The chemicals in sunscreens are usually pretty stable which means you can use last summer’s sunscreen as long as it’s not past the expiration date listed on the bottle. Unfortunately, not every sunscreen has an expiration date. To make sure you’re using a sunscreen that’s still up to snuff, look for one that has an expiration date clearly marked. Using expired sunscreen isn’t dangerous, but it could reduce the sun protection you’re getting. According to some experts, chemical sunscreens are still potent for up to three years, but to be safe it’s best to discard them before the expiration date - or within two years after purchase if the bottle has no expiration date. After all, sunscreen isn’t that expensive and the downsides of getting a sunburn from using expired sunscreen are too high. Keep in mind that a sunscreen bottle sets on the store shelf for a while before you purchase it, so be liberal with discarding it if there’s no expiration date and you can’t be … [Read more...]