Every skincare product has an expiration date, so does sunscreen. It’s therefore not unimportant to check this before going outside unprotected. Even if the sun doesn’t shine brightly, your skin can still be damaged without a well-functioning SPF. In this article, we would like to explain what you should pay attention to with regard to the expiration date of a sunscreen, in order to be fully protected when you go outside.
When is the expiration date of my SPF?
Every sunscreen is formulated in a different way and contains several ingredients. This means that there’s no standard best-before date for the various sunscreens. The expiration date of a skin care product is often indicated on the packaging, you can recognize this by the open jar with a number in it. See example below. Our own Protected Face Sunscreen SPF 30 has a shelf life of 12 months.
How do you know if your sunscreen has expired?
Do you still have a bottle of sunscreen in your pantry from last year? Then it’s important to first look at how the product looks, feels and smells. If the structure has completely changed (for example, has become viscous or grainy) or the color looks darker, it’s better not to use it anymore. The sun filter might no longer be effective and you can simply burn when you go to the beach for a day!
How do you store the sunscreen?
To make the most of the best-before date, it’s important that you store your sunscreen correctly. For example, by storing it in a dark and cool place, the effectiveness is lost the least. Take special care that the sunscreen is not exposed to heat and direct sunlight. As a result, the SPF can offer less (or even no) protection.
Good to know: if you use a sunscreen daily and with the recommended amount, a bottle would certainly not last a year. So you would have to buy a refill regularly ;-).
