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And as a result of SPF is extremely regulated by the FDA, it ought to be stamped with an FDA-approved expiration date. “Sunscreen expiration dates are required by the Food and Drug Administration,” Robinson agrees.
If your bottle doesn’t have an expiration date (or maybe it rubbed off from put on or sweat), he recommends writing the date of buy on the bottle your self. Most sunscreens sometimes have a shelf-life of round three years, give or take, so hold monitor of once you bought and opened your bottle.
So in the event you purchased final yr’s sunscreen final yr, you need to be OK. If it’s a four-year-old bottle, it’s most likely time to toss it.
However! Your sunscreen can expire nicely earlier than its proposed shelf-life in the event you don’t retailer it proper. “Sunscreen should be stored in a cool, dark place1 to maintain its stability and efficacy,” Robinson explains, as direct daylight and warmth can break down its UV-protective molecules.
Meaning, in the event you often go away your sunscreen in a scorching sizzling automobile or outdoors by the pool, you might need a rancid SPF earlier than you assume.
How have you learnt in case your sunscreen has gone unhealthy? Check the feel and shade of the goop: Expired sunscreens are inclined to separate or seem clumpy, or they may have a yellow or brown tinge from oxidation. If your SPF smells in any respect pungent, that is additionally a surefire signal it is gone rancid (and doubtless contaminated with micro organism). You can learn extra about sunscreen finest practices right here, together with the way to retailer your varied bottles.