Where Is the Batch Code on Lipstick & Makeup?
On lipstick the batch code is on the base of the case; on compacts and palettes it's inside or on the back. Here's where to find it and how to read it.
3 min read · Updated July 2026
On lipstick
Twist the lipstick closed and look at the flat bottom of the case — the batch code is printed or stamped there, sometimes alongside the shade number and, on Korean products, a plain 제조 (manufacture) date.
It's a short code separate from the shade name. Good light helps: on glossy cases the print can be low-contrast.
On compacts, palettes and mascara
For powders, blushes and palettes, check the back of the compact or the inside of the lid. For mascara and liquid liners, the code is on the bottom of the tube or where the label wraps.
As with all makeup, the code sits near or under the open-jar PAO symbol.
How to read it
Makeup makers such as Estée Lauder (MAC, Bobbi Brown), Coty (Rimmel, Max Factor, Bourjois) and L'Oréal each use their own date format.
Enter the code with the brand selected on the home page and the checker returns the manufacture date, age and how much shelf life is left.
FAQ
Where is the batch code on a MAC or Estée Lauder lipstick?
On the base of the bullet case — a short plant-month-year code (e.g. A56). Enter it with the brand selected to decode the manufacture date.
Does makeup show an expiry date?
Rarely. Most makeup only carries a batch code plus the open-jar PAO symbol, so the code is how you find out when it was made.