Shiseido Batch Codes (YDDD): Year Digit + Julian Day
Shiseido and its houses print the year digit first and the day of the year second, followed by plant letters.
4 min read · Updated July 2026
Anatomy of the code 5029KG
| Characters | What they encode |
|---|---|
5 | Last digit of the production year — 2025 |
029 | Day of that year — day 29 is 29 January |
KG | Plant / line letters — no date information |
Worked examples
Decoded live by the same engine that powers the checker — not transcribed by hand.
5029KGJanuary 29, 2025medium confidenceDay 29 of 2025 — 29 January 2025.
8233August 21, 2018medium confidenceThe bare 4-digit form: day 233 of a year ending in 8.
How the code is built
Shiseido uses the year-digit-then-Julian-day pattern, optionally followed by letters identifying the plant and line. The date is precise to the day.
Japanese cosmetics regulation requires a printed expiry date on any product whose unopened shelf life is under three years. In practice that means most Shiseido skincare carries a date on the pack — the batch code is a cross-check, not the only source.
Reading one by hand
- First digit: last digit of the year.
- Next three: day of the year. Divide by about 30.4 for the month.
- Trailing letters: plant and line. Ignore.
FAQ
Which brands does this cover?
Shiseido, Clé de Peau Beauté, NARS, IPSA, Elixir, Anessa and the group's other houses.
Brands that use this code (6)
The format belongs to the manufacturer, not the label on the bottle — every brand below is stamped by the same plants and reads the same way.
Other code formats
- Coty Batch Codes (YDDD): How to Read Them
- L'Oréal Batch Codes: The Year-Letter System Explained
- Estée Lauder Batch Codes: Plant, Month, Year in 3 Characters
- Dior, Chanel and LVMH Batch Codes: The Date Is in the Code
Not sure which code on the pack is the batch code? How to Find Your Batch Code