Still have a bottle of sunscreen in your bathroom cabinet from last year? While you might think you need to toss it and buy a new one, sunscreen actually lasts longer than you think. Check the expiration date (if there is one)—but you have three years from the date of purchase to use it.
How to know if your sunscreen has expired
This advice comes Directly from the FDAwhich requires sunscreen manufacturers to put an expiration date on their product indicating when it will stop providing the level of protection stated on the label. If there is no date, it means that the test shows that it should be good for a full three years after purchase. (This is a longstanding rule unrelated to the current administration—it’s been in place for years.)
Sunscreen that is older than that can Has lost its power, but then again, maybe not. Because it’s a bit of a gamble, the FDA recommends throwing away sunscreen that’s passed the three-year mark or past its expiration date. If there’s no expiration date, but you can remember buying it last year, or even two years ago, it’s likely still as good as new. If you find a bottle in your closet and have no idea when you bought it, they recommend throwing it away to be safe.
How to make your sunscreen last three years
Retired sunscreen doesn’t look or feel any different than fresh, but if it does Looks different, it could mean it has gone bad prematurely. Sunscreen needs to remain in its original form to remain effective. For example, if the protective chemicals were initially uniformly suspended in the lotion but have since separated, they will no longer be as effective. If you squeeze the bottle and all you get is a distinct goo and liquid, it’s probably no longer good.
What do you think so far?
How you store sunscreen can affect how long it lasts. The FDA recommends, ironically, that we keep sunscreen bottles out of the sun. Extreme heat can cause the product to deteriorate sooner, so they suggest leaving your sunscreen in the shade or wrapping it in a towel when you’re at the beach. You can also place it in a cooler for added safety.
