Last year's suncream

[Honeymum]

Does it deteriorate? I've just spent a fortune in Boots (2 for 1!) but I'm wondering if I can use last year's?

[Ameriscot2005]

Cosmetic products have to have a shelf-life of 3 years in order to meet EU standards, unless they have an expiration date on them.

[eemie]

It does deteriorate. My dh got badly burned one year from using old stuff. It has to be kept cool, so can be inactivated if it's been left in a hot car, for example. I now keep ours in a cool bag with the food/drinks when we go out, and store it in the fridge. HTH

[Honeymum]

Good tip eemie, I'll make sure I store mine in the fridge (and I'll always be able to find it too!).

[JanH]

I have a bottle of Asda's here which is at least 12 months old and it actually has a use-by date on it - 13/05/06.

[PsychoFlame]

I've got a feeling mine have use by dates on....

They feel really nice in hot weather if they are stored in the fridge too

[JoolsToo]

I've used mine year on year with no adverse affects (that I know of) but in any case you can get Nivea very cheap at Tesco (last time I looked anyway) so maybe its not worth it!

[SoupDragon]

I use last year's sun cream for "home" use and buy fresh for holidays abroad.

[Ameriscot2005]

The ones with "use by" dates are there probably because the manufacturer is selling the product before they have 3 years' of stability data on it. Chances are that it will be good for more than three years, but they just can't prove it yet.

Good point about high temperatures - this will accelerate product aging - and the three year guarantee is for room temperature product. A product from a reputable manufacturer should be able to withstand higher temperatures for a short time, especially if higher temperatures are part of normal use for the product.

[Ameriscot2005]

A Google on sunscreen shelf-life should reassure. The only one on the first page of hits saying that you should only use a sunscreen for one season is from a company that is selling a cover-up.

[Easy]

Hmm, I thought the info that I heard last year - "you must buy fresh sunscreen every year, becos it deteriorates" - had a smell of marketing spin about it.

[Ameriscot2005]

Yes, it does, Easy. If a manufacturer is saying that the product needs to be replaced, then it should have an expiration date. If it doesn't have that, then they should be able to prove a 3-year shelf life. That's the law.

The product should look and smell OK, and if it doesn't, you should send it back to the manufacturer for a refund.

[Kayleigh]

I "cycle" mine same as SoupDragon.

[kcemum]

Was told by very helpfull assistant in Boots that if unopened, stored in a cool dark place it has a shelf life of 3 years. If iot has been opened it has a life of 12months

[HappyDaddy]

Last year's suncream can be used as aftersun but not suncream anymore.

[Ameriscot2005]

To comply with the EU Cosmetics Directive, all product, opened and unopened has to have a shelf-life of 3+ years, or an expiration date.

Happydaddy, where did your aftersun theory come from? The sunscreen chemicals are very stable - if there is any concern about the formula (say due to leaving it in a hot car), then it's the basic emulsion (ie moisturising lotion) that is likely to crack.

[CountessDracula]

but dahling it's sooooo last year - surely you need this season's suncream