How Do You Know if Sunscreen Has Expired?
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I read that spf lasts for 3 years? I got some a while back and it has a strong scent but feels like a waste to throw it away!
I have used a lot of it but when I poured it out into a face cream pot it’s a lot lol
Using on my face causes pilling and now may not have the protective properties it once had so I’ve just put it on my arms
Within a year of purchase/opening which unless you make a note in your diary of when you bought it is pretty useless as many don't have a date on them these days. Having said that I would recommend you get rid of any bottle that's been used as one of the jobs you do in the winter months.
EmmaWright762 yes that’s about right or if you notice there’s a can in the texture and the smell is different more stronger than when you first opened to use them definitely needs to be thrown out!
It's cheap enough, always some good deals around,cwe just replace every year when we go on holiday
martinlufc5637 Yes that’s true! Oh that’s great you go on holiday every year! Where do you go? I cannot stand with hot weather lol
kitty88uk we are going to marmaris Turkey in 3'weeks, it was cheaper than a week in the UK
martinlufc5637 that’s great to hear! Hope you and your family will have an amazing time over there!!
kitty88uk we have friends over there at the minute, prices have gone up by 100% or more
martinlufc5637 omg really?! How much are plane tickets roughly? Guess cause it’s near peak season?! Crazy how they can just up the prices like that!!
A lot of products have a symbol on them. It looks like a open tub it tells you how many months after opening you should use it by.
This has reminded me to get more sunscreen for my son. I usually just buy a new bottle each year as don't think it lasts that long and don't want to risk it.
MrsCraig £3 sounds a reasonable price! What’s the size of bottles? Last I had a look at Sainsbury’s can’t remember the brand name but it’s small size at 50ml I think
Yeah as long as it says 50+ don’t see a problem using spf even though it says for kids it’s basically just suncream! Have you noticed bottles that don’t say lids costs more?! Lol what a rip off
MrsCraig thank you for all of your help!! Very informative! May get some kids spf if I remember next time I go to Aldi but I just bought some for face at Superdrug rrp costs £14.99 now down to £9.99 still pricey lol I have used the brand before made in Japan got my mum to buy in Hong Kong a few years ago to try it out as it’s a popular item!! It’s light weight and not thick or greasy but this one says made in Canada
MrsCraig oh that’s good to hear! Yes supermarkets own brands of anything is much cheaper and still just as good as the branded ones! Which brand ones did you buy before and what does the Tesco one looks like? Can you share a photo? Yeah best to compare prices! Thanks for letting me know!!
Never use suncream after a year been opened it loses it protection. So you may think you putting on factor 50 more like factor 30 protection etc. Recommend to replace every year
tracisinclair01 yes I thought so too googled search says 3 years they can last for but still not sure
kitty88uk 1 year when opened is generally best rule. Not sure about unopened though.
tracisinclair01 yes I was thinking the same too Best for 1 year to use and if the texture and smell is different then best to get rid of it!
I would be very wary and probably throw it away. I know it seems a waste but if there are no symbols it’s better to be safe than sorry.
eyeballkerry yes I know as with all skincare has that symbol
This one didn’t have it, made in Japan and I even used Google translate app it didn’t say the date
Would be obvious if it had a number but nothing in the tube
Just had a look online and it says this.....HOW LONG DOES SUNSCREEN LAST ONCE OPENED? Sunscreen can remain effective for up to 3 years once it's been opened. Generally, sunscreen can last 6 to 12 months after opening and varies per product. Be sure to check the product packaging and follow directions for the best results.
They should normally have like the little tub symbol on the back and it'll say something like 12M or something like that
Mine always have an expiration date on them but if i think it’s not good enough i just chuck it. Skin cancer is no joke so it’s not worth the risk for the price of sun tan cream
Suncream should have either an expiry date or a 6m or 12m logo on it like make-up and shampoo does.
I would risk make-up and shampoo after their expiry date but anything that protects my skin like suncream I wouldn't. I already burn using factor 50, I like many probably don't reapply it enough and the mineral versions are suppose to be more affective that the chemical versions that most people tend to use.
This logo with the open symbol means it shouldn't be used after 12m of opening. Depending on the number it is usually 3m, 6m or 12m but can differ.
Or there may be an actual date on the container.
DeBunny yeah I know the tub symbol it didn’t have it as it’s Japanese brand spf and had numbers looked it up and nothing
The smell is strong and couldn’t smell the floral scent anymore so I binned it
Not worth the risk
I have been using Nivea face cream eve et day for years and it’s also spf but it’s just 15 lol
Thank you so much for your comment and help and photos too very useful for others to know!
Generally as we don't want to risk getting burnt, we will buy it one year and any left use the following year also, after that if we still had any left ( which is unlikely) we would throw it away and buy new Sun cream
I don't use sunscreen generally, but after seeing what it does via a UV camera I'll buy a natural sunscreen.
PhilipMarc it’s definitely not worth the risk you need to start using spf !! Even High Jackman on his Instagram advised people to use it! He had a problem on his nose area and thank goodness it wasn’t serious!
Lots of sunscreens and other lotions are a cancer risk often a greater cancer risk than the sun itself;
www.breastcancer.org/risk/risk-factors/exposure-to-chemicals-in-sunscreen
It makes more sense to cover up to a degree and expose your more sensitive skin to the sun for more limited periods in bright sun. I.e. wear a T shirt and then roll it up when on the beach for 2-10 minutes and then cover up again afterwards. Obviously not only will this massively decrease your cancer risk but also save a lot of money. The whiter your skin the higher the risk so you only have to work out which bits of you are most white to control tanning to those areas and allow them less time in the sun. The whiter the skin the much greater its efficiency at creating vitamin D so you definitely want to expose that skin a bit to the rays of the sun.
BonzoBanana there’s so many things to consider which parts of body to cover and not to cover which spf if good and which aren’t lol thanks for sharing this information
This is worth a read
www.breastcancer.org/risk/risk-factors/exposure-to-chemicals-in-sunscreen
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