Where is the batch code on a perfume bottle or a cosmetic product?

A batch code is a short combination of 3 to 8 letters and digits. It is laser-etched under the glass, ink-jetted on the base, or embossed under the box flap. It is not the 13-digit barcode: the EAN identifies the product on a shelf, the batch code identifies when it was made.

How do I check how old a cosmetic is from its batch code?

Find the 3 to 8 character code under the bottle or under the box flap, then type or scan it into CosmeScan. The tool calculates the manufacturing month, the age of the formula and the remaining shelf life, across 4,155 brands. The decoding runs in your browser, no photo is sent to a server.

How do I read a Dior, Chanel, Guerlain or L'Oréal batch code?

At LVMH (Dior, Guerlain, Givenchy) the code is 4 characters, for example 4B01. The first one is the last digit of the year, the second is the month with the letter I skipped (A is January, B is February). At L'Oréal (Lancôme, YSL, CeraVe) the third letter of a 6 character code carries the year: 38Z401, with X for 2024, Y for 2025 and Z for 2026. At Estée Lauder (MAC, Tom Ford) it is the third digit of a 3 character code, for example AB5. Every house has its own rule, and some do not decode publicly.

How can I tell if a perfume has gone off?

A perfume does not turn all at once like food. Its top notes oxidise with air, light and heat. CosmeScan sorts freshness into three states: fresh under 24 months, watch between 24 and 36 months, past it beyond 36 months. Three years after opening, citrus fades and the alcohol can turn. The little jar symbol on the label gives the exact figure for your product.

What is the ten-year batch code cycle?

The big houses reuse their sequences every ten years: 9P01 can mean February 2019 or February 2009. The vintage mode in CosmeScan switches between a current bottle and a collector from the 2010s. When two dates remain possible, CosmeScan shows the result as ambiguous instead of picking one at random.

How do I reassure a buyer about the freshness of a perfume I am selling?

CosmeScan generates a 1080 × 1080 dating card with the batch code, the manufacturing date calculated from that code and a verification link. The link takes the buyer back to the brand page and to any recall on record. The card is built for a Vinted, eBay, Leboncoin, Vestiaire or Mercari listing. It documents the dating, it is not an expert appraisal and it does not establish authenticity.

Vanity Shelf & Cosmetic PAO Expiration Tracker — CosmeScan

Digitize your personal vanity collection to track opening dates, calculate effective PAO, and receive expiration alerts.

🔍 Online Batch Code Scanner • 🌐 All 4,155 Brands • 🚨 EU Safety Gate Recalls

What is CosmeScan?

CosmeScan decodes cosmetic and fragrance manufacturing dates from etched batch codes (e.g. 6B01 for Dior, 1601 for Chanel, 38Z401 for Lancôme). Check unopened freshness, PAO expiration, EU Safety Gate recalls, and generate certificates for Vinted, eBay, and Depop.

Batch Code Decoding Matrix by Cosmetic Group

Group / House	Format Example	Decoding Algorithm
LVMH (Dior, Guerlain, Givenchy, Kenzo)	`6B01`, `9P01`	1st digit = Year (6=2026, 5=2025), 2nd letter = Month (A=Jan, B=Feb... P=Feb for Guerlain)
L'Oréal (Lancôme, YSL, Armani, CeraVe, La Roche-Posay)	`38Z401`, `20Y201`	2 digits = Plant, 3rd letter = Year (X=2024, Y=2025, Z=2026), 4th char = Month (1-9, O, N, D)
Estée Lauder (MAC, Tom Ford, Clinique, Jo Malone)	`AB5`, `A16`	1st char = Batch, 2nd char = Month (1-9, A=Oct, B=Nov, C=Dec), 3rd digit = Year (4=2024, 5=2025, 6=2026)
Chanel	`1601`, `9201`	4-digit rolling monthly sequential registry with decennial repeating cycle
Coty & Puig (Calvin Klein, Rabanne, Jean Paul Gaultier, Chloé)	`6032`, `50821`	1st digit = Year + 3 digits = Julian Day of the year (001 to 365)

Core Features

4,155 Verified Brands: Universal optical recognition and instant batch deciphering.
Vintage Decennial Detection: Resolves 10-year recurring codes for Dior, Chanel, and Guerlain.
EU Safety Gate Recall Sync: Direct cross-referencing with RAPEX safety notices including the Lilial/BMHCA ban.
Tamper-Evident Resale Certificates: High-resolution 1080×1080 verification cards for Vinted, Depop, eBay, and Poshmark.
Automated Vanity Shelf & Expiration Tracking: Real-time PAO countdown and proactive preservation notifications.

What is CosmeScan?

Batch Code Decoding Matrix by Cosmetic Group

Core Features

Direct Access to Brand Decoders (4,155 Brands)