Last Year’s Sunscreen Is (Probably) Still Good.
Do you still have last year’s bottle of sunscreen lying around in your bathroom? You might think you should throw it out and buy a new one, but sunscreen actually lasts longer than you think. Check the expiration date (if there is one)—you have three years from the date of purchase to use it.
How to Tell if Your Sunscreen Has Expired
This recommendation comes directly from the FDA , which requires sunscreen manufacturers to include an expiration date on their products indicating when they will no longer provide the claimed level of protection. If no expiration date is included, it means testing has shown the cream should be usable for three years after purchase. (This is a long-standing rule, unrelated to the current administration—it has been in effect for many years.)
Expired sunscreen may or may not be less effective. Because this is a risk, the FDA recommends throwing away sunscreen that’s expired or more than three years past its expiration date. If there’s no expiration date, but you remember buying it last year or even two years ago, it’s likely still as good as new. If you find a bottle in a cabinet and have no idea when you bought it, it’s recommended to throw it away just in case.
How to make your sunscreen last all three years
Expired sunscreen may look and feel the same as fresh sunscreen, but if it looks different, it may have spoiled prematurely. Sunscreen must maintain its original formula to remain effective. For example, if the protective chemicals were initially evenly distributed throughout the lotion but have separated over time, it will no longer be as effective. If you squeeze the bottle and find a separated mass and liquid, it’s likely no longer usable.
How you store sunscreen can affect its shelf life. Counterintuitively, the FDA recommends storing sunscreen bottles away from direct sunlight. Extreme heat can cause the product to spoil prematurely, so they recommend storing sunscreen in the shade or wrapping it in towels when at the beach. For added safety, you can also put it in a cooler.