Sunscreen Working? Check the Expiration Date

Almost every day at 10 a.m. on the dot, I slip on my yellow bikini and I sit on my terrace and soak in he morning sun rays. With a glass of water at my side and a laptop on my thighs, I embrace the new day. And if you, like me, love the sun and how it feels on your skin, then it’s easy to forget that something that feels so good is actually your skin’s enemy.

I have stared at the sunscreen bottle many times; trying to convince myself that taking the extra minutes to slop it on had been waste, even though I did. Other times I had thrown it on carelessly, eager to just get in the sun and out of my stuffy studio apartment. That was, until one day when blotchy red marks appeared on my arms and freaked out. I didn’t notice that sunscreen I was using had expired. For over an hour my skin was being tortured while unprotected.

Before you apply on a dose of sunscreen to your forehead, back, arms and legs, and run to the beach or sun deck, check the expiration date on the sunscreen bottle. Sun screen’s protective ingredients break down over time and this liquid becomes useless. If it changes color, smells weird, or looks droopy or chunky then you know, it has gone bad. Also, make sure you store it in a cool and dry place to help protect it.

These days sunscreen options are higher than SPF 15. Look for SPF 55 or even SPF 80, especially if you, like me, plan to spend a lot of time in the sun this summer. And remember, when the seasons over, toss that old bottle so you don’t use it again next summer.

Written by: Isobella Jade