Is it OK to use last years sun cream on DS?

[ilikeyoursleeves]

I still have 2 bottles of sun cream that I bought last year, I put some on DS today but not sure if it still offers the same protection? Does anyone know if I need to get a new bottle?

Thanks

Blimey - some of the stuff we use is from years ago!

sun creams do loose their potency. Does it have a use by date?

TBH I would risk it on me but not on DCs

Isn't there a use-by date? I'd think it would be fine.

Depends on how it has been stored.

Changes in temperature do more harm to the product than age. Sun cream should be kept cool as much as possible at all times (so don't take it to the beach and leave it out it in the sun )

I don't think you're meant to. It's annoying when you have a whole tube though. I the previous years on the older two last summer but bought a new baby one for ds2. I wanted a higher factor for him anyway.

I was wondering this too, as I have some left from last year. I think they say you should get new stuff every year, "they" probably being the manufacturers of suncream, so .... I was looking at suncream in the supermarket this morning and nearly fainted when I saw the price, so I would like to use up the old stuff first if it is safe to do so...

Yes it was £7 a bottle so feel loathe to throw it out! I'll check to see if it's got a use by date. It was kept in DS's room so should be OK temp wise. He is 1.5 years old.

Most skincare products, I include suncream in that, have a use within date - 6months, 12,etc. It is usually an indicator of how long after opening it can be used.

Yes. Apparently when it's off the oil and cream separate.

You can test it's effectiveness by doing a patch test on yourself - rub a small blob of the cream on somewhere you don't mind looking patchy, then go out in the sun and leave it as long as it would normally take you to tan. You should find the patch stays pale.

There will be a little drawing on the back of the bottle - looks like a jar with the lid off - that will say 6m/12m/whatever.

In the case of suncream, it is not a ruse to get you to buy more product. I risk it for me and dh, but not dd - always buy new for her every year.

IME Saltire, most products will smell 'stale' if they've gone off. The use by date is just a ploy to get you to spend more money, so clearly it's worked on you!

I would probably buy a new tube for a one year tbh. Their skin hasn't seen much sun and burns so easily.

Could you use it on yourself? Sometimes I put theirs on my shoulders but it is a bit like lard.

NHS info

I think you get 12months from the date of opening it. Got ours BOGOF last year and one hasn't been opened. Wasn't the greatest of summer last year.

EU products have a minimum 3 year shelf-life unless labelled otherwise.

The suncreen agents are very stable and will outlast the emulsion.

During development, product aging is accelerated by storing it at different temperatures, including cycling temperatures. Appearance and efficacy of the product is tested at regular intervals up to three years.

Products are microbially tested during the development phase. This includes 'challenging' the product by injecting large quantites of a cocktail of microbes.