Sun cream - are you supposed to buy this new every year?

[dreamerlemur]

I was wondering about this as I put on a high factor today and still seem to have been burnt? It is a bottle from last year?

[dreamerlemur]

Ignore the final question mark!

[Kirriemuir]

The bottle should tell you on the back how long it is fine for.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

I use Ultrasun and they say it lasts over 2 years after opening .
I wouldn't trust a Sun Protection that has been taken abroad , in a beach bag, in the hot sun all day, - that would get used up/thrown out on holiday.
But the Ultrasun is once a day so the main bottle/bottles doesn't leave the room , but I take a smaller High SPF if we go out.

Are you in the UK ? Sun was pretty strong here in Essex .

[AgeingArtemis]

Usually sun cream lasts 2-3 years once opened BUT that is assuming that it's been kept in a cool place and not exposed to the sun- which is pretty unlikely! So in general after a year you should buy another bottle,

[MiamiNaice]

I checked my Nivea one and my DDs garnier one from last year and it says 12m by bar code meaning it Lasts for 12 months when opened so I chucked them and got new ones

[dreamerlemur]

Thanks everyone. It was a Nivea Factor 50 today but I've now looked at the 'use by' and I see it has a '12 M' mark so maybe no factor at all today! One for the bin I think!

[dementedpixie]

If I opened it the year before then I buy new stuff. I have a couple of unused ones from last year so will use them this year.

[Cakescakescakes]

That's why I buy ultrasun as it has a longer shelf life once opened so less wastage.

[dementedpixie]

It's very expensive though. I'd rather have lots of cheap effective stuff than a small amount of expensive cream

[Cakescakescakes]

But I don't find it works out much more expensive as I don't have to chuck it out at the end of the summer. So I'm not throwing money away. I don't go on sun holidays so it's just for UK use so lasts for ages. The once a day one.

[dementedpixie]

We do go abroad though so we buy loads for that so cheap and cheerful is good for us. Trying aldi lacuna this year. Is 5 star uva rated and under £3 for 200mls

[HouseOfBiscuits]

What happens to sun cream when it's out of date? Why does it stop working?

[dementedpixie]

Lacura*

[dementedpixie]

Maybe the chemicals break down and no longer do the job they are supposed to. Exposure to the sun probably speeds up the breakdown so cream that was used the year before will be less effective