Summer is finally here, and it’s going to be a blast. With the United States starting to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, people are going to want to make up for lost time, with plenty of time spent out and about with friends and family.
Of course, you should always be well-stocked on sunscreen to protect yourself from the sun’s rays. If you’ve had a bottle for a while, it’s important for you to give it a quick inspection before you throw it in your bag to use when you arrive at your destination in Poplar Bluff, MO.
Here are a few signs you should throw the bottle away rather than use it.
The expiration date has passed
This is an easy one—if you see your sunscreen’s expiration date on the bottle has passed, you should just throw it in the trash. While using the product itself likely won’t harm you, there’s a good chance that an expired bottle of sunscreen will no longer be able to protect you from ultraviolet radiation from the sun, which essentially makes it useless.
The FDA advises against using sunscreen that has passed its expiration date, if there is one on the bottle.
If there is no expiration date
Some bottles of sunscreen might not have an expiration date on them at all. If you check the bottle and do not see a “best by” date, you’ll need to throw it away after three years.
Of course, that requires you to remember exactly when you purchased it in the first place. As a general rule, though, the FDA says sunscreens should always have an expiration date unless sufficient testing by the manufacturer shows the product to be stable and reliable for use for at least three years. You can usually trust you’re getting a fairly fresh product when you purchase it, so three years from purchase is a good standard to follow.
You had your sunscreen stored improperly
Proper storage is crucial to ensuring your sunscreen remains effective for that three-year period (or until the expiration date). The best place to store your sunscreen is out of the way of direct sunlight. The FDA recommends wrapping containers in towels or keeping them in the shade if you’re going to be outside for long periods of time. When indoors, store the bottle in a cool, out-of-the-way location —a closet is more than sufficient.
When you go to the beach, consider keeping your sunscreen in a cooler between reapplications so it stays fresh and out of the sun.
Keep in mind that foreign products do not have the same standards that American products do, so if you purchased sunscreen in another country, you should be sure to read the label and see if there are any specific usage instructions you need to follow to keep the product safe and effective.
For more information about getting away from bad sunscreen and finding quality natural health products in Poplar Bluff, MO, visit us today at Bee Hive Natural Foods.