.

FDA also says the manufacturer, packer, or distributor named on a product’s label must report serious adverse events to FDA. FDA’s consumer steps still ask you to report a problem yourself. The pages I reviewed do not say whether a company’s report replaces yours.

Questions to Bring to a Healthcare Provider or Pharmacist

  • I used this product and noticed a change. Could my symptoms be related?
  • Should I bring the product, packaging, or photos to this visit?
  • Is this product a cosmetic or a drug, and does that change how it should be reported?
  • If a professional supplied or recommended this product, who should I contact about the problem?
  • Do any of my current medicines or skin conditions make this more important to check?

Education Only

This article is general educational information from the site’s editorial team. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose, treat, or replace care from a qualified healthcare provider. See our medical disclaimer and editorial policy for how we handle sources.

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